Dear friends and neighbors, 

Education is one of my top priorities as your senator. This session, I’ve sponsored legislation that gives local communities the power to decide the level of support needed to fund their schools, extends special education services, makes standardized testing accessible for remote students, and more.  

As a special education teacher in the Camas School District, I know how important it is that we invest in our students, educators, and schools. And to do that, we must start treating school construction like the basic education necessity it is.  

In Washington, school bonds, often used for construction projects, require a 60% supermajority of voters. While school levies, often used for people and programs, only require a simple majority. Washington is one of only 12 states with a supermajority requirement for school bond measures.   

I’ve seen firsthand the harm caused to our students when school bonds fail to get 60% of the vote, preventing school districts from funding basic improvements. This greatly impacts our students and forces them to learn in overcrowded and often unsafe environments.  

That’s why I’m proud to sponsor Senate Joint Resolution 8200— a proposed constitutional amendment to allow school districts to issue general obligation bonds for capital purposes, levy taxes to make payments on those bonds, and exceed the constitutional debt limit with 50% + 1 voter approval.  

Time and again, we have seen critical school bonds win a majority of votes but fail to meet the 60% threshold necessary to pass. In Clark County alone, 10 school bond measures failed between 2015-2024 despite a majority of voters in support.  

We must turn the page on this outdated law and create a path for schools to fund basic improvements, so we can better support our students. Our students deserve safe, well-equipped schools, and I’m committed to ensuring our communities have the critical tools they need to invest in their future.    

It’s an honor to represent you and a privilege to bring our southwest Washington values to Olympia. 

Sincerely, 

Sen. Adrian Cortes