At last night's school board meeting, the Highline School Board voted to close Southern Heights Elementary at the end of this school year.
Students will be reassigned to other schools, primarily Cedarhurst and Beverly Park, where they will attend starting next school year.
There are two main reasons for the closure of Southern Heights: the size of the school and the condition of the building.
Southern Heights is the smallest school in the district with just over 200 students, and enrollment is declining. Because state funding is allocated on a per-student basis, it receives less funding for staff positions and other support.
Secondly, the aging building does not offer the modern learning environment that newer neighboring schools do and is not scheduled to be replaced in the foreseeable future.
"This is an incredibly difficult decision and we know it is painful for Southern Heights students, families and staff," said Superintendent Susan Enfield. "Southern Heights students deserve the same advantages and support as other Highline students, and we were simply not able to provide that support given the size of the school."