After hearing from a red-clad crowd at the Billings school board meeting Monday evening, the trustees decided to support the plan to close Washington Elementary and convert the building into a charter school for high school students focusing on early college and technology classes next year.

“I didn’t come to Billings to close schools, but we have to balance the budget,” Superintendent Erwin Garcia said. “Why can’t we look for a win-win situation?”

Earlier this month, Garcia announced a plan to help reduce the deficit by moving Washington students next fall to Miles Avenue, Broadwater and Newman elementary schools and reassigning teachers and support staff to other positions within the district.

At a meeting with parents and community members on Jan. 2, he outlined a proposal to convert the building at 1044 Cook Avenue into what he’s calling the Washington Innovation Center. It could house two new charter schools, one aimed at providing college credits to high school students and the other offering intensive classes for those pursuing technology careers.

Many parents who spoke against the proposal to close Washington said they liked the small class sizes, their kids liked their teachers and the staff, and they feared moving students to another school could create challenges for transportation and childcare.

With enrollment steadily declining during the past several years, Washington now has 208 students and is operating at 77% capacity. Garcia said the annual cost of educating one Washington student is $9,429 versus an average of around $5,000 at other Billings elementary schools.

The elementary school district is running on a $3.5 million budget deficit. Using Washington for high school classes would allow SD2 to move $1.5 million from the high school district budget into the elementary district, helping to reduce the shortfall, Garcia said.

Billings Gazette: Billings school board votes to support closure of Washington Elementary