Faced with declining enrollment, the Natrona County (Wyo.) school board has voted to close Grant Elementary School in Casper.
The Casper Star-Tribune reports that the board action came in response to a district study that called for cutting costs and improving efficiency in the midst of an economic decline.
Superintendent Steve Hopkins says that the decision to close the elementary school was difficult, but clear-eyed assessments of the district in an economic downturn are a necessity.
Grant has seen its enrollment drop for three straight years, and with 174 students, it now sits at 80 percent capacity. It also needs a new roof and significant foundation work.
Overall, the district has an overcapacity of more than 500 elementary school seats. To cut costs, the district has eliminated 23 positions through attrition at its central office, Hopkins says.
