Eanes (Texas) district is closing an elementary school

The Eanes (Texas) school board has voted to close the 43-year-old Valley View Elementary School when the semester ends.

The Austin American-Statesman reports that closure is intended to help the district close a $3.3 million deficit it's facing this year and a projected $6.3 million shortfall in the next academic year.

Valley View's enrollment is lower than that of other elementary schools, but it hasn't been given enough time to try to attract new students, said Lauren Amador, the parent of a Valley View fourth grader and a seventh grader.

District administrators plan to send Valley View students to Barton Creek Elementary, which is about 6 miles away.

Board members say the school's closure comes as a result of declining enrollment and severe budgetary constraints. The district estimates it will save $2 million by closing the school.

Valley View has far fewer students than any other Eanes elementary school — 275 students compared with at least 500 at all other campuses, according to district data. The school is only operating at half its capacity.

Like many districts in Texas, Eanes is working through a list of options to reduce it budget deficit.

Eanes has already cut extra class periods for secondary teachers meant for planning and collaborating with their colleagues, a $2 million savings.

The district could also consider other options, such as freezing staff salaries or asking voters to raise the property tax rate.