'AINA HAINA — A community panel last night voted 8-0 to recommend that the state Department of Education close Wailupe Valley School at the end of the school year and transfer its 78 students to nearby 'Aina Haina Elementary.

It was the first recommendation of its kind in an ongoing process within the public school system to study the possibility of closing underpopulated schools across the state.

The task force, made up of parents, school administrators and community members, will forward its recommendation to complex area superintendent Ronn Nozoe who will submit the panel's decision to state Schools Superintendent Pat Hamamoto. She will then send it to the state Board of Education for a final decision on whether to close the school.

If Wailupe were to be consolidated, it would be the first time since 1987, when students from 'Anuenue Elementary were shifted to nearby Palolo Elementary.

Closing Wailupe Valley and shifting its students to 'Aina Haina could result in significant cost savings to the state, according to a report released in March by the task force.

According to the report released March 6, the state spends more than twice as much per pupil at Wailupe Valley ($12,079) than at 'Aina Haina ($5,140).

Taking into account total operating costs for the school, the state would save about $804,000 a year if Wailupe were to close and its staff and students moved. Wailupe also has a repair and maintenance backlog of some $9.7 million.

Ross Watanabe, an alumnus of Wailupe Valley and whose 7-year-old daughter attends the school, was one of about 25 people at last night's meeting at 'Aina Haina Elementary.

"This is very emotional for me," Watanabe said. "With the economy being the way it is, this was already decided. If we could have looked at other options before this, we may not be at this point."

Cary Miyashiro, chairman of the task force, said, "When we looked at all the data, I really could not see any defendable reason to keep the school open. ... We had to decide what was in the best interests of the child. We owe it to the students."

Wailupe has a class-size range of eight to 14 students, while 'Aina Haina's ranges from 17 to 22.

However, according to the task force report, there is no statistical advantage to Wailupe Valley's small class sizes.

Overall student achievement was found to be higher at 'Aina Haina, according to an examination of the school's Hawaii State Assessment results. Wailupe Valley students transferring to 'Aina Haina would benefit from the 'Aina Haina emphasis on high student achievement, the report said.

For instance, in 2007, 88 percent of 'Aina Haina students were proficient in reading compared with 77 percent at Wailupe Valley. In mathematics, 77 percent of students were found to be proficient compared with 54 percent at Wailupe Valley.

'Aina Haina is also a national Blue Ribbon School, an honor given only to schools that have closed the achievement gap among their students or seen their students succeed at very high levels.

Justin Mew, principal of Niu Valley Middle School, testified last night that "students from other feeder schools in the area are at a higher level than the Wailupe students that we receive. It can often take two to three years to catch them up to the standards."

Janet Borja, a member of the task force who has two young children who attend Wailupe, said she's concerned about the transition of Wailupe Valley Elementary students to 'Aina Haina. She said other parents had expressed a desire for a quick decision from the Board of Education on whether Wailupe will indeed be closed.

"We're tired of just waiting around and not knowing," she said.

Task force members also requested that the Department of Education allocate additional funds to 'Aina Haina Elementary to perhaps hire a vice principal to help with the Wailupe students' smooth transition to the school.

The task force had been meeting since Dec. 23 to formulate a recommendation on whether to merge Wailupe Valley with 'Aina Haina.

Citing budget cuts of at least $40 million a year for the next two years, education officials in December embarked on the long and controversial process of studying consolidation of schools as a possible cost-saving measure.

Other areas such as Ka'a'awa, Moloka'i and Maui are expected to begin a similar process soon.