Local News in Brief : Miraleste High to Close

The Palos Verdes Peninsula School Board voted unanimously Monday night to close Miraleste High School, the smallest of the district’s three campuses, and sell or lease the property, located on the east side of the affluent community.

Trustees said the move, which has been vigorously opposed by Miraleste parents, will save the financially strapped district about $750,000 annually.

The decision came after months of community debate on how to resolve the 9,800-student district’s chronic financial problems, which have been caused by a 60% drop in enrollment and a subsequent loss in state financial aid over the past 13 years. Seven smaller campuses have been closed--the system at one time had 24 schools--but funding deficits have continued, forcing increasingly severe cutbacks in programs.