People crowded into Ka'a'awa Elementary for a chance to voice their concern that their community school could be closed.
"We are being targeted for closure. Regardless of the fact that our children would be required to make many more sacrifices than children at an urban school," said Kaye Walsh, Ka'a'awa resident.
"A community with out a school is no longer a community," said Ted Green, Ka'a'awa resident.
The Department of Education has been considering consolidating Ka'a'awa with Waiahole or Hau'ula Elementary schools for the past year.
"Primary reason for looking at consolidation is financial. And with the State's economic condition that interest got more attention than historically it had, so the primary focus on consolidation is to save money," said Randy Moore, DOE Assistant Superintendent.
But, a Task Force set up by the DOE looked into whether or not a consolidation was needed and determined closing the campus is not warranted.
"Ka'a'awa Elementary School does not meet any of three criteria for consolidation under Chapter 8-38," said Creighton Mattoon, Ka'a'awa Consolidation Task Force Chair.
The Task Force found closing the campus would result in overcrowding at nearby schools and put a burden on families. The task force also questioned why a school that exceeds the state average in test scores for both Language and Math would combine with schools performing less academically.
"Ka'a'awa uniting, saving our school, it is not about any other school it is about us here and now stopping our school from closing the data is there end of discussion," said Jamie Stidger, Ka'a'awa Elementary School parent.
"Every group of schools that you look at will have factors, all of which will need to be considered and weighed, and ultimately the Board of Education makes final decision," said Moore.
The Task Force will met next week to give their final recommendation to the Board of Education. But there is no time limit for the BOE to make a decision on if the school will be closed.
