Closure of Highland Elementary School and Transfer of Students and Programs to Existing District Sites

2026050594

Vallejo City Unified School District

NOE - Notice of Exemption

5/14/2026

5/14/2026

Ruben Aurelio

Superintendent

Superintendent

Lead/Public Agency

665 Walnut Avenue
Vallejo, CA 94592

(707) 556-8921

raurelio@vcusd.org

309 Ensign Ave, Vallejo, CA

94590

Categorical Exemption

PRC §§ 21080.18, 21084, 21084.1 and Title 14 of Cal. Code Regs. § 15314.

Under Public Resources Code section 21080.18, CEQA does not apply to the closing of any public school in which kindergarten or any of grades 1 through 12 is maintained or the transfer of students from that public school to another school if the only physical changes involved are categorically exempt under Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 15000) of Division 6 of Title 14 of the California Administrative Code. The Class 14 categorical exemption (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 15314} applies to minor additions to existing schools within existing school grounds where the addition does not increase original student capacity by more than 25% or ten classrooms, whichever is less. Here, Highland Elementary School, which has an enrollment of 516 students, will close. Here, Johnston Cooper Elementary School will receive no more than 82 total students from Highland Elementary School. Johnston Cooper Elementary School has a current enrollment of approximately 360 students with the campus having a capacity for 780 students. The addition of the Highland Elementary School students would result in a total of approximately no more than 442 students, still well below the capacity of 780. Here, Lincoln Elementary School will receive no more than 99 total students from Federal Terrace Elementary School. Lincoln Elementary School has a current enrollment of approximately 104 students with the campus having a capacity for 270 students. The addition of the Federal Terrace students would result in a total of approximately 203 students, still well below the capacity of 270. Here, Steffan Manor Elementary School will receive 288 total students from Highland Elementary School. Steffan Manor Elementary School has a current enrollment of approximately 429 students with the campus having a capacity for 960 students. The addition of the Highland students would result in a total of approximately 717 students, still well below the capacity of 960. Here, Federal Terrace Elementary School will receive 47 total students from Highland Elementary School. Federal Terrace Elementary School has a current enrollment of approximately 242 students with the campus having a capacity for 840 students. The addition of the Highland students would result in a total of approximately 289 students, still well below the capacity of 840. Thus, the additional students do not increase the original student capacity at any receiver school. While students from the closed Highland Elementary School may be assigned to a mixture of the schools described above, the District will review school boundaries as necessary to prevent a school site from having more students than that school's current capacity. Additionally, there is no reasonable possibility that the closure and transfer of students will have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances, the closure and transfer of students will not result in damage to scenic resources, and the closure and transfer of students will not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource. Thus, under Public Resources Code sections 21080.18, 21084, and 210841, and Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, section 15314, the Project is exempt.