Highline Community College will close its Federal Way campus.

The college received a $2.1 million budget cut based on Gov. Christine Gregoire's 2009-2011 biennial budget, according to a Highline news release. As a result, the college will not renew the lease for Highline’s Federal Way branch campus at 33320 1st Way S.

In addition, Highline will close the Early Childhood Learning Center, the college’s childcare center for students. These closures, effective July 1, will result in the elimination of 44 full-time positions, the college reported.

The lease for the campus ends in October, so classes for the extended learning program will continue through the summer.

Highline’s Federal Way campus offers basic skills and non-credit business courses. The campus is also home to the Puget Sound Early College (PSEC), a dual-enrollment credit cohort program for high school juniors and seniors.

Seniors will be able to finish the program. Highline is looking at the possibility of letting juniors finish the program at the main campus, spokeswoman Lisa Skari said.

The school could come back to Federal Way when the economy turns around, Skari said.

There are currently 77 PSEC students at the Federal Way campus. There are also 320 students in a GED and English as a Second Language program as well as 300 in extended learning classes.

Highline officials are talking to both the Federal Way Public Schools and the city about possibly holding some of those classes in Federal Way, just at various locations.

Check it out

College officials will hold two community forums on the Federal Way campus, 33320 1st Way S. For PSEC students and parents, the forum is scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 4. A second forum for the community is scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 11.

Contact Federal Way Mirror Reporter Kyra Low at klow@fedwaymirror.com or (253) 925-5565.

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