Voters in one Southeast Kansas school district reject a five-point-five million dollar bond issue that would have built a new elementary school. Now the kids will have to use portable classrooms.

It's happening in the Elk County School District. School leaders say they can't afford to keep the two elementary schools open because they are in two different towns. The district plans to consolidate and have all the kids, K-12 go to school in Howard. Despite the fact that the bond issue didn't pass, the district still plans to close the elementary schools in Severy and Moline and the younger kids will be placed in modular classrooms to save money.

"I don't want to see them close. It's going to hurt the cities, both Moline and Severy both," said Erline White, whose grandchildren attend the schools.

The superintendent declined an on camera interview, but told KAKE News, because of state funding cuts, the district is losing at least $150 per student, and enrollment in the small district is declining.