This will be the last school year for Rhoads, Grimes, Stevenson and McDade elementaries now that Houston school district trustees have voted to close those campuses.

The closures will save the Houston Independent School District close to $700,000 next year and $1.8 million the following year, the head of the district’s financial department, Melinda Garrett, said during the Thursday board meeting.

Trustee Carol Galloway voted against the closure of all four schools. Trustee Juliet Stipeche voted against the closure of Rhoads, Grimes and Stevenson elementaries but not McDade Elementary School. Trustee Manuel Rodriguez was absent for the votes, but present during other parts of the meeting. The other six trustees approved the closures.

See what HISD trustees Stipeche, Harvin Moore, Larry Marshall and board president Paula Harris had to say before the vote in the video below.

The Houston school system has been debating school closures for months and has been focusing on its smallest schools, those that the district considers under-enrolled. These schools receive additional school funding through a “small school subsidy,” which HISD expects to spend more than $10 million on this year.

Check out Texas Watchdog’s previous coverage:

• Number of schools on HISD's chopping block drops to 4 (again) -- but Love Elementary is saved
• Neighbors fear 'eyesores' if HISD closes four schools; old Bastian Elementary to be bulldozed
• Parents want answers as Houston ISD weighs closing four elementary schools
• 'Overage' middle schoolers factor into debate over closing four 'small' Houston ISD schools
• Race, history factor into debate over costs to operate Houston Independent School District's 'small schools'