CORRECTION: This story originally ran with the incorrect date for TMCHS’s closure.

The Issaquah School District board voted unanimously to close Tiger Mountain Community High School at its regular meeting Wednesday night.

The school — which serves at-risk and academically struggling students — will shut its doors at the end of the next school year, in spring 2016. It will be replaced by a new alternative high school for the 2016-2017 school year.

Superintendent Ron Thiele recommended in June that the district shutter Tiger Mountain in light of low graduation rates, slower credit accruals and a four-credit increase to the state graduation requirements beginning with the class of 2019.

“I’m not so concerned about students entering Tiger Mountain with credit deficiencies,” he said. “I’m more concerned about the credit accrual happening at Tiger Mountain.

“Graduating from high school in Washington state is hard … If we set lower expectations it’s a bad thing.”

Parents, students and alumni of Tiger Mountain High gave an outpouring of emotion as they protested the potential closure throughout meetings and public hearings in September and the beginning of October. An online petition against closure garnered nearly 900 signatures.

Tiger Mountain senior Ivy Catlin said the school helped her cope with a scotopic sensitivity that makes it difficult to read from paper, and helped her flourish as a student.

“I’m engaged in my education,” she said. “I’m not going to stop when they hand me my diploma.”

The school board had originally discussed closing Tiger Mountain at the end of the current school year, but ultimately decided to close it next year in order to transition students. The additional year operation was not preferred by some board members, Board President Marnie Maraldo said, because of the new state credit requirements for the class of 2019. Tiger Mountain’s curriculum would have to change radically if it stayed open the additional year, she said.

“I wouldn’t mind closing (the school) this year because I think we, as a district are failing these kids,” Board President Marnie Maraldo said. “We can’t take what we have this year and do it again next year, because the requirements have changed.”