A state Board of Education member is expressing concern about transferring the now-closed Wailupe Valley Elementary School site back to its owner, the City and County of Honolulu.

Karen Knudsen said the public school system will lose out on the opportunity to turn the East O'ahu campus into another educational facility, such as a science center for middle school students.

Last week, the BOE's Administrative Services Committee recommend that state Department of Education return the Wailupe Valley campus to the city and county.

But education officials had previously proposed other uses for the Wailupe Valley campus before the school's closure last week. Options discussed included allowing a charter school to occupy the location, the creation of a "signature school" focused on science and technology, or using the campus for administrative offices.

As an elementary school, the Wailupe Valley campus was not viable, Knudsen said, pointing out that it had only 78 students, half of whom came from outside of the district.

If the campus could be turned into a "magnet school," also known as a signature school, it could potentially be a viable educational facility, she said.

"I think in some ways we're all sorry to lose the site as an educational facility," Knudsen said. "Once we give that up, we won't get it back."

The board has not yet scheduled a final vote on whether to transfer the facilities back to the city.

City spokesman Bill Brennan said there are no plans yet for the Wailupe Valley site.

"It's still very early. It's a subject that is under discussion here at City Hall," he said. "One thing that has been discussed is possibly making it available to nonprofit organizations."

Schools Superintendent Pat Hamamoto had previously discussed with city officials the possibility of the DOE retaining the campus, Knudsen said.

However, Hamamoto told board members that the option was not feasible since it would cost the DOE about $2 million to bring the facilities up to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and to retrofit the campus so it would be useable by adults.

With the DOE facing $468 million in budget cuts over the next two years, Knudsen said, it's unlikely the DOE can retain the Wailupe Valley site.

"This is another victim of this tough economic time," Knudsen said. "It's something we aspired to do that we cannot fulfill."