The somewhat humble economic status of the South High geographic area and the cosmopolitan nature of the school in an otherwise ethnically monolithic culture may have been the factor that led to the closure of South High due to declining enrollment in all Salt Lake City high schools. At the time of closure, two high schools, West and East, had buildings much older than South High. On February 3, 1987, the school board announced the proposed closure of South High School. Following a period of further evaluation, the board of education allowed the school to remain open one additional year. South High closed June 8, 1988, when the 1987-1988 school year ended. After closure the student body of South was divided between East, West, and Highland high schools.