SAN JOSE, Calif. – The future is uncertain for a longtime East San Jose charter school. Escuela Popular is facing possible charter revocation after struggling to comply with new state laws on teacher credentials.
For 40 years, the school has taught the students of East San Jose, many of whom are learning English for the first time.
“Please, this kind of school cannot be closed for any reason,” said parent Gustavo Ordonez.
New state law creates challenges
The backstory
At the heart of the issue is a change in California state law requiring that teachers in non-core classes now hold valid teaching credentials, a requirement that did not previously apply.
Escuela Popular had five years to come into compliance and says it has worked steadily toward meeting the new standards. But in recent months, the East Side Union High School District, which oversees the school’s charter, informed administrators that the school was first placed on probation and later found in violation.
“We wanted to work with them during this period of notice of violation, to be able to make sure that our response is satisfactory to them,” said Patricia Reguerin, executive director of Escuela Popular. “I’ve said we could go teacher by teacher. If there’s something where there’s a disagreement, we’re willing to make that correction.”
District response
What they’re saying
However, district officials said that is not how the process works. The district is waiting for a written response, and then will determine whether the school “adequately and appropriately address the violations in the notices.”
“What I’m afraid of is that we could just receive another letter pushing us to revocation,” Reguerin said. “And revocation is something that could happen very quickly, and we want to avoid that.”
Efforts to comply
Dig deeper
Escuela Popular leaders say they believe they corrected the problem.
They hired a talent acquisition firm to recruit more qualified teachers, asked current teachers to take on additional classes, and paid for others to complete their credentialing programs.
“It’s been pretty hard because I’m working full-time. I’m studying full-time,” said Magali Tapia, a teacher at the school. “Currently, I’m working on my teaching credential master’s degree at Santa Clara University.”
Tapia was once a student at Escuela Popular herself. When she arrived, she said she knew no English.
“Everything that I know, this is my root. This is the base,” she said. “Please see what we have. We have a lot to offer.”
Escuela Popular submitted its response paperwork Monday. The East Side Union High School District plans to review the school’s status at its board meeting Thursday.