When Cesar Chavez Academy opened its doors seven years ago, enrollment was 240. Today the number stands at 1,100.<\/p>\n
Other things have changed as well. These students – most of whom are Latino kids from low-income neighborhoods – are now some of the highest achievers in the entire state.<\/p>\n
Lawrence Hernandez, founder of the school, says 3,000 students are on the waiting list to attend.<\/p>\n
That there’s a single kid on that waiting list is a travesty.<\/p>\n
The U.S. Department of Education will honor Cesar Chavez Academy for its success in closing the achievement gap among Latino students.<\/p>\n
The school was one of six charter schools nationwide to be recognized. It was one of only two picked to be featured in a documentary about successful schools to air nationwide Sept. 18 on PBS.<\/p>\n
In Colorado, Cesar Chavez already has a sterling reputation. High marks come from nearly every corner of the educational establishment. Incredibly, this success comes, according to Hernandez, by operating with 40 percent less money per student (after paying for their own building and other expenses) than the typical public school does.<\/p>\n
With all this success, one wonders why Cesar Chavez Academy, and similar schools, are constantly struggling to overcome barriers laid in their way by local and state governments.<\/p>\n