PUEBLO — The future of a Pueblo charter school is uncertain after Pueblo School District 60 (D60) did not renew its charter earlier this year. On Thursday, students and teachers at Chavez-Huerta Preparatory Academy are trying to save their school.
Starting at the Pueblo County Courthouse, teachers and staff of Chavez-Huerta Preparatory Academy held a demonstration march in support of their school.
“One more time to let our voices be heard,” said Fred Segura, Executive Director of Chavez-Huerta.
Students led the way as they walked to the Pueblo School District 60 Administration Building.
“I've always been a student advocate since I was in elementary school. This isn't my first time on the picket line,” said Yesenia Gonzalez, an 11th grader at CHPA. “We're not just peers, we became a family because we've been with each other for so many years.”
She said she would do anything to save her school from closing.
“A lot of us graduate with a degree,” said Gonzalez." They sat there and showed me what I'm capable of.”
Gonzalez said when she graduates from high school, she will have her paraprofessional degree.
“Therefore, I can get a job right off the bat,” said Gonzalez.
She joined her classmates Thursday, holding signs and chanting.
“The community, they want to keep Chavez going,” said Segura.
In January, D60 decided not to renew CHPA'S charter because of the school's academic performance, financial instability and high staff turnover.
“As the district has claimed that with that you know, if we don't get a certain enrollment number, that we would go out of business. That's simply not true, or that we don't have enough money to operate through the rest of the fiscal year. That's simply not true,” said Segura.
The charter agreement ends June 30. Segura continues to ask D60 to renew the charter, or be let out of the agreement sooner.
KOAA News5 received the following statement from a D60 spokesperson.
“Following the State Board of Education’s decision to uphold D60’s non-renewal of the CHPA charter agreement, the school’s contract is set to expire at the end of June.
D60 is focused on supporting families through this transition, and we welcome families to explore all of their enrollment options. Several of our schools have welcome nights planned in the coming weeks that we encourage all families interested in those schools to attend.
Enrollment information can be found on our website at www.pueblod60.0rg or by calling 719-253-6014.
At this time, D60 has not received any requests or additional information from CHPA since the State Board of Education hearing on May 15, 2025.”
Segura wants D60 to release Chavez-Huerta from their agreement.
“If District 60 doesn't want to authorize this, we accept that that's fine, but don't prevent us from moving forward, especially when you see all of the support and all of the things that we have going on within our school,” said Segura.
Segura said if they do not get action before the end of June, they will have to make some tough decisions, which may mean closing the school.
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