Escuela Popular, a San Jose charter school that has been serving all ages for 40 years, may be forced to close its doors because of teacher credentialing issues.

The East Side Union High School District oversees the site and says the school is out of compliance, but staff say they just need a little more time and insist everything they’re doing is within the education code.

Claudia Gonzalez spent much of her time as an immigrant from Mexico at Escuela Popular. She went on to earn her high school diploma and began teaching English at the school to other immigrants.

"I learn English at this school and a lot of students learn English at this school," she said.

But then the law changed for charter schools.

"Prior to 2019, charter schools could have non-core elective classes taught by non-

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