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Applicants present East Hills Academy plan to District 11 board; enrollment, transportation and special-education supports questioned
Summary
Founders of East Hills Academy told District 11 board members they plan a classical K–3 (or K-only) start in the district’s southern half and have modeled contingency budgets for lower enrollment, but reviewers asked for clearer special‑education, McKinney‑Vento and audit plans.
East Hills Academy founders presented their charter application and a brief update to the District 11 Board during a work session after District staff and the District Accountability Committee (DAC) had completed written reviews.
Founder Ganesh Ng described East Hills as a classical-tradition charter with emphasis on literature, music and character: "We really focus on ... classical art, music, literature, poetry," Ng said. He said the applicants plan to serve the southern half of District 11 and that they have looked at multiple buildings but have not secured a facility.
Ng said the petition drive produced about 600 signatures of support, of which roughly 300 represented children and about 100 were families with children age‑eligible to attend. He described two enrollment scenarios: an "ideal" opening with 88 students (four classes of 22) and a contingency plan that would allow the school to open with smaller numbers (scenarios down to 48 students were modeled and an extreme contingency of 35 was noted in the appendix). The applicants described plans to begin with one bus and add routes annually, and they said they have applied for grants, including a $2 million grant request for a bus with a wheelchair lift; they reported previously receiving a quarter-million dollars from the Colorado Schools Fund and expecting additional renewable support.
Board members and district reviewers repeatedly pressed East Hills on special education, gifted/talented services, McKinney‑Vento compliance and auditing timelines. Ng said the budget includes phased special-education staffing, paraprofessionals and stipended position(s) for gifted and multilingual learners and that the plan is to mirror District 11 proportions for subgroups through intentional outreach and planned staffing ratios. He also said he had built a 10% contingency into early years' budgets to cover unforeseen costs.
Several board members and DAC representatives flagged the proposed November 30 deadline for the charter school’s independent audit as late relative to district audit needs; the district said audit timing and other compliance items would be finalized through the contract negotiation process if the board granted approval. Board and staff emphasized that Colorado statute limits the grounds on which the district may reject an application to specific criteria (unsound program, inadequate finances, inadequate plan for serving students, etc.). Representatives from the district said they and the DAC will continue follow-up and will include specific contract timeline expectations if the application moves forward.
Why it matters: East Hills would add a classical‑model option targeted at southern District 11 and proposes transportation to reduce access barriers; the board’s questions indicate staff and reviewers will seek clearer plans for special‑education services, McKinney‑Vento compliance and audit timing before action is taken.
