For nearly 40 years, Escuela Popular has been a cornerstone of East San José — a community-rooted, bilingual, and bicultural school where immigrant families find belonging, opportunity, and a pathway to generational progress. Its story is one of resilience, of community strength, and of home-grown educators who have transformed thousands of lives.
Today, as the school works diligently to ensure all teachers complete California’s rigorous credentialing requirements, its deeper mission remains unchanged: to open doors for newcomers and to uplift the families who have long relied on it as their educational home.
Escuela Popular was founded in 1986 by longtime community advocate Lidia Reguerin, who began teaching English and U.S. citizenship classes to newly arrived Latino immigrants. What started as a grassroots effort slowly blossomed into a full TK–adult charter school serving nearly 800 students — young children, teens, working adults, and parents who return to the classroom with hope, determination, and a deep desire to build a better life in a new country.
One of those students was Leisar Garcia, who first stepped onto campus at age 17. His family had roots in Guatemala, and as a newly arrived immigrant he needed strong English language instruction and help imagining his future. When he enrolled at Escuela Popular, he says it felt like he had joined an extended family.
"I often wondered if I would make it. The first month was especially hard — dealing with immigration, adapting to a new culture, learning a new language, and understanding the laws of this country. I knew it wouldn’t be easy," Leisar recalled. "But this school saved me because I found out that I'm good at doing art. Now, I'm a painter… a muralist. I’ve done four murals around San Jose and I have done two murals at Escuela Popular. I’m finishing my third semester at San Jose City College, and hopefully next year I’ll transfer to San Jose State.”
Leisar’s murals now brighten the walls of Escuela Popular, including a vibrant tribute to the school’s founder. Every student who walks past it sees not just color and creativity, but proof that their potential is real, visible, and worth celebrating.
Stories like Leisar’s are common here. Escuela Popular has always embraced students who arrive with interrupted formal education, limited English, or gaps in literacy. Instead of viewing those challenges as deficits, the school sees them as a beginning — a place to build confidence, cultivate bilingualism, and open pathways to college and careers. Teachers here understand that learning a new language is an act of bravery, and they honor that bravery every day.
Escuela Popular’s family-centered model also sets it apart.
Parents and children learn side-by-side. Teen moms and adult learners have access to free on-site childcare, eliminating one of the biggest barriers to continued education. Families receive direct support from a dedicated case manager who helps them secure housing, food, legal assistance, health care, and mental-health services. For many, Escuela Popular is not simply a school — it is a lifeline. It is where immigrant families navigate systems in their home language, where they find stability, and where they feel seen.
One of the school’s deepest sources of pride is its home-grown educators: bilingual, bicultural teachers who reflect the community they serve. Many began as students or parents, or as volunteers who slowly found their way into teaching roles. Aleli Ramirez is one of them.
“My story begins with my mother,” Aleli explains. “I was just nine months old when my mother walked into a classroom at Escuela Popular, trying to learn English and study for citizenship. While she worked toward a better life, I was cared for by people who loved me, kept me safe, and celebrated every little part of who I am. I never cried for my mom because I always felt at home.”
Aleli watched her mother earn her GED, her bachelor’s degree, and eventually her teaching credential — all made possible because the school believed in her. That belief planted a seed, one that grew into Aleli’s own journey through the school as a volunteer, a TA, an afterschool leader, an intern, and eventually a credentialed teacher.
“EP helped me every step of the way,” she says. “With paperwork, flexible schedules, paying for my credential program, and even supporting me when I became a mother myself. This school didn't just educate me, it raised me into the teacher that I am today.”
Becoming a credentialed teacher in California is a demanding, years-long process involving coursework, practicum hours, exams, and significant financial and time commitments. Across the state, this pathway has discouraged many prospective educators — contributing to a broader teacher shortage.
But Escuela Popular has made it a priority to support teachers through this journey. The school has created internal pathways, provided flexible work schedules, and offered hands-on help with navigating the credentialing system. Today, 12 of the school’s 40 teachers are still finalizing their credentials. With a clear action plan in place, the school is working in close partnership with the East Side Union High School District to ensure every teacher completes the requirements.
Executive Director Patricia Reguerin, daughter of the school’s founder, remains steadfast in her commitment. “For four decades, Escuela Popular has opened its arms to immigrants and working families so parents and children can learn side by side,” she says. “We are committed to ensuring all of our teachers are fully credentialed and to continuing to transform lives through education.”
Support for the school extends far beyond its campus. Families, alumni, and local officials have long recognized Escuela Popular as an essential institution in East San José. Councilmember Peter Ortiz, who represents District 5, has been particularly vocal about its value to the community.
“Students who felt invisible in large high schools found a second chance at Escuela Popular,” Ortiz says. “Closing this school would be a huge blow to our community. I stand with our families, our educators and our students.”
It is no exaggeration to say that Escuela Popular has been a refuge for thousands of immigrant families. It is a place where parents learn English while their children learn in a nurturing bilingual environment. A place where families find caseworkers, legal help, childcare, and fresh meals prepared every day. A place where home-grown teachers discover their calling — and where the community, in turn, discovers its strength.
Escuela Popular is more than a school. It is an anchor, a lifeline, and a promise of possibility for East San José. It is, and always has been, a community school worth fighting for.
For more information about Escuela Popular, please visit its website by clicking here.
