Parents, students protesting plan to close schools in Hacienda La Puente USD

LA PUENTE, Calif. (KABC) -- Parents are protesting a proposed reconfiguration of the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District that could result in the shutdown of four schools.

The school board of the San Gabriel Valley district is set to meet Thursday night to consider the new plan.

Dozens of upset parents and students held a rally Wednesday outside La Puente city hall to demand their local schools stay open.

Student Kimberly Sandoval is concerned that her school, Sunset Elementary and Orthopedic Handicapped, which provides special assistance for disabled children, remain open.

"Sunset is the only school that has swings for disabled people," she said. "And it has a playground for disabled people. It's the only playground I see with ramps."

The district cites declining enrollment as one reason for potentially closing schools.

"I want to thank our families and community members for their continued feedback regarding the potential school reconfiguration at HLPUSD," District Superintendent Alfonso Jimenez wrote in a note to the community. "The District does not take this decision lightly, and we are committed to continuing to deliver robust instruction and extracurricular programs to our students with the least possible disruption."

School board member Stephanie Serrano opposes the plan. She says the district isn't in financial distress as the law requires.

"We don't need to close schools right now," Serrano said. "And what we're asking is that we slow down the process. So if we do have to close one or two schools that the community is thoroughly informed about what that means to them and ensure that their kids' needs will be met."