Denver Public Schools board members endured more than 90 minutes of angry criticism and student tears on Monday, as opponents of a plan requiring five schools to share space with new programs lined up to vent their frustration.

Angriest by far were those from southwest Denver's Rishel Middle School, which under the plan would close within three years to make way for two new programs.

"We didn't, in our worst nightmare, imagine that we would be shut down," teacher Allen Potter said. "The community never even knew this was at stake."

But while Rishel supporters were angry that two new programs would be moving into - and then taking over - their school, an advocacy group in northwest Denver was upset that no new programs are proposed in their area.

"We need good schools," Ricardo Martinez, co-founder of Padres y Jovenes Unidos, told board members. "It makes no sense that you would decide to place new schools in areas where people don't want you and to place no schools in areas where people are asking for them."

As he spoke, parents and students stood around him with test results pinned to their shirts. The results showed that two new programs - Knowledge Is Power Program, or KIPP, and Cesar Chavez Academy - outperformed all three northwest neighborhood middle schools by wide margins.

"We have schools that have proven themselves to work," Martinez said, clearly upset. "We've been asking you for that."

Board members, as is their policy, did not respond to questions or comments during the public hearing. Most sat stone-faced or nodded occasionally through nearly two dozen speakers, one as young as 11 years old.

DPS is considering space-sharing because the district has far more classroom seats than students. After the closure of eight grade schools last year, district elementary schools are more than 90 percent full.

But city middle and high schools are only 66 percent full, and according to district estimates, each seat costs $1,500 in utility and other expenses whether it's filled or not. Because those grade levels also are where DPS lags academically, district leaders asked for applications from high-performing new programs and told applicants they could seek space in existing schools.

DPS Superintendent Michael Bennet last week released recommendations calling for approval of a total of eight new programs, with six to be located inside DPS buildings. Nearly all are replications of high-performing programs in Denver or elsewhere.

But the closure of Rishel, which was not publicly discussed before the plan was announced Thursday, stunned teachers, students and others at the school.

Regan Suhey, director of youth services at the school's Beacon Neighborhood Center, said the nonprofit Catholic Charities has raised more than $2.5 million and helped more than 5,000 students and 1,500 parents in its 10 years at the school.

"We have earned the right to be involved, to provide any sort of input," she told board members. "We weren't even brought into the loop . . . Why? Do you not value our services? Do you wish the community not to be involved?"

Advocates from Smiley Middle and West High also spoke, some urging the board to delay a vote scheduled later this week on the plan.

Others sought to negotiate, urging marketing help for their school so it could compete with the new program that might move in.

Recommended space-sharing, closure

The DPS staff is recommending the Denver school board approve a plan requiring that five existing schools share space with six new programs in fall 2009; the plan includes the phasing out of Rishel Middle School.

Existing school New program

* Rishel Middle A charter high school and a math-science elementary academy; the existing school would be phased out one grade at a time.

* Smiley Middle A charter middle-high school

* Kunsmiller Middle A charter middle school

* West High A charter middle school

* Manual High A program for dropouts

What's next

* Denver school board members will hold a second public hearing before voting on the proposal.

* When: 6:30 p.m. Thursday * Where: 900 Grant St.

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