Eduardo LaGuerre talks about his vision & work

IT’S NOT LOCAL UNLESS ITS YONKERS VOICE!!!

Yonkers NY (1/15/26): Yonkers Voice sits down with Eduardo LaGuerre, a dedicated education advocate, who founded the Charter School of Educational Excellence (CSEE)

Eduardo LaGuerre is the founder and longtime Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Charter School of Educational Excellence (CSEE) in Yonkers, New York.

He co-founded the school in 2005 alongside Sobeida Cruz and other collaborators like Nadine Burns-Lyons.

The motivation stemmed from his experience raising his own children in Yonkers, where he felt the public school options were limited, especially for families without resources to supplement education, such as hiring tutors.

Mr. LaGuerre aimed to provide better choices and a high-quality, challenging learning environment for underserved children in the community.

Initially, Mr. LaGuerre was instrumental in the school's creation:

He raised capital and oversaw the rehabilitation of a former supermarket building into the initial school facility on Warburton Avenue.

CSEE opened as a K-8 charter school with a focus on core academics (English-language arts, math, social studies, science), high expectations, research-based curriculum, and exposure to arts, music, and cultural awareness.

The mission Of CSEE emphasizes empowering students to become critical thinkers and lifelong learners, with the motto that...

"EVERYONE belongs, EVERYONE learns, EVERYONE has purpose, and EVERYONE succeeds."

Under Mr. LaGuerre's leadership as Board Chairman:The school expanded significantly, adding high school grades starting in 2019.

In 2021, his team opened a new $27 million high school building at 220 Warburton Ave — Yonkers' first new public high school in decades — achieving a full K-12 model.

The school now serves over 1,100 students (K-12), with a diverse student body (many economically disadvantaged) from Yonkers, Mount Vernon, and the Bronx.

CSEE has earned recognition as a Reward School (a high distinction for academic excellence in New York) multiple times, consistently outperformed local district schools on state assessments in various years, and maintains a waiting list of hundreds of students.

The School offers advanced features like up to 24 college credits, specialized labs (e.g., auto technology, culinary arts), strong athletics (including state championships), and extracurriculars.

Last year CSEE celebrated its 20th anniversary with events honoring Mr. LaGuerre and co-founders, along with figures like former Governor George Pataki, who supported charter schools in New York.

Mr. LaGuerre has been praised for perseverance amid local opposition to charter expansion, focusing on providing opportunities for disadvantaged children.

He continues to advocate for school choice, stating that parents should have options when they feel a school isn't meeting their child's needs.

Many elected officials have issued proclamations noting that Eduardo LaGuerre is a dedicated community leader and education advocate whose vision transformed CSEE into a thriving, high-performing K-12 charter school that has served thousands of students in Yonkers for two decades.