1,100 families like the Friebnermuellers are on a waiting list to send their kids to Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts.
Jens Friebnermueller said, "They win the regional and the state competitions as well as the national competitions, so they just have the best education available."
The school can't expand without a new building, and that drove hundreds of parents and children to the Hamilton County School Board Meeting Thursday night.
Parent Dionne Jennings spoke before the board.
"All the parents that are here tonight are a true representation that you have our full support to move forward with the building," she said.
The school started in 1991 in an old building, now the magnet school feels they deserve an upgrade.
Our children have cracks in our ceilings, their bathrooms don't work. Our rooms lead and their artwork gets ruined. Imagine being a kindergartner and having your work displayed and coming in the next morning and al the work you worked hard on is completely ruined because the rain came in the night before," said Parent Amy Scott.
CSLA has grades K through 8th.
Fourth graders Jack and Austin Gentle say they hope they can get a new school so they can stay longer.
Austin said, "If we get a new school we go through kindergarten through High School."
The school was put on the board's Facilities plan in 1999 with several other schools but kept getting bumped.
"I don't know if we haven't had a strong enough voice, if it's because we're spread out among all the districts so we don't have a specific representative on the school board advocating for us," Scott said.
The board Chairman Mike Evatt even says he isn't sure why their needs haven't been met yet.
"I don't know if it's a money issue or if it's a priority issue. It is a very successful magnet school," Said Evatt.
CSLA is on the plan again this year, and hope they make the cut.
