West Virginia legislature passes two bills supporting charter schools

During the 87th legislative session, West Virginia's legislature passed two bills aimed at enhancing public school choice through charter schools. These bills became state law as of April 30.

"The West Virginia legislature has strengthened public school choice for families in the Mountain State by passing HB 2167 and SB 746," stated Tom Franta, founding Executive Director of the Mountaineer Charter School Alliance. He expressed gratitude towards Senator Rucker and Delegates Ellington, Statler, Willis, and Clark (W) for their efforts.

HB 2167 was signed into law by Governor Patrick Morrisey in late April. It provides clarification on various charter-related provisions in the state's public charter school law. These include tuition details for part-time Hope Scholarship students, student information tracking, assessment proctoring, fast-track applications for conversion charter schools, and permits the establishment of "alternative high-risk" charter schools. Delegate Ellington highlighted these updates: "We know that good education policy leads to strong public schools. I’m pleased that my colleagues supported these changes to the public charter school law so that our growing charter community can continue to meet the needs of West Virginia students."

SB 746 allows eligible charter school students to access Medicaid funding similarly to those in traditional district schools. Senator Rucker emphasized its significance: "This new legislation signals the importance of the foundational belief that all public school students deserve fair funding."

West Virginia enacted its first charter school enabling legislation in 2019 and made significant improvements in 2021. The state currently has six charter schools serving 3,366 students, with two more approved to open in 2025. Unlike traditional public schools, West Virginia's charter schools do not receive dedicated facilities funding.

Todd Ziebarth from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools praised this legislative progress: "The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools celebrates the passage of these two bills and applauds West Virginia lawmakers for providing families and students with high-quality, public school options." Franta added his commitment to future developments: "We look forward to working with policymakers to continue to grow and strengthen public school choice in West Virginia."