The bill amends several sections of the Code of West Virginia concerning public charter schools, introducing new provisions to enhance their operational framework. It stipulates that public charter schools can only charge full-time tuition and fees that are comparable to those of noncharter public schools, including fees for part-time Hope Scholarship enrollment and student activities. Additionally, it allows teachers at public charter schools, regardless of their certification or licensure status, to proctor state assessments. The bill also establishes that when a student withdraws from a public charter school to return to their home school district, that district is responsible for tracking the student for all purposes.

Moreover, the bill introduces governance changes, allowing members of the governing board of public charter schools to be removed by a board vote. It permits public charter schools to submit amendments to their applications at any time and authorizes the creation of alternative high-risk population public charter schools, which must enroll at least 70% high-risk students, such as those who have been expelled or are homeless. The West Virginia Board of Education is tasked with creating funding rules for these alternative schools. Additionally, institutions of higher education can apply to establish virtual or on-campus public charter microschools, and existing public charter schools can partner with learning pods and microschools to provide educational instruction, thereby expanding educational options for high-risk students and promoting innovative educational models.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 18-5G-3, 18-5G-7, 18-5G-8, 18-5G-14a, 18-5G-18