The bill introduces the "Sustaining Opportunities for Academics in Rural Schools Act" (SOAR) to amend the Code of West Virginia, focusing on enhancing public charter schools in rural areas. A key feature of the bill is the provision that permits currently authorized public charter schools in good standing to submit an abbreviated application for establishing a second location or campus, thereby streamlining the expansion process. The SOAR Act aims to support rural communities by ensuring access to local education and preventing unnecessary school consolidations, particularly for students who face long commutes to noncharter public schools.

The legislation outlines a governance structure for rural in-person public charter schools, specifying that the initial governing board will consist of four members until a superintendent or designee is appointed. An ad hoc committee will collaborate with the sponsoring public charter school to propose initial members for the permanent governing board, which will manage the charter contract and school property. The bill also grants the permanent governing board authority over personnel decisions, subject to approval from the sponsoring public charter school, and mandates the state board to create rules for the establishment and operation of these governing boards. Additionally, it allows for the potential change of the sponsoring public charter school if necessary.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 18-5G-8, 18-5G-18