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CHARLESTON -- Members of the West Virginia Professional Charter School Board are monitoring bills introduced during the recent special session that will allow public charter schools to apply for building funds.
During its monthly meeting Thursday, Professional Charter School Board Executive Director James Paul briefed lawmakers on the progress of legislation introduced by Gov. Jim Justice on the special session that began Monday and continues Sunday.
Senate Bill 2027 and House Bill 227 would allow public charter schools to submit applications to the state School Building Authority for funding for the purchase of buildings to be used for public charter school purposes and for the cost of proposed projects.
"There are two bills actually that are being considered ... that would allow charter schools to submit applications to the school building authority for funding the purchase of a building that would be used for the purposes of the public charter school who makes the application," Paul said.
Earlier this year, the West Virginia Legislature appropriated an additional $12 million to the School Building Authority, with $5 million being set aside for public charter schools. But lawmakers never approved of language to allow public charter schools to apply to the SBA.
SB 2027 is on second reading, and HB 227 was recommended for passage Monday by the House Education Committee.
"I'm fairly optimistic that this is something that could get done," Paul said. "This has been a priority for me personally. The Legislature did appropriate $5 million into the School Building Authority for charter schools last spring, but there was not the companion legislation that would clarify the charter schools are eligible for that funding...It's something that we're monitoring and supportive of."
West Virginia's public charter school pilot program was created in 2019 by the Legislature and updated in 2021. The pilot program allows for the approval of 10 public charter schools every three years and a limit of two statewide virtual charter schools. State Code allows for the PCSB to authorize new charter schools, though counties can also authorize charter schools or create county-level virtual charter schools.
There are two statewide virtual charter schools that require no need for physical buildings, but there are now four brick-and-mortar public charter schools serving students in the Eastern Panhandle, Monongalia/Preston counties, Harrison County, and Kanawha County. Two more public charter schools could be open by next fall in Berkeley and Monongalia counties.
While charters are considered public schools the same as a county-administered K-12 school, charters do not receive their state funding at the same level as traditional county public schools. There is also no access to start-up funding for new charter schools provided by the state.
The public charter school pilot program allow 99% of the per-pupil funding from the state school aid funding formula -- or between $7,000 and $8,000 per student -- to follow the student to the public charter school, but that funding is paid out one year in arrears in December of each year and is based on fall enrollment numbers that are not finalized until October of each year.
In 2023, the PCSB was awarded $12.2 million over five years through the U.S. Department of Education's Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools program. The PCSB recently awarded sub-grants to public charter schools, but those funds can't be used for facilities.
The Legislature also created the Charter School Stimulus Fund in 2023. Eligible schools may receive an initial grant up to $300,000 during or before the first two years of operation. But the Legislature has never appropriated money to the fund.
The special session of the Legislature resumes Sunday at 6 p.m. coinciding with the start of October legislative interim meetings.