By Ryan Quinn, Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Legislature has passed a bill to legalize the first fully online charter schools and create an unelected board that would be allowed to approve two statewide virtual charter schools.
Each of the two statewide online schools could enroll up to 5% of the statewide public school enrollment, which was about 252,400 in the fall, meaning the online schools could exceed 25,200 students combined.
House Bill 2012 also allows virtual and in-person charters to expand at a rate of up to 10 every three years, compared to the three allowed every three years under existing law.
Students who leave traditional public schools for charters take public school funding with them, because West Virginia education funding is largely based on enrollment.
The bill now heads to Gov. Jim Justice, a Republican who previously has criticized charter schools, for his signature or veto…
