By Ryan Quinn, Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Board of Education has placed out for public comment major proposed changes to its charter school regulations.
In March, the Legislature passed, and Gov. Jim Justice signed, legislation that specifically allowed for fully online charter schools and the accelerated growth of charters generally.
The groups that authorize charters can allow these schools to ignore personnel regulations and other rules that traditional public schools must follow. Charter schools can be authorized by nonprofits and be run day-to-day by private companies.
The new legislation, House Bill 2012, amended the 2019 law that initially legalized charter schools. The first charter has yet to open in the state.
The state school board is so powerful under the state Constitution that it might legally be allowed to ignore the new law by not changing its current charter policy…
