Charter Schools Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Proposed Charter School Holds Public Forum In Morgantown

One of the two charter schools under review to open next year held a public hearing in Morgantown Thursday night.

Wisdom Academy is seeking formal approval from the West Virginia Professional Charter School Board. The state’s charter school law requires applicants hold a public forum during their interview process where local residents can learn about the application and provide input.

Javaid Syed is the program director of information technology and computer science at Salem University, and the board chair for Wisdom Academy. In his presentation, he discussed the importance of preparing students for a changing world, particularly around technology.

“If you do not provide digital literacy to our children properly, the school children will be left behind,” Syed said. “Time is not going to stop for anyone.”

He answered questions about the school from parents and community members for close to an hour. These questions ranged from why a charter school was necessary to what curriculum would be followed.

“We have seen firsthand the challenges that our students have felt when they were going to school,” Syed said. “We feel that at this stage we are at, we have this opportunity to create this school and address some of those weaknesses that are in the public schools. I feel that we are in a position that we can address some of those challenges that the diversity of Morgantown student body (has). We will be able to cater to the needs much better than the public schools.”

The Wisdom Academy’s application states that two of its board positions are to be filled by members from the Iqra Educational Foundation, a local non-profit offering support to the academy. The non-profit’s members purchased the Monongalia County Schools Administration Offices building in Morgantown, the proposed site of Wisdom Academy.

At least three people present Thursday night asked about the possibility of teaching Arabic at Wisdom Academy.

“We’re going to evaluate it, we are going to see what the student needs are,” Syed said. “It’s still a bit too early to say ‘No, no, we are going to do it’ because I don’t want to commit to anything. Because, first of all, we have not been approved yet.”

Syed was surprised and motivated by the more than 30 people who showed up to the forum.

James Paul, executive director of the West Virginia Professional Charter School Board, also felt attendance was notable.

“Tonight’s turnout was significantly larger than turnout in the previous application cycle,” Paul said.

He said a bigger turnout is good not just because the public forum is required by law, but because feedback can help applicants like the Wisdom Academy improve their offerings.

“It’s hopefully beneficial to the applicants who are able to respond to anything that was raised tonight, they can refine their application or prepare for how they’re going to take the feedback that they’ve received tonight and implement that if the school is eventually approved and opened,” Paul said.

Paul said the focus on Arabic as a potential foreign language at the charter school highlights the purpose of the charter school movement.

“Certainly one of the promises of charter schools is the ability to have a more specialized academic curriculum, academic themes, modes of instruction,” Paul said. “I think it’s great that this particular school is looking at potentially doing some unique things with foreign languages.”

The charter school board expects to complete its review of Wisdom Academy in November. If approved, it would become the second charter school in Morgantown and the eighth in the state.

Note: This story was updated at 4 p.m. Oct. 20 to correct a reference to the Iqra Educational Foundation. The foundation supporting the Wisdom Academy is a separate entity from an organization of the same name in Skokie, IL.

State Treasurer Clarifies Use Of Hope Scholarship

State Treasurer Riley Moore has clarified the allowable spending for Hope Scholarship funds.

Moore, who is also the chairman of the Hope Scholarship Board, released a letter Wednesday emphasizing students enrolled full-time in public schools are not eligible to participate in the Hope Scholarship program.

That includes public charter schools, and the letter specifies that “the Hope Scholarship Board approaches public charter schools and the services they provide the same as regular public schools operated by county boards of education.”

More than 6,000 West Virginia students’ families signed up for the Hope Scholarship savings account this year, which awards close to $4500 for private and homeschooling expenses.

The confusion stems from Hope Scholarship students who are not enrolled full-time in a school being allowed to use the funds for certain classes or services a public school might provide.

As funding for public schools is based on enrollment numbers, Moore’s letter says the restriction prevents schools from “double-dipping,” or receiving both public funding and Hope funds for these services.

State Charter Schools Receive Millions In Federal Grants

West Virginia charter schools will receive millions in federal funding over the next two years.

The West Virginia Professional Charter School Board (PCSB) was awarded more than $12 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Education’s Charter Schools Program. The PCSB was created in 2021 by House Bill 2012 to oversee charter schools in the state.

In announcing the grants during his administrative update briefing Friday, Gov. Jim Justice emphasized the importance of school choice.

“We absolutely moved forward by just putting our toe in the water and lo and behold, what does it tell us?” Justice said. “It tells us we should be listening to parents. It tells us absolutely that we should have HOPE Scholarship. It tells us over and over and over. We should give kids and parents a choice.”

West Virginia currently has five operating charter schools – three physical and two virtual – with two more authorized for fall 2024.

In its application, the charter school board said it will use the money to double the number of charter schools from seven to 14 and increase student achievement in all West Virginia public schools.

House Bill 2012 increased the number of brick-and-mortar charter schools authorized and in operation in the state from three to 10. The law also states that beginning July 1, 2023, and every three years thereafter, an additional 10 public charter schools may be authorized.

State Supreme Court Rules Against Charter School Challenge

The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that a suit to stop the creation of five charter schools in the state lacked standing because Gov. Jim Justice does not have the ability to authorize public charter schools.

In late July of 2021, a group sued Justice and legislative leaders Senate President Craig Blair and House Speaker Roger Hanshaw to stop the creation of five charter schools in the state.

Kanawha Circuit Court Judge Jennifer Bailey issued an injunction against Justice while the suit worked its way through court. The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals had already held up that injunction, allowing the state’s first charter schools to move forward.

Joshua Weishart, attorney for the plaintiffs in the original suit, said the issue was always about the constitutionality of creating independent schools without a vote.

“This wasn’t an anti-charter school case, this was a case to enforce the right of the people to vote,” he said. “It’s a right to direct democracy, to have a say on the creation of these schools.”

The court’s ruling also specified that an injunction against Justice would not prevent the West Virginia Professional Charter School Board from authorizing public charter schools. The PCSB was created by HB 2012 to oversee charter schools in the state.

In an email Thursday afternoon, Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said the senate president, speaker of the house and governor were not the proper parties to the preliminary injunction sought by the plaintiffs.

“Because of that, the plaintiffs lack the jurisdictional standing necessary to pursue relief in court. Even so, the circuit court enjoined the governor,” he said. “Our office’s efforts and the Supreme Court’s ruling ensure that the government officials are not enjoined when the statutory authority is actually assigned to other state agencies.”

Weishart and his clients still maintain that the state Constitution requires a special election before the creation of an independent charter school, and per the Constitution only the governor can call special elections.

“There was really no claim that we were asserting that they were doing anything unlawful by authorizing a charter school,” he said. “It’s just that there was another step that needed to take place after the authorization, which is to get the voters approval consistent with the constitutional provision.”

Final Reporter Roundtable Discusses Remaining Bills As Session Nears Final Hours

On this episode of The Legislature Today, we conclude our daily coverage for the 2023 legislative session with one last reporter roundtable. Randy Yohe, Chris Schulz, Emily Rice and Curtis Tate are all on the set together to discuss bills that have passed and the bills that are left.

On this episode of The Legislature Today, we conclude our daily coverage for the 2023 legislative session with one last reporter roundtable. Randy Yohe, Chris Schulz, Emily Rice and Curtis Tate are all on the set together to discuss bills that have passed and the bills that are left.

Both chambers traditionally work until midnight Saturday night as they work out differences on bills and try to get last minute pieces of legislation passed.

Things grew contentious in the Senate Friday morning as Sen. Robert Karnes, R-Randolph, demanded to be recognized on the chamber floor as the first bill of the day was introduced. Chris Schulz has more.

A bill to set the minimum age for marriage in West Virginia at 18 appeared dead in the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday but it got new energy when committee chairman Sen. Charles Trump, R-Morgan, moved Thursday to have the bill removed from his committee and brought before the full body. The bill is on third reading in the Senate, but as of our deadline, the bill has not been taken up.

The Senate is also poised to pass House Bill 2007. That legislation would restrict gender-affirming health care for transgender youth. On Thursday, LGBTQ rights groups and their allies came to the Capitol to protest the bill. Curtis Tate has that story.

Meanwhile in the House, a bill to help charter schools garnered plenty of debate and a bill focused on a recovery house pilot program was called life a life-or-death measure. Randy Yohe has the story.

The House also passed the state budget Friday morning after the Senate took up and amended its budget bill the previous evening. It’s now on its way to the governor’s desk.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

On Saturday, March 11, West Virginia Public Broadcasting will be broadcasting floor sessions throughout the day on the West Virginia Channel and on our YouTube channel.

At 8 p.m., join us for live coverage as we air our special “Final Hours” program of the 2023 legislative session.

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

W.Va. Legislature Enters Final Week Of 2023 Session

On this episode of The Legislature Today, we have officially begun the final week of the 2023 West Virginia Legislative session. WVPB’s News Director Eric Douglas talks with reporter Curtis Tate about bills he’s been following this legislative session, including the latest on a bill that would limit gender-affirming health care in West Virginia.

On this episode of The Legislature Today, we have officially begun the final week of the 2023 West Virginia Legislative session. WVPB’s News Director Eric Douglas talks with reporter Curtis Tate about bills he’s been following this legislative session, including the latest on a bill that would limit gender-affirming health care in West Virginia.

Also, on Saturday, the House of Delegates met in an extended session and took up several major bills, including an effort to shore up the Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA).

Justice signed a bill into law Monday that separates the Department of Health and Human Resources into three separate agencies — one for health, one for human resources, like Child Protective Services, and a third for health facilities.

A bill to recognize an unborn child as a victim in a DUI causing death passed the Senate Monday with amendments. The bill now returns to the House for their agreement.

And lawmakers considered a bill that would provide public charter schools access to funding from the Safe School Safety Fund.

Finally, West Virginia’s working men and women took center stage in the Capitol rotunda. On Trades Apprenticeship Day at the West Virginia Legislature, the old is new again when it comes to learning an occupation.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.