West Virginia Professional Charter School Board Story Archives

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 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.”

First Charter Schools In W.Va. Begin Inaugural Fall Terms

These are the first schools that have opened since a 2019 state law allowed charter schools in the state.

West Virginia’s first four charter schools have opened their doors to students.

Three schools began their fall term Monday, including the brick-and-mortar Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy along with online schools West Virginia Virtual Academy and the Virtual Preparatory Academy of West Virginia. The Morgantown-based West Virginia Academy opened its doors on Aug. 2.

These are the first schools that have opened since a 2019 state law allowed charter schools in the state. A fifth school, Nitro Preparatory Academy, was also set to open this fall, but zoning-related delays have pushed back its opening date by one year.

The Kanawha County Circuit Court issued a preliminary injunction halting the creation of the state’s five charter schools in December of last year, but The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals issued a stay against the injunction in February, laying the groundwork for each school to remain in session starting this month.

“This state is no different than any other when it comes to charter school law. It takes a minute or two for the legislation to come into place,” said Sharon Williams, superintendent of Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy. “And I’ve been in charter schools for over 20 years. And so I get it.”

James Paul, the executive director of the West Virginia Professional Charter School Board, says the schools promote individual choice in education, while those opposed to charter school programs say they undermine public education by removing funding from local systems.

“We’re excited that there’s increased educational options, and more opportunities for families to find schools that are going to provide great opportunities for kids,” Paul said.

Around 1,100 students are projected to be attending the schools statewide, with official attendance data set to be released in early October.

W.Va.’s Charter School Board Names First Executive Director

The West Virginia Professional Charter School Board on Tuesday named James Paul as its first, full-time executive director. Paul is expected to start his role on June 1 and said he plans to reside in the Eastern Panhandle.

The West Virginia Professional Charter School Board on Tuesday named James Paul as its first, full-time executive director.

Paul is expected to start his role on June 1 and said he plans to reside in the Eastern Panhandle.

“We are excited to have James lead our charter school network forward as it grows and matures here in West Virginia,” said Adam Kissel, chairman of the West Virginia Professional Charter School Board. “James brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to the role and has access to a vast national network of expertise to bring the top best practices to the Mountain State.”

A news release from the board did not specify where Paul will be moving from, but he’s expected to have completed a Ph.D. in education policy at the University of Arkansas before he begins his new role in West Virginia next month.

Paul has worked with various education reform and policy organizations, including the Education Freedom Institute, the Foundation for Excellence in Education and the Commonwealth Foundation.

“I am delighted to help West Virginia serve its students,” Paul said. “Each child is unique and deserves the education that best serves that child.”

West Virginia is expected to have five public charter schools in operation this fall. Three brick-and-mortar schools in Morgantown, Nitro, and Kearneysville, and two statewide virtual schools.

According to the board, more than 500 students have already enrolled in the state’s charter schools with an estimated total enrollment of 1,500 students.

All 5 W.Va. Public Charter Schools On Track To Open In Fall 2022

All five of West Virginia’s public charter schools are on track to open in fall 2022, despite a location issue for one of the brick-and-mortar schools. Nitro Preparatory Academy, one of the state’s three physical charter schools, hit a snag recently and is searching for a new building in Kanawha County.

All five of West Virginia’s public charter schools are on track to open in fall 2022, despite a location issue for one of the brick-and-mortar schools.

Nitro Preparatory Academy, one of the state’s three physical charter schools, hit a snag recently and is searching for a new building in Kanawha County.

“Our plans to locate Nitro Preparatory Academy at 302 21st Street [in Nitro] have changed due to a zoning challenge pertaining to the number of parking spaces available on-site,” Courtney Harritt, spokesperson for ACCEL Schools, said in an email. “At this time we are reviewing alternative locations in Nitro and throughout Kanawha County.”

Harritt said they hope to have a new building secured by mid-May.

ACCEL Schools is the education service provider for three of West Virginia’s five charter schools: Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy in Kearneysville, Nitro Prep and Virtual Preparatory Academy of West Virginia.

Harritt said interest has been strong at both Virtual Prep and Eastern Panhandle Prep with more than 100 applications at each school. Both schools will offer grades K-10.

Virtual Prep, along with another virtual school, West Virginia Virtual Academy, are the state’s two virtual charters.

West Virginia Virtual Academy will offer grades K-12, and its education service provider is a company called Stride.

Another brick-and-mortar charter school, West Virginia Academy, will be located in Morgantown and offer K-9. Its founder, John Treu, said in an email that the school will open in August.

“Our opening day is in early August because we have a modified term schedule with longer breaks between terms than traditional public schools,” Treu said. “We’ve hired most of our faculty and staff and over 400 students have applied and been admitted.”

Treu said the school has reached about 80 percent of total capacity with a couple grades nearly full. He said the majority of students are coming from Monongalia and Preston counties, with a few students enrolled from Marion County.

In related news, the West Virginia Professional Charter School Board met Friday. Prior to the meeting, Chairman Adam Kissel told West Virginia Public Broadcasting in an email that the board would have an “executive director discussion.”

However, this issue wasn’t brought up in the meeting. The board entered executive session for a “personnel matter” and then promptly adjourned.

The board has been searching for an executive director for some time. In October, the board had received at least six applications.