CHARLESTON - The West Virginia Senate today passed Senate Bill 14, creating the Charter Schools Act of 2015.
The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 18-16.
The Charter Schools Act allows for public charter schools in counties. Charter schools can be more flexible in several areas, such as curriculum and instruction. The goal of these schools is to help create an environment of cooperation between teachers, parents, and students. These schools can focus on specific areas of learning, such as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math education (STEM).
"I'm excited that West Virginia may have an opportunity for some more flexibility and creativity in the delivery of education,” Senate Education Committee Chairman Dave Sypolt, R-Preston, said. “It has been a long process and engendered much negotiation and compromise. I think every step of the way the bill kept getting better."
The Charter Schools Act of 2015 allows for the creation of two charter schools per year and no more than 10 charter schools in the first five years. County school boards will have the authority to authorize the charter schools.
If signed into law by the Governor, West Virginia would become the 43rd state to institute a charter school program.
The bill now goes to the House of Delegates.