Lawmakers OK charter schools accessing School Building Authority money, add $5M to fund
Charter schools in West Virginia would be able to apply for and access School Building Authority funds to use on start-up costs, including purchasing brick-and-mortar schools, according to a bill that awaits the governor's signature.
The House of Delegates signed off on the legislation on Tuesday during the special session after two Republican members, including a public school teacher, amended the bill to require that any buildings must be returned to the authorizer or state if the charter school closed. The Senate accepted the House's changes to the bill.
James Paul, executive director of the state Professional Charter School Board, said he hoped the SBA funds can be used to support several schools and continue growing educational freedom in West Virginia.
There are six charter schools in West Virginia. Two of those are statewide virtual schools.
'Charter schools are an essential part of our public education system, and I am grateful to West Virginia lawmakers for ensuring that charter students now have equal access to facilities funding,' he said. 'As we move forward, I am committed to partnering with charter schools — and the SBA — to expand educational opportunities while being a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars, ensuring that these investments benefit students and communities.'
Charter schools may apply for funding for costs associated with the renovating, remodeling, purchase or construction of a building to be used for education, according to the bill. Paul last year told lawmakers that it was challenging for charter school founders to find money for start-up costs, especially if the school wanted a physical location.
The bill passed the House 62-29. Some Democrats raised concerns about public funds going to charter schools while traditional public schools are struggling financially due to student decline, waning COVID-19 money and the state's education savings account program.
'To me, this is further privatization of public funds,' said Del. Mike Pushkin, D-Kanawha, during bill debate in the House Education Committee. 'I voted against the charter school bill initially. This sets them up to take away more public funding from our public schools for everybody's kids. I'm just philosophically opposed to this.'
House Education Committee Chairman Joe Ellington, R-Mercer, told committee members that, 'These are public charter schools, so they're part of the public school system.'
Lawmakers also approved legislation that would give $5 million to the SBA for charter schools to access.The legislature created a Charter School Stimulus Fund in 2023, but it has never been funded.
Fred Albert, president of American Federation of Teachers-West Virginia, called the bill 'disheartening.'
'Whereas every other public school in the state must apply and compete for the limited SBA funds available, charter schools will now be given preferential treatment with their own line item in the funding process,' he continued. 'As declining enrollment forces communities across West Virginia to consolidate and close their local schools, many students will face larger class sizes in schools that need repairs and updates. Sadly, our legislature is creating a system of the haves and have nots.'
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