Washington, D.C. – Today the West Virginia House of Delegates passed a measure that effectively killed Senate Education Bill 451 by tabling it indefinitely. The landmark bill would have allowed the creation of public charter schools in West Virginia, among other provisions. West Virginia is one of just six states in the country that does not have a law allowing public charter schools in the state, even though the school model has historically delivered strong academic results for students in rural communities.
According to a 2019 Stanford CREDO Idaho report, students in rural charter schools outperform their traditional public-school peers by an additional 30 days of learning in reading and 59 days of learning in math.
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools President and CEO, Nina Rees, released the following statement:
“We are deeply frustrated by the termination of a bill that would have provided high-quality public charter schools for West Virginia students, some of the most underserved and academically low-performing students in the country. Charter schools are public schools, free and open to all. When lawmakers fold to pressure from the education bureaucracy, they fail to put the needs of students first. Today is a sad day for West Virginia students and families who have been denied the opportunity to choose the best public school for them because adults are more concerned with advocating for their own interests.”
