Delegate Elias Coop-Gonzalez (R-Randolph, 67) has introduced a bill aimed at making it easier for closed public schools in West Virginia to reopen as public charter schools. House Bill 3139 proposes an amendment to §18-5G-3 of the West Virginia Code to allow closed traditional public schools to apply for charter conversion outside of the standard application deadline and mandates an expedited approval process.
Under current law, public schools seeking to convert into charter schools must submit applications by established deadlines, often months in advance of the upcoming school year. HB 3139 adds a new provision to permit closed schools to submit applications after the deadline and requires that these applications be processed within 30 days. If all charter requirements are met, the application must be approved within that timeframe.
The proposed addition reads:
“(d) Any public schools that are closed and apply to convert into charter schools shall have the application and charter processed after the deadline. These conversion schools’ applications shall be processed within 30 days and, if all requirements are met, approved within that time frame.”
The bill is designed to provide communities with a faster path to reopening shuttered schools through the charter model, potentially restoring educational services in areas affected by school closures. By streamlining the approval process for eligible conversion schools, the legislation aims to reduce bureaucratic delays and expand access to charter school options across the state.
