Bill > HB4720

This bill, titled the Creating Sustaining Opportunities for Academics in Rural Schools Act, or "SOAR" Act, aims to support rural communities by ensuring continued access to local schools, preventing unnecessary school consolidation, and providing financial and structural support to public charter schools in geographically remote areas. It clarifies that the West Virginia Professional Charter School Board can accept all types of applications for establishing public charter schools and ensures that facilities used by existing noncharter public schools are kept available for prospective conversion public charter schools. The act defines "rural area" as a location outside of a metropolitan statistical area, and establishes a "rural charter school governing board" and a "sponsor" (an entity qualified to support and oversee a rural public charter school). It outlines an abbreviated application process for certain rural charter school conversions and details the financial, administrative, and operational support a sponsor must provide, including receiving and disbursing all funds designated for the school and a supplemental amount of up to $2,500 per student, subject to appropriation. The bill also addresses transportation agreements, the governance structure of rural public charter schools with distinct governing boards from their sponsors, and the process for transferring a charter from a sponsor to the school's governing board.

Education

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=4720&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill