The West Virginia Professional Charter School Board approved the first three “brick and mortar” schools: Eastern Panhandle Preparatory Academy, Nitro Preparatory Academy in Kanawha County, and West Virginia Academy in the Morgantown area. The charter schools could open by next fall. Yet a lawsuit remains pending in Kanawha County Circuit Court claiming the state’s charter law is unconstitutional, because it allows for charters to open without approval from local voters.

WVEA President Dale Lee said he’s “disappointed” and feels the move by the state’s charter school board goes against a decision made last year by two county school boards that denied the creation of a charter school.

“When [the West Virginia Legislature] couldn’t get the [Monongalia and Preston county school boards] to authorize [West Virginia Academy], the legislature went back and created a board that essentially is made up of charter advocates, so I’m not surprised at all that they would authorize three schools,” said Lee. “What worries me is the money they will take away from our [traditional] public schools.” 

WVEA opposes charter schools because they take money from existing classrooms and rob our teachers and students of resources.