2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 18. Education › Article 5G. Public Charter Schools › §18-5G-7. Public Charter School Governing Board

(a) To ensure compliance with this article, a public charter school shall be administered by a governing board accountable to the authorizer as set forth in the charter contract. A public charter school governing board shall consist of no fewer than five members elected or selected in a manner specified in the charter application, including at least the following:
(1) Two parents of students attending the public charter school operating under the governing board; and
(2) Two members who reside in the community served by the public charter school.
(b) Members of the governing board shall:
(A) Not be an employee of the public charter school administered by the governing board;
(B) Not be an employee of an education service provider that provides services to the public charter school, unless the services are provided by a state institution of higher education;
(C) File a full disclosure report to the authorizer identifying potential conflicts of interest, relationships with management organizations, and relationships with family members who are employed by the public charter school or have other business dealings with the school, the management organization of the school, or any other public charter school;
(D) Collectively possess expertise in leadership, curriculum and instruction, law, and finance; and
(E) Be considered an officer of a school district under the provisions of 6-6-7 of this code and removal from office shall be in accordance with the provisions of that section.
(c) The public charter school governing board shall:
(1) Operate under the oversight of its authorizer in accordance with its charter contract;
(2) As a public corporate body, have the powers necessary for carrying out the terms of its charter contract, including, but not limited to the power to:
(A) Receive and disburse funds for school purposes;
(B) Secure appropriate insurance and enter into contracts and leases;
(C) Contract with an education service provider, so long as the governing board retains final oversight and authority over the school;
(D) Pledge, assign, or encumber its assets to be used as collateral for loans or extensions of credit;
(E) Solicit and accept any gifts or grants for school purposes, subject to applicable laws and the terms of its charter; and
(F) Acquire real property for use as its facilities or facilities from public or private sources;
(3) Enroll students in the public charter school pursuant to 18-5G-11 of this code;
(4) Require any education service provider contracted with the governing board to provide a monthly detailed budget to the board; and
(5) Provide programs and services to a student with a disability in accordance with the students individualized education program and all federal and state laws, rules, and regulations. A public charter school shall deliver the services directly or contract with another provider to deliver the services.
(d) A public charter school authorized under this article may:
(1) Negotiate and contract with its authorizer or any third party for the use, operation, and maintenance of a building and grounds, liability insurance, and the provision of any service, activity, or undertaking that the public charter school is required to perform in order to carry out the educational program described in its charter contract. Any services for which a public charter school contracts with a school district shall be provided by the district at cost and shall be negotiated as a separate agreement after final charter contract negotiations;
(2) Sue and be sued in its own name;
(3) Own, rent, or lease its space;
(4) Participate in cocurricular activities to the same extent as noncharter public schools; and
(5) Participate in extracurricular activities to the same extent as noncharter public schools.
(e) The public charter school governing board is responsible for the operation of its public charter school, including, but not limited to, ensuring compliance with the public charter school criteria, governance and statutory compliance set forth 18-5G-3 of this code, the preparation of an annual budget, contracting for services, school curriculum, personnel matters, and achieving the objectives and goals of the public charter schools program.
(f) The public charter school governing board shall comply with the provisions of 29B-1-1 et seq. of this code relating to freedom of information and the provisions of 6-9A-1 et seq. of this code relating to open governmental proceedings.
(g) Notwithstanding anything else in this Code, when a state institution of higher education is an applicant and after its application is approved by an authorizer, the governing board of the public charter school may be an administrative unit of the state institution of higher education, and the governing board may enter into the charter contract on behalf of the state institution of higher education.