[complete report]

LAW

Year Passed

1998; last amended in 2009.

Rank

2nd weakest of the nation's 40 charter laws.

Grade

F

GENERAL DATA

• Charter law in name only

• There is no cap, but the law's restrictions have created a disincentive to open schools

• Teachers bound by district contract

MULTIPLE AUTHORIZERS - NO

Approval

School boards

Appeal

None

NUMBER OF SCHOOLS ALLOWED

Cap

No cap

OPERATIONAL AUTONOMY

State

No. Exemptions from rules are solely at the discretion of the school board. Virtual schools are not allowed. Management contracts with ESPs are not restricted.

Local

No

Teacher Freedom

No. All employment rules apply. Charter schools must participate in state's retirement system.

EQUITY

Student Funding

• School board negotiates all funding.

• Funds pass through the district.

• Average per pupil revenue (not guaranteed to charters) - $8,830

"For the purposes of this article, students enrolled in a public charter school shall be included in the average daily membership of the relevant school division and shall be reported in fall membership for purposes of calculating the state and local shares required to fund the Standards of Quality. B. Insofar as constitutionally valid, a local school board or, in the case of a regional public charter school, the relevant school boards may establish by contract an agreement stating the conditions for funding the public charter school, including funding for the educational program to be provided by a residential charter school for at-risk students. " [Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-212.14]

Facilities Funding

None