(a) The state superintendent shall establish a Special Community Development School Pilot Program to be implemented in a neighborhood of at least five public schools, which shall include at least one elementary and middle school, for the duration of five years. The neighborhood of public schools designated by the state superintendent for the pilot shall have significant enrollments of disadvantaged, minority and underachieving students. The designated neighborhood of public schools under the direction of the county board and county superintendent shall work in collaboration with higher education, community organizations, Center for Professional Development, local community leaders, affected classroom teachers, affected parents and the state board to develop and implement strategies that could be replicated in other public schools with significant enrollments of disadvantaged, minority and underachieving students to improve academic achievement. For purposes of this section "neighborhood" means an area of no more than seven square miles.

The designated neighborhood of public schools shall operate under the direction of a local Governing Board to be appointed by the state school superintendent based on recommendations from the local superintendent, elected House of Delegate and Senate representatives from the district and local residents who reside in the community where the schools are located. The Governing Board shall consist of the following:

Three (3) parents who have children attending the schools

Three (3) business representatives including an attorney, accountant, and business owner

Three (3) community representatives

(4) Two (2) teachers from the school

(5) One (1) representative from higher education

(6) One (1) representative from the state school superintendent’s office

The Governing Board will be responsible for management, administration and general oversight for the schools included in the Pilot Project. The schools included in the Pilot Project shall be exempted from the law and policies governing West Virginia Public schools.

The Governing Board shall appoint the members of the Local School Improvement Councils (LSIC) at the participating schools based on recommendations from the principal’s parents and residents.

The Governing Board shall work in collaboration with the state board, state superintendent, local board, local superintendent, higher education, community leaders, business leaders, principals, affected classroom teachers and affected parents to identify, develop and implement, effective strategies that could be replicated in other public schools with significant enrollments of disadvantaged, minority and underachieving students to improve academic achievement. The local Governing Board shall have the final authority on all decisions regarding the schools.

(b) Beginning January 2020, on or before the first day of the regular session of the legislature, and each year thereafter, the state superintendent, local Governing Board, and lead community-based organization of the Pilot School Project shall make a status report to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education and Accountability and to the state board. The report many include any recommendations based on the progress of the demonstration project that they consider either necessary for improving the operations of the demonstration project or prudent for improving student achievement in other schools through replication of successful demonstration school programs.