LAUPAHOEHOE, Hawaii: Laupahoehoe Charter School will open in July 2012. That’s the State of Hawaii Board of Education’s final decision, issued on Wednesday.

The decision came one week after the BOE heard two appeals brought by Laupahoehoe Community Public Charter School that challenged the actions of the Charter School Review Panel, or C.S.R.P.

The Panel had directed that the school not open before the 2013-2014 school year, after the Interim Local School Board for the charter failed to hold an election for a permanent Local School Baord, as directed.

The Board of Ed ruled the panel should have allowed the Interim School Baord to ammend its Detailed Implementation Plan to change the election date to September 2012.

The Board of Ed also ruled that Panel’s November assertion that Laupahoehoe’s current principal, staff, parents and students qualify as the stakeholder groups that should vote for the permanent school board is quote “not supported by law, and therefore was clearly erroneous.”

This marks the second time that the Board of Education has overruled the C.S.R.P. on appeal concerning the Laupahoehoe charter.

In March, charter school employees plan to hold the first welcoming celebration and information event in Laupahoehoe for new and existing students, parents, school employees and community members.

No election has been held to name a local school board. Meanwhile, the interim local school board continues to seek highly qualified teachers, school administrators and staff for the charter school. The interim board says that “Current LHES employees and other who wish to be considered for employment are encouraged to submit applications by February 15, 2012.”