CHARLESTON — Lawmakers are considering a House Finance bill that would make major changes to West Virginia’s Hope Scholarship Program, and the proposal is drawing debate over the future of school choice in the state.
The Hope Scholarship, passed in 2021, allows families to use state education funds for private school tuition, homeschooling and other approved education expenses. Supporters say the program expanded school choice across West Virginia and gave parents more control over how their children are educated.
The new bill would change how the program is funded and managed.
Right now, each Hope student receives an amount equal to the average state funding provided per public school student. That means the scholarship amount rises or falls along with state education funding.
The proposed legislation would instead place a cap on the scholarship amount. Critics say that if the amount is capped and does not increase over time, inflation will reduce its value.
For example, at a 3% annual inflation rate, a $5,000 scholarship would have the buying power of about $4,313 after five years. After 10 years, it would be worth about $3,720 in today’s dollars. After 20 years, it would have the buying power of about $2,768, a loss of nearly 45%.
The bill would also limit the authority of the Hope Scholarship Board. Currently, the board can approve new types of eligible education expenses as long as they follow guidelines set in state law. Under the proposed changes, new expenses could not be added without the Legislature passing a new law.
The legislation would also remove some expenses that are currently allowed, including tutoring and fees for Advanced Placement and college prep exams.
Another part of the bill would change testing requirements for students in the program. Opponents argue that the new language could make it harder for some special needs students to qualify. Current law requires students to either take a nationally normed standardized test or have a certified teacher review their academic progress each year.
Supporters of the bill say the changes are meant to improve oversight and ensure taxpayer dollars are used appropriately.
Lawmakers are expected to continue debating the proposal as the legislative session moves forward.
