Survey Finds Families Value Educational Choice, Customer Service, Ease of Application Process
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – State Treasurer Larry Pack, who serves as Chairman of the Hope Scholarship Board, today announced the results of the Hope Scholarship Parent Satisfaction Survey for the 2025-2026 school year, which found 98 percent of participating families are satisfied with the program. Nearly 900 parents responded to the survey, which was designed to better understand families’ experiences with the program and to identify the educational opportunities and services they value most. The survey was conducted from May 26 to June 30 and sent to over 10,000 Hope participants, including one survey to be completed per household.
“The results of this survey reinforce what we hear every day from our Hope Scholarship families across West Virginia – parents value having the freedom to choose an education that best meets the individual needs of their children,” Treasurer Pack said. “A 98 percent satisfaction rate is an incredible reflection of the positive impact the Hope Scholarship is having on families, and it also speaks to the outstanding work of our team as they continue to provide exceptional service to participants. We would love to see another government program that is as beloved as the Hope Scholarship.”
The Hope Scholarship Parent Satisfaction Survey, which is required by state law, found 95 percent of parents who sought assistance were satisfied with customer service provided through the program. Four out of five parents also reported no difficultly with the application process.
When asked to identify the primary reason families chose to participate in the Hope Scholarship Program, the top response was the ability to provide a religious-based education, followed by concerns about the public school curriculum and a desire for greater flexibility in their child’s education.
“The Hope Scholarship was created to put parents in the driver’s seat when it comes to their child’s education, and these responses show families are using that freedom in many different ways,” Treasurer Pack said. “When you have such an open marketplace unique to the rest of the country, it is vital that we know whether it is working well. Clearly, our TheoPay system, which provides an additional layer of flexibility, is a big hit with families based on their feedback.”
Among additional findings:
- Parents identified curriculum as the most important Hope Scholarship qualifying expense, followed by nonpublic school tuition, technology and digital courses or subscriptions. Curriculum was selected 694 times among parents’ top three expenses, while nonpublic school tuition was selected 560 times and technology was selected 483 times.
- More than 95 percent of respondents said they were satisfied or very satisfied with communications from the Hope Scholarship Program regarding Board updates, important deadlines and general reminders.
- Among parents whose children attended a nonpublic school or microschool, the overwhelming majority described the process of selecting a school and paying tuition through the Hope online portal as easy.
- Parents cited smaller classes sizes, access to additional services or support, bullying concerns and school safety concerns, among other reasons for choosing the program.
The survey included 12 multiple-choice questions and one open-ended question. Data from the survey will be included in the 2025-2026 Hope Scholarship Annual Report, which will be completed by the end of the calendar year.
For more information about the Hope Scholarship Parent Satisfaction Survey, click HERE.
