Places Restrictions on the Hope Scholarship Program
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – State Treasurer Larry Pack today released the following statement after the House Finance Committee considered legislation restricting the Hope Scholarship Program. The bill caps the scholarship amount at $5,000 per student and decouples any future increases from the school aid formula. It also makes several changes to qualifying expenses including limiting the Hope Scholarship Board’s ability to allow for certain qualifying expenses. Lastly, the bill requires Individualized Instructional Program (IIP) students to take statewide public school assessments.
“We are disappointed in the actions of the West Virginia State Senate and House of Delegates this week regarding the Hope Scholarship Program. Both bodies have infused uncertainty into the program as we are about to welcome nearly 25,000 new students and families to partake. These policy decisions will only produce negative effects for our Hope families, and we are urging lawmakers to reconsider,” Treasurer Pack said. “Actions within both bodies are especially troubling because we are seeing these changes less than two weeks out from universal expansion. We believe it is inappropriate, at this time, to push for such drastic deviations and welcome additional discussions down the road on the future of the program.”
The Hope Scholarship award amount varies each school year depending on the amount of state aid funding per pupil provided to county boards of education for public school students. The projected scholarship amount for the 2026-2027 school year under the existing statutory language is $5,435.62.
The deadline to apply for 25 percent of this year’s Hope Scholarship funding amount is February 28.
The Hope Scholarship will open to all school-age children residing in West Virginia beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year. New applications for that school year will be available on March 2.
For more information on the Hope Scholarship, visit www.HopeScholarshipWV.com.
