The Hope Scholarship is a private school voucher program passed into law in 2021 by West Virginia Republicans. It uses "taxpayer-funded vouchers that divert state public education dollars to the private sector with few guardrails and no accountability mechanisms."
It will cut 364 school staff for the 2024-25 school year.
It will cost more than $20 million per year.
$2 million+ goes to unaccredited schools, and to out-of-state, for-profit schools.
Costs will increase FIVEFOLD
West Virginia Republican legislators built in an automatic expansion of the Hope Scholarship that will increase costs by five times. It will greatly worsen the crisis in hiring and retaining public teachers and support staff caused by severe cuts and underfunding.
Public Education Lifts Up Communities
90% of our children attend our community schools. Strong public investment increases graduation rates, boosts income, and lowers poverty. Slashing funding limits our children’s future and our state’s prosperity. It does nothing to keep kids in West Virginia.
The West Virginia Constitution: ARTICLE XII, 12-1. Education states: "The Legislature shall provide, by general law, for a thorough and efficient system of free schools."
The Democratic Party platform states: "An adequate, equitable, thorough, efficient, and free public education is a fundamental constitutional right in West Virginia. We are committed to strengthening public education and opposing any attempts to privatize it, including using public funds for non-public schools."
The Hope Scholarship drains hope from community schools.
West Virginia’s Hope Scholarship has no cost or enrollment cap, no income limits, and requires no public accountability through collection and publication of program data.
Every private school that received over $100,000 in Hope Scholarship funds was a religious school.
Hope Scholarship students can still participate in school extracurricular activities and specialized classes. Community schools must pay even though funding has been removed from the school.
·Students who were always homeschooled and not counted in the school aid formula will be able to receive the Hope Scholarship, representing substantial new costs to the state budget.
Legislation passed in 2023 allows completely unregulated micro schools to accept Hope Scholarship funds. Still, there is no requirement that micro-schools register with any state or local entity or meet any provisions of law relating to education to operate. (West Virginia Code §18-8-1.)
What you can do:
Register to vote, check on your registration, request an absentee ballot, or find your polling place at govoteWV.com
Vote for Democratic candidates who will fight for you. Educate your family and friends.
Read how the WV Democratic Party platform supports all West Virginians.
Donate to our Blue Skies Ahead campaign to help get out the vote in Greenbrier County this November.
Sign up for our Greenbrier County Democratic Women’s Club email newsletter to learn how you can volunteer and help get out the vote.
Read more: Hope Scholarship Reduces Resources for Public Schools, Lacks Necessary Oversight, by Kelly Allen and Sean O’Leary, West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy Issue Brief, December 2023.
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