Hope Scholarship's accelerating price tag sparks debate in WV House, $97M in funding approved
Del. Elliott Pritt, R-Fayette, speaks on the floor of the House of Delegates on Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Charleston, W.Va. (Perry Bennett | West Virginia Legislative Photography)
The Republican-led House of Delegates approved $97 million in funding for the Hope Scholarship, but not before numerous lawmakers rose to question the rapidly increasing price tag of the state's education voucher program.
'We are leaving other vitally necessary programs underfunded because of an increase in this line item,' said Del. Elliott Pritt, R-Fayette, who noted the state's public employee's insurance program, which insures teachers, continues to struggle.
The Hope Scholarship launched four years ago. It provides roughly $4,900 per student to be used for private schooling, homeschooling, microschools and more.
Lawmakers on Thursday approved House Bill 3356, which proposes taking $28 million from the state's general revenue fund surplus, along with HB 3357 to take $33.8 million from the lottery fund surplus.
Legislators approved additional funds totaling $97 million when members approved a negotiated fiscal year 2026 budget later that night.
State Treasurer Larry Pack, who oversees the program, requested around $100 million to pay for likely 19,000 students using the program next year.
It's a jump from this year's $58 million in funding for the program.
In 2027, its price tag is expected to skyrocket to around $300 million, when the program will open up to all students in the state. It was the largest funding increase requested by Gov. Patrick Morrisey in his first budget proposal.
'I'm going to vote no on this. My concerns aren't about school choice, it's about fiscal conservatism,' said Del. Dana Ferrell, R-Kanawha, saying that emergency medical services and road repairs are going underfunded. 'Yet, we have a line item that just continues to expand.'
West Virginia's Hope Scholarship is one of the nation's broadest education voucher programs, with limited guardrails on how the money can be spent. During the 2023-24 school year, families using the program spent $22 million on things like private school tuition, piano lessons, dance studio fees, iPads and water tables. More than $122,000 was used at out of state schools last school year.
House Majority Leader Pat McGeehan, R-Hancock, stressed that lawmakers' negotiated FY 2026 budget, which they're required to pass by Saturday, is fiscally responsible and balanced with surplus dollars included. The Hope Scholarship is a priority, he said.
'More importantly, this supplemental represents a commitment that we made to students all across this state who chose where they want to go school and whose parents choose where they want to go to school,' McGeehan said.
Del. Kathie Hess Crouse, R-Putnam, said that federal and county money designated per student remains with the school district even if a child opts to use the Hope Scholarship.
'We have thousands of parents now utilizing this. They have wanted better educational outcomes for their children and they are finding that with this Hope Scholarship,' she said.
In the 2023-2024 school year, 5,443 students used the Hope Scholarship. Most of the money was spent at in-state, private (usually religious) schools.
No student in McDowell County, the state's poorest county, used the program last school year or during the 2022-23 school year.
'The program doesn't do enough in reaching our children who need it the most,' said House Minority Leader Sean Hornbuckle, D-Cabell.
He said the program's expansion is negatively impacting public schools because they're losing per pupil funding. School finances are in trouble due to waning pandemic funds and student population loss, which includes students leaving for the Hope Scholarship. Counties this year have proposed or been approved to close 25 schools
'Every time a student leaves it is hurting our local schools,' he said.
Democratic lawmakers in the House proposed a bill banning the use of Hope Scholarship funds at out-of-state schools, but the measure wasn't taken up for consideration this legislative session.
Del. Bill Anderson, R-Wood, warned that this is an 'ever-increasing budget item.'
'We need to begin to seriously consider its impact on our overall budget,' he said. We're going to have to face a serious consideration of this issue in the future.'
Lawmakers fund the Hope Scholarship so that it could cover every eligible student in the state; not all of the funds may end up being used.
House Finance Chairman Vernon Criss, R-Wood, said that lawmakers would likely have to put some parameters on the Hope Scholarship in an effort to get its accelerating price tag under control.
The Senate will have to approve the House's supplemental appropriations for the Hope Scholarship. The session adjourns Saturday.
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