West Virginia Lawmakers Prioritize Hope Over Promise Scholarship

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The article discusses how the West Virginia Legislature has been prioritizing the expansion of the Hope Scholarship, which provides funding for private school tuition and homeschooling expenses, over maintaining the Promise Scholarship program that previously covered full tuition at in-state public colleges and universities. While the Hope Scholarship has seen significant funding increases in recent years, the Promise Scholarship has failed to keep up with rising college costs, leaving many students with higher out-of-pocket expenses.

Why it matters

The Promise Scholarship was created to increase college access and attainment in West Virginia, which had one of the lowest rates of bachelor's degree holders in the country. By shifting focus and resources to the Hope Scholarship for private K-12 education, lawmakers risk undermining the original intent of the Promise program and widening educational disparities, as the Hope Scholarship has disproportionately benefited higher-income families.

The details

The Promise Scholarship program was established in 1999 and initially covered full tuition at in-state public colleges and universities. However, as tuition costs have risen, the scholarship amount has not kept pace, now providing only $5,500 per year, leaving many students with significant out-of-pocket expenses. Meanwhile, the Hope Scholarship for private school tuition and homeschooling has seen its funding increase from $4,600 per student in 2022-2023 to a projected $5,435.62 per student for the next school year, with the total program cost estimated at $230 million.

• The Promise Scholarship program was established in 1999 and signed into law by former Governor Cecil H. Underwood.
• In 2001, the Promise Scholarship was funded through the West Virginia lottery, video lottery, and taxes on amusement devices.
• Starting in 2010, Promise Scholarship recipients were given up to $4,750 annually to cover tuition and mandatory fees, down from the previous full tuition coverage.
• The current Promise Scholarship award is $5,500 per school year, while the in-state tuition at West Virginia University is $10,752 and at Marshall University is $9,388.
• The Hope Scholarship program was introduced in 2022 and has seen its funding increase from $4,600 per student in 2022-2023 to a projected $5,435.62 per student for the next school year.

What’s next

A Republican-backed bill in the House Finance Committee is attempting to rein in the costs of the Hope Scholarship by limiting the voucher amount to a fixed $5,250 and restricting the funds to be used only at in-state schools.