CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WVDN) – State Treasurer Larry Pack is celebrating West Virginia’s leadership in advancing school choice policies and his Office’s continued dedication to the Hope Scholarship – a program that has awarded over 10,000 scholarships for the 2024-2025 school year and is eager to support its expansion in the coming years.
“I was a strong advocate for educational freedom as a member of the House of Delegates and am thrilled to be able to oversee this program as it continues to flourish in my role as Chairman of the Hope Scholarship Board,” Treasurer Pack said. “My goal is to ensure that parents and families have the tools necessary to tailor an education for their children that works best for them.”
National School Choice Week runs from January 26-February 1, 2025. Schools in West Virginia held events and rallies throughout the month of January to celebrate school choice.
Treasurer Pack applauded Governor Patrick Morrisey for signing a proclamation declaring the week of January 26, 2025 as “School Choice Week” in West Virginia and President Donald Trump for issuing an executive order that prioritizes and frees up federal funding for school choice programs.
“President Trump, Governor Morrisey and I all share a common goal of finding ways to put students and families first, and these actions do just that for our West Virginia children,” Treasurer Pack said.
Students participating in the Hope Scholarship Program can utilize the state’s portion of funding for various education-related expenses, including private school tuition, books, uniforms, tutoring, assistive technologies, educational services, and therapies and more.
The Hope Scholarship has seen tremendous growth over the last three years. Program participation grew from 2,333 students during the 2022-2023 school year to 5,443 students during the 2023-2024 school year, and now over 10,000 students in the current school year. There are currently 233 participating nonpublic schools and microschools in the Hope Scholarship Program, providing a variety of educational options for students.
“Each year, more families enroll in the Hope Scholarship Program in order to take control of their child’s education, and we hope to see that growth continue,” Treasurer Pack said. “My Office is excited to open the program to all school-age children residing in West Virginia beginning in the 2026-2027 school year.”
Hope Scholarship applications for new students for the 2025-2026 school year will be available on March 1. New applications are only being accepted for the remainder of the 2024-2025 school year through February 28. Current Hope Scholarship students who wish to continue their participation in the program during the 2025-2026 school year have until June 15 to submit their Continuing Participation Confirmations.
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 award amount for the 2024-2025 year was $4,921.39 and is expected to be $5,267.38 for the 2025-2026 school year.
The Hope Scholarship Act, passed by the Legislature in 2021, is an education savings account program available for kindergarten through 12th grade students. It is designed to allow parents and families to receive an amount equal to the state portion of their child’s education funding to tailor an individualized learning experience that works best for their child.
More information on the Hope Scholarship Program is available at www.hopescholarshipwv.com.
