CHARLESTON, W.Va. –All kindergarten through 12th grade students is now eligible to apply for the Hope Scholarship, a state-funded program for families seeking educational options outside the public school system, for the 2026–2027 school year.
State Treasurer and Chairman of the Hope Scholarship Board Larry Pack, Governor Patrick Morrisey, Jefferson County Senator Patricia Rucker, Hope families and school choice advocates came together to celebrate the milestone moment Tuesday during a brief news conference.
The scholarship was created in 2021 and was initially available only to a select group of students.
Pack said that when lawmakers passed the bill five years ago, it set an example for other states while ensuring that one day it would be available to every West Virginia child.
“We absolutely set the scale for the entire United States as what education freedom should look like, and not only did we pass it after it was tossed back and forth between the Senate and the House, but we also made it five years hence universal eligibility for all K-12 students,” he said during the press conference.
The scholarship amount varies each year based on the amount of state aid funding per pupil provided to county boards of education for public school students. For the upcoming school year, the scholarship is projected to be $5,435.62.
Pack said that over the past several years, he has traveled across the state meeting Hope families.
He said the opportunity is changing lives
“Whether it’s the grandmother in Mercer County, who talks about raising her two grandchildren by herself, and when she found out that her grandchildren could go to a school that had the same faith as her, had smaller classes, and the discipline she thought her grandchildren needed, she said that with tears of joy,” Pack said.
He also talked about a mother in Greenbrier County who was relieved when she was able to put her children into a new school that allowed them to come out of their shell.
Morrisey said the scholarship will help ensure West Virginia’s success by providing alternatives to the public school system.
“We’ve got a great group of kids here in West Virginia and when I think about our state’s future all of it is dependent upon the success of our young people and Hope Scholarship will play an intricate role in driving the success of West Virginia,” he said.
He said that when he first learned about the scholarship in 2021, he was serving as state Attorney General and was ready to support it.
He said his reasoning was that giving students a choice in their education can make a difference.
“I believe that money should follow the child, I believe that competition is good, as a base matter and that when you have kids that get to choose, not based upon a one size fits all mantra, but they get to go the place that works best for them, that’s a difference maker,” Morrisey said.
He also said the scholarship’s benefits will help the economy in the long run.
“Being in a place where we have the best school choice system around matters, it actually keeps kids here and draws more people to West Virginia,” Morrisey said.
In its first year, during the 2022–2023 school year, there were 2,333 participants. That number has grown to 14,600 participants in the 2025-2026 school year, and projections show it will continue to rise.
According to a release from Pack’s office a student application submitted within the following dates will receive the associated level of Hope Scholarship funding:
-March 2-June 15: 100% Hope Scholarship annual award amount
-June 16- Sept. 15: 75% Hope Scholarship annual award amount
-Sept. 15-Nov. 30: 50% Hope Scholarship annual award amount
-Dec. 1-Feb. 28: 25% Hope Scholarship annual award amount
To learn more or apply for Hope visit their website here.