CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Nearly 4,000 more students in West Virginia received the Hope Scholarship during the 2025-26 academic year than the previous year, according to the program’s annual report released on Monday.
A total of 14,486 scholarships were awarded, a 37.6% increase from the 10,530 handed out in 2024-25. The award amount stood at $5,267.38 per pupil, up from $4,921.39 the year prior.
$75,023,367.76 in scholarship funds was transferred into student accounts, and $68,549,544.10 was spent.
Nonpublic school options continued to be the primary educational pathway for Hope recipients, with 62.36 percent usage, while 37.59 percent used the funds for Individualized Instruction Plans (IIP) through homeschooling or microschools.
That split changed significantly in 2025-26 with a 6.5 percent increase for IIPs.
The majority of Hope funds stayed in the state of West Virginia, with more than 94 percent of nonpublic school and over 99 percent of microschool payments made in the Mountain State. Additional payments went to schools in Maryland, Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Washington, Arizona, Florida, California, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia.
More than $4.6 million was spent on Education Service Providers for direct educational services, with over 62 percent staying in West Virginia. Money went to ESPs in 34 states and Puerto Rico.
Faith Christian Academy in Martinsburg received the most Hope funds of any entity, with a total of $1,501,738.38. City on a Hill Christian Academy, Inc., based in Fairmont, took in the most money of any microschool with $674,478.68.
Flip N Cheer, a gymnastics training center in Kearneysville, received $62,925 and is listed as an Education Service Provider. Other ESPs receiving funds include businesses such as martial arts studios, equestrian training, dance studios, and club sports organizations.
Kanawha County saw the largest number of Hope recipients at 1,688, with Berkeley County the only other in four figures with 1,424. Only 13 students in Doddridge County received Hope funds, the fewest in the state.
As part of the program’s parent satisfaction survey, 96 percent of Hope parents responded that they were satisfied. The top reasons given for choosing the Hope Scholarship are religious-based education, concerns about public school curriculum, and greater flexibility.
Parents listed curriculum, nonpublic school tuition, technology, and digital courses/subscriptions as the top expenses that funds were used on.
The 2026-27 school year is the first year of universal eligibility for the Hope Scholarship, which makes it available to all students, including those already attending nonpublic schools or participating in homeschooling.