State Treasurer Clarifies Use Of Hope Scholarship

State Treasurer Riley Moore has clarified the allowable spending for Hope Scholarship funds. 

Moore, who is also the chairman of the Hope Scholarship Board, released a letter Wednesday emphasizing students enrolled full-time in public schools are not eligible to participate in the Hope Scholarship program.

That includes public charter schools, and the letter specifies that “the Hope Scholarship Board approaches public charter schools and the services they provide the same as regular public schools operated by county boards of education.”

More than 6,000 West Virginia students’ families signed up for the Hope Scholarship savings account this year, which awards close to $4500 for private and homeschooling expenses.

The confusion stems from Hope Scholarship students who are not enrolled full-time in a school being allowed to use the funds for certain classes or services a public school might provide.

As funding for public schools is based on enrollment numbers, Moore’s letter says the restriction prevents schools from “double-dipping,” or receiving both public funding and Hope funds for these services.