Editor’s note: This article appeared Monday on West Virginia’s wvmetronews.com.
More than 1,800 students have been ruled eligible already for the new Hope Scholarship program to pay for educational costs of students leaving the public school system.
By the end of this past Friday, 1,830 students were approved for the program, said Amy Willard, West Virginia’s deputy treasurer for savings programs. The application period began March 1.
“Just a kudos point here,” said state Treasurer Riley Moore, speaking at a Hope Scholarship board meeting Monday. “The statute required us to approve an application within 45 days, and Amy and her team have worked through thousands of these already since we’ve gotten off the ground, which I think has been a monumental lift on her part.
“So obviously there’s a very clear appetite for the program out there.”
The Legislature passed and the governor then signed a bill establishing the Hope Scholarships in 2021, providing money for students leaving the public school system to use for a variety of financial costs. West Virginia’s program also allows students old enough to enter the school system for the first time to be eligible immediately.
The Hope Scholarship amount will vary annually depending on the amount of state aid funding per pupil provided to county boards of education for public school students. The scholarship amount for the 2022-23 year will be $4,298.60.
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This program is much needed.