With new headlines about classroom violence and underperforming schools popping up nearly every day, the risks of sending your child to traditional public and private schools are only seeming to grow. It’s no wonder that more and more West Virginia parents are looking for a better way to teach their children. Homeschooling offers you more control over what your children study, how they study it, and where, keeping them safe at home throughout their education.
While choosing to educate your child at home is more than worthwhile for many families, it’s no small investment. The receipts for a homeschool curriculum, books, field trip tickets, and even basic supplies can quickly pile up when parents take on the role of teacher, and you might be wondering if there’s a way to get paid to homeschool your child in West Virginia.
While you won’t earn a paycheck for homeschooling your child, there are state-funded resources to help pay for homeschooling costs. The West Virginia Hope Scholarship is an educational savings account designed for West Virginia’s K-12 students to pursue education outside of the traditional public school classroom—including at home.
What is the West Virginia Hope Scholarship?
West Virginia’s Hope Scholarship program is a state-administered educational savings account (ESA) designed to help West Virginia students create their own “individualized learning experience.” Recognizing that not all students thrive in a public school environment, the scholarship provides funding for students to use for alternative educational resources and options, including helping to pay for homeschool.
For the 2024-2025 school year, each WV Hope Scholarship recipient qualifying for the full award received $4,921.39 in their individual ESA. The exact amount of the scholarship varies each year, as it is based on the average amount of state aid provided for students in schools across West Virginia.
Hope Scholarship funds can be used for a wide range of academic and extracurricular needs, including tutoring services, textbooks, educational therapies, college admissions exams, homeschool curriculum, tuition for private schools and online learning, after-school programs, and even participation in sports and clubs with a public school district.
The Hope Scholarship is not merit-based or income-limited and is available to students who are not or will not be enrolled in the state’s public primary or secondary schools. EdChoice, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, estimates that nearly all West Virginia students are eligible to receive an ESA if they are switching out of a public school in grades 1-12 or entering kindergarten. That makes it a perfect fit for homeschooling families whose children qualify under the scholarship eligibility requirements.
What are the Hope Scholarship Requirements?
The Hope Scholarship is open to all K-12 students in West Virginia, and more than 90% of children across the state are eligible to apply. To qualify as a first-time recipient, your child only needs to be school-aged, live in West Virginia, and meet one of the following Hope Scholarship requirements related to enrollment:
- Be eligible for kindergarten enrollment for the academic year of the award;
- Have been enrolled in a West Virginia public school (elementary or secondary) for the entire school year prior to the year of the award; or
- Be enrolled in a West Virginia public school (elementary or secondary) for at least 45 consecutive days during the academic award year.
For homeschooling families, it’s important to apply for the Hope Scholarship in WV as soon as your child is ready for kindergarten. Starting in 2026, the program is expected to allow first-time applications from students who were homeschooled or in private school in the previous year. Until then, homeschooling families who are new to West Virginia or did not receive a scholarship for their child’s kindergarten year may not qualify unless their child first spends time in a West Virginia public school. However, once you’re in the program, your child will remain eligible until they graduate, move out of the state, enroll in a public school, or turn 21.
When Can You Apply for the Hope Scholarship?
Once your child is an active participant in the Hope Scholarship program, you can reapply for funding every year. Applications for returning scholars are reviewed between January and June, with funding awarded for the following academic year.
For new Hope Scholarship recipients, the Hope Scholarship Board accepts applications on a rolling basis beginning in March of the previous academic year. Parents can apply for funding all the way through February of the academic award year, with four designated application periods.
To receive the full Hope Scholarship, your child’s application must be received between March and mid-June. The scholarship award amount is adjusted in each subsequent application window, loosely based on the amount of academic award year remaining. For the 2024-2025 school year, the dates and funding amounts were as follows:
- March 1 to June 17, 2024: 100% of Scholarship
- June 18 to September 15, 2024: 75% of Scholarship
- September 16 to November 30, 2024: 50% of Scholarship
- December 1, 2024 to February 28, 2025: 25% of Scholarship
On March 1, you can no longer apply for funding to be used in the current academic year. At that time, applications will open for the following school year.
How Do You Apply for the Hope Scholarship in WV?
If you meet the Hope Scholarship requirements listed above, applying is as easy as setting up an account and filling out the online application form on the Hope Scholarship website. You will need several documents and pieces of other information, including:
- your child’s birth certificate
- proof of your residency in West Virginia
- your child’s grade level for the academic scholarship year
- your child’s WVEIS ID#
A WVEIS ID# is the student ID number your child was assigned by a West Virginia public school or district. If your child was previously enrolled in public school, you can typically find their ID# on their report card. For incoming kindergarten students, you should receive a WVEIS ID# for your child when you file a Notice of Intent.
The Notice of Intent (NOI) is the last requirement for all Hope Scholars. A NOI indicates your participation in the WV Hope Scholarship program and should be submitted to your local county board of education. For incoming kindergarteners, the Hope Scholarship board recommends that you file your NOI before applying for a scholarship. For students going into first through twelfth grade, the NOI should be submitted after your child’s application is improved.
It should be noted that if you’re homeschooling in West Virginia for the first time, you’ll also need to file a Notice of Intent to Homeschool with your local school district. This form is different from the Notice of Intent to Participate in the Hope Scholarship program and indicates your decision to educate your child at home.
The Benefits of Homeschooling in West Virginia
The development of the West Virginia Hope Scholarship points to growing support for educational choice across the state. Even though most children in West Virginia still attend public school, more and more parents are taking charge of their child’s education with homeschooling and other educational alternatives.
Homeschooling your child allows you to create a unique educational experience based around their needs and interests. At home, you can choose what subjects they study, how quickly they advance, when and how they study (whether through traditional or unconventional means), and, perhaps most importantly, what they encounter along the way. Research has shown that reducing your child’s exposure to school violence and bullying is critical for their mental well-being as well as their academic success, and it gives them a better chance to see the future that they’re preparing for.
Bridgeway Academy Homeschool Programs Eligible for the Hope Scholarship
As an approved Educational Service Provider for the WV Hope Scholarship, Bridgeway Academy offers many homeschool programs, resources, and support to help you give your child a high quality education at home. West Virginia parents can use their child’s ESA funding to pay for many of Bridgeway Academy’s robust programs, including homeschool curriculums, academic support, community groups, and more.
With Bridgeway Academy, your child can learn in a way that suits their interests, learning style, and unique needs, with expert-designed, custom homeschool curriculum. Every Bridgeway child also has access to a dedicated academic advisor to help guide their studies. Plus, they can participate in numerous clubs, communities, and virtual activities, take online classes with real teachers, engage in peer collaboration, and even walk in an in-person graduation ceremony.
Parents will also benefit from the many resources and support available at Bridgeway. Our educational experts can help you plan a curriculum that understands and works with your child’s unique learning style while focusing on the subject areas that are most important to you both. Our parent communities help you connect with others in West Virginia and beyond to share experiences, ideas, and resources.
Learn more about the West Virginia Hope Scholarship by Connecting with the Bridgeway Team
Are you ready to take the leap into homeschooling? Get help paying for homeschool with the West Virginia Hope Scholarship. Learn more about West Virginia’s homeschooling laws, resources, and requirements, and connect with our Bridgeway Academy team to discover how we can help.
To connect with our West Virginia homeschooling experts, call us toll-free at (800) 863-1474, fill out our contact form, join our next virtual open house, or use our live chat feature!
