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Hope Scholarship board says voucher can’t be used on ammunition, witchcraft herbs, animals and more

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3 months ago

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westvirginiawatch.com – Amelia Ferrell Knisely – 2025-06-02 05:00:00


West Virginia’s Hope Scholarship program, which provides about \$4,900 per student for private schooling, homeschooling, and microschools, is clarifying allowable education expenses after parents requested items like ammunition, live animals, witchcraft herbs, and a cauldron—all denied by the board. The program uses a purchasing portal with pre-approved items; other requests require board approval. The updated list of unallowable expenses includes witchcraft herbs, ammunition, live animals, sports fees, household furniture, virtual reality equipment, and expensive athletic gear. The program, used by 11,000 students in 2024-25, is set to grow to 50,000 by 2026, with funding rising from \$58 million to \$97 million, and expected to hit \$300 million in 2027, raising concerns about underfunding other state programs and public schools.

by Amelia Ferrell Knisely, West Virginia Watch
June 2, 2025

West Virginia’s school voucher program, the Hope Scholarship, is clarifying how students can use the money for education expenses after parents asked to purchase ammunition, gaming consoles, live animals, witchcraft herbs and more through the program. 

“We had the request for witchcraft herbs and a cauldron,” said Amy Willard, assistant treasurer for the Hope Scholarship Program, at a May 16 scholarship board meeting. The request was denied.

The Hope Scholarship, which launched four years ago, provides roughly $4,900 per student in tax-payer funds to be used for private schooling tuition, homeschooling, microschools and more. Around 11,000 students used the program during the 2024-25 school year.

Parents who utilize the Hope Scholarship for homeschooling use a portal to purchase a wide range of educational materials, like curriculums, iPads, water tables, bee keeping materials under $200 and more from vendors. Parents are permitted to use the money for horseback riding lessons and dance studio fees. Hope Scholarship funds are not sent to the parents.

Carrie Hodousek, communications director for the State Treasure’s Office, said some items are pre-approved and don’t require a manual review by the board. Other items are reviewed by an individual or multiple individuals either in the Treasurer’s Office and/or the Office’s contracted program manager, she explained.

“These items are brought to the board for approval or disapproval,” she said.

On May 16, the Hope Scholarship Board issued an updated list of unallowable expenses based on parents’ requests. Along with witchcraft herbs, live animals and ammunition, the board said the funds may not be used on these additional items and more: travel sports fees; household furniture, including desks and couches; virtual reality equipment; athletic equipment in excess of $500; medications and supplements; chicken brooders; heat lamps and chicken coops in excess of $400.

 “In none of these instances were these items successfully purchased without authorization from the board,” Hodousek said. 

“If items are placed on the non-qualifying expense list, it means that the Treasurer’s Office did not allow those purchases to go through and then requested guidance from the Hope board as to whether they should be permissible expenses,” she added.

The Hope Scholarship program is expected to grow to 50,000 students by 2026, and the price tag has already raised concerns among the GOP-led Legislature, who largely back the program as part of their school choice push. 

Lawmakers recently approved $97 million for the Hope Scholarship for the upcoming school year — up from this year’s $58 million in funding for the program. It was the largest funding increase requested by Gov. Patrick Morrisey in his first budget proposal.

In 2027, its price tag is expected to skyrocket to around $300 million, when the program will open up to all students in the state. 

“We are leaving other vitally necessary programs underfunded because of an increase in this line item,” Del. Elliott Pritt, R-Fayette, said in April as the House debated bills that funded the program. Pritt, a public school teacher, noted the state’s public employee’s insurance program, which insures teachers, continues to struggle. 

Democratic lawmakers in the House proposed a bill banning the use of Hope Scholarship funds at out-of-state schools, but the measure wasn’t taken up for consideration during the legislative session. More than $122,000 in Hope funds were used at out of state schools last school year.

Public school leaders have said the growing number of students using the program has continued to financial issues as the state is facing a wave of school closures. Under the current school funding formula, counties receive state funding based on the number of students. West Virginia is also experiencing an overall population decline.

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West Virginia Watch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. West Virginia Watch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Leann Ray for questions: info@westvirginiawatch.com.

The post Hope Scholarship board says voucher can’t be used on ammunition, witchcraft herbs, animals and more appeared first on westvirginiawatch.com


Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Left

This article provides a detailed overview of the Hope Scholarship program in West Virginia, highlighting concerns from multiple perspectives including Democrats, public school advocates, and some Republicans. It acknowledges the GOP’s strong support for the program while focusing notably on controversies, budgetary concerns, and challenges faced by public schools as a result. The tone is informative but highlights the financial and policy tensions that lean slightly toward a critique of the program’s expansion and fiscal impact, reflecting a moderate left-leaning perspective without strong ideological language or partisan attacks.

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News from the South - West Virginia News Feed

National Grandparents Day (9-7-25) and the special bond shared with their grandchildren

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1 day ago

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September 6, 2025

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www.youtube.com – WOAY TV – 2025-09-06 14:02:11

SUMMARY: This Sunday, September 7th, is National Grandparents Day, honoring the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren. In Milton State, many grandparents become primary caregivers due to their children’s substance abuse disorders. Presley Ridge highlights the vital role grandparents play in foster care, offering training and support to become certified foster parents. West Virginia leads the nation in child removals, resulting in many grandparents raising grandchildren full-time. Services aim to reunify families by supporting parents’ recovery. Children thrive better in familiar grandparent homes, providing love and stability. Senator Brian Hilton emphasizes improving treatment programs to help families heal and support grandparents effectively.

National Grandparents Day is a time to appreciate the joy and wisdom they bring to our lives. Mountain State grandparents often take on another role, stepping in to become primary caregivers when their children have substance abuse issues.

~ Newswatch reporter Jillian Risberg (https://www.facebook.com/JillianRisTV) found out how much love, guidance, and stability grandparents can provide.

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WV Supreme Court will hear BOE’s appeal in vaccine lawsuit — but not right away

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3 days ago

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September 5, 2025

By

westvirginiawatch.com – Lori Kersey – 2025-09-05 09:21:00


The West Virginia Supreme Court will review the Board of Education’s appeal against a Raleigh County judge’s July ruling that allowed religious exemptions to the state’s mandatory school vaccine requirements. The court set a Dec. 12 deadline for the board’s appeal but denied requests to expedite the case or pause lower court proceedings. The legal battle centers on religious freedom versus strict vaccination laws; West Virginia is one of five states without religious exemptions for school vaccines. Governor Patrick Morrisey issued an executive order permitting exemptions based on the 2023 Equal Protection for Religion Act. A hearing on a permanent injunction is scheduled for Sept. 10-11.

by Lori Kersey, West Virginia Watch
September 5, 2025

West Virginia’s highest court will take on a legal battle over the state’s school vaccination requirements, but it denied a request by state school officials that it do so quickly. 

The state Supreme Court on Thursday set a deadline of Dec. 12 for the West Virginia Board of Education to prepare its appeal of a Raleigh County judge’s July ruling against it. That ruling was in regards to a lawsuit brought by three Raleigh County families over the board’s refusal to accept religious exemptions to the state’s mandatory school vaccine requirements. 

Raleigh County Circuit Judge Michael Froble in July granted a preliminary injunction in the case that allows students in the case to attend class with a religious exemption to the vaccination requirements. 

The school board had filed notice of appeal and asked the high court to both expedite a review of the appeal and temporarily halt the proceedings in the lower court. 

In the scheduling order Thursday, the court denied both motions. Justices also set a deadline of Jan. 26 for the plaintiffs in the case to respond to the board’s appeal. The board will then have until Feb. 16, 2026 to write a reply, if necessary. 

After the Feb. 16 reply brief deadline, the court writes, the appeal will be ready for review. 

The Raleigh lawsuit is one case in a legal battle over religious freedom and the state’s strict school vaccination requirements. Every state requires school students to be vaccinated against a number of infectious diseases including polio, chicken pox and measles. Florida officials announced this week plans to eliminate its vaccine mandates. 

West Virginia has been one of only five states that have not allowed students to opt out of the shots because of their religious or philosophical objections to them. 

West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey issued an executive order on his second day in office requiring the state to allow religious exemptions. His order is based on the 2023 Equal Protection for Religion Act. He argues that the religious freedom law, when read alongside the vaccination law, calls for the religious exemptions. 

Morrisey has not rescinded that executive order, even though the state Legislature earlier this year rejected a bill that would have established those religious exemptions in state code. 

Raleigh County Circuit Judge Michael Froble has scheduled a two-day hearing next week on a  permanent injunction in the lawsuit, which he recently consolidated with a lawsuit brought against the state health department by two parents of immunocompromised students over its issuance of religious exemptions. Plaintiffs in that case are represented by the ACLU of West Virginia and Mountain State Justice. 

The hearing is set for Sept. 10 and 11 at the Raleigh County Judicial Center. During that hearing, the judge has said he wants to consider issues that include whether the state’s vaccination law is constitutional without religious exemptions and the authority of Morrisey’s executive order. 

YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE.

SUPPORT

West Virginia Watch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. West Virginia Watch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Leann Ray for questions: info@westvirginiawatch.com.

The post WV Supreme Court will hear BOE’s appeal in vaccine lawsuit — but not right away appeared first on westvirginiawatch.com


Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

The content presents a factual and balanced overview of the legal dispute surrounding vaccine exemptions in West Virginia without evident partisan language or framing. It reports on actions taken by government officials, court decisions, and ongoing lawsuits from multiple perspectives, including those of the state board, families, and advocacy groups. The neutral tone and focus on legal developments suggest a centrist approach, aiming to inform rather than persuade toward a particular political viewpoint.

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News from the South - West Virginia News Feed

Christian’s Morning Forecast: Strong to Severe Storms Incoming

Published

4 days ago

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September 4, 2025

By

www.youtube.com – WOAY TV – 2025-09-04 06:46:25

SUMMARY: Storm Watch meteorologist Christian Boler reports strong to severe storms approaching West Virginia, especially McDow, Tazewell, and Wyoming counties during the morning commute. Temperatures will remain in the upper 60s to low 70s with southwest winds around 5-10 mph. A marginal severe weather threat exists across the region, mainly involving winds and flooding, but no tornadoes or hail expected. Rainfall of a quarter to half an inch is likely over 48 hours with isolated downpours. Storms will arrive in two waves before clearing Friday. Another front may bring showers Saturday, but high pressure will clear skies for the weekend and beyond.

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