04/25/2026
From: Together for Public Schools
April 24, 2026 Newsletter
The Myth of Harmless School Vouchers and The Real Impact on Public Schools
A common myth of school voucher programs is that they do not harm public schools. The reality is that school voucher programs, including the Hope Scholarship, clearly harm public schools. The Hope Scholarship reduces the amount of money available to fund public schools and in an already underfunded system, this leads to layoffs, program cuts, and school closures. West Virginians are already being impacted by the Hope Scholarship, but it is not too late to take action.
Description: Graphic illustrating a common myth surrounding school voucher programs and the corresponding fact on the harmful impact of these programs on public schools.
The Hope Scholarship was enacted by lawmakers in 2021 as the broadest school voucher program in the nation. Five years later, the Hope Scholarship still has virtually no guidelines or accountability measures. The program operates without guardrails which can manage costs, ensure appropriate use of public dollars, support fair education access for all students, and maintain accountability to West Virginia residents.
What does this mean for West Virginians? More public dollars each year going toward funding private schools, microschools, and homeschooling while public schools remain underfunded and underresourced. This leads to layoffs of essential education employees, cuts to programs for students, and closures of community schools. Since 2022, the first year of the Hope Scholarship, more than 40 public schools have closed across 15 counties. When public schools close, people lose their jobs, children lose educational opportunities and resources, and communities lose gathering spaces. Multiple school districts are laying off employees due to funding challenges ahead of next school year. In addition to harming the community members losing their jobs and their families, the students at these schools will also be harmed. The cuts will impact classroom education, student support, transportation, nutrition, and maintenance.
The Hope Scholarship is entering its fifth year. Since it began, over $400 million public dollars have gone to fund this voucher program instead of public schools. This year, instead of investing in public schools, Medicaid, or much-needed improvements to infrastructure, lawmakers committed approximately $400 million to fully fund the Hope Scholarship and enact a five percent tax cut, further harming public schools and chipping away at tax revenue to fund them. Public schools are the only education option that is available to all students and accountable to the public. Despite receiving public funding, private schools, microschools, and homeschooling are not held to the same standards. Public schools are open to all students, but private schools and microschools can choose which students to admit or deny. Homeschooling also may not be available to students due to financial challenges, access to technology or internet, or availability of an adult to manage their education at home. Additionally, those that use the Hope Scholarship waive their Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) protections and the private schools and microschools that they attend are not required to provide disability accommodations or critical supports for students like an Individualized Education Program (IEP).
April 24, 2026 Newsletter
The Myth of Harmless School Vouchers and The Real Impact on Public Schools
A common myth of school voucher programs is that they do not harm public schools. The reality is that school voucher programs, including the Hope Scholarship, clearly harm public schools. The Hope Scholarship reduces the amount of money available to fund public schools and in an already underfunded system, this leads to layoffs, program cuts, and school closures. West Virginians are already being impacted by the Hope Scholarship, but it is not too late to take action.
Description: Graphic illustrating a common myth surrounding school voucher programs and the corresponding fact on the harmful impact of these programs on public schools.
The Hope Scholarship was enacted by lawmakers in 2021 as the broadest school voucher program in the nation. Five years later, the Hope Scholarship still has virtually no guidelines or accountability measures. The program operates without guardrails which can manage costs, ensure appropriate use of public dollars, support fair education access for all students, and maintain accountability to West Virginia residents.
What does this mean for West Virginians? More public dollars each year going toward funding private schools, microschools, and homeschooling while public schools remain underfunded and underresourced. This leads to layoffs of essential education employees, cuts to programs for students, and closures of community schools. Since 2022, the first year of the Hope Scholarship, more than 40 public schools have closed across 15 counties. When public schools close, people lose their jobs, children lose educational opportunities and resources, and communities lose gathering spaces. Multiple school districts are laying off employees due to funding challenges ahead of next school year. In addition to harming the community members losing their jobs and their families, the students at these schools will also be harmed. The cuts will impact classroom education, student support, transportation, nutrition, and maintenance.
The Hope Scholarship is entering its fifth year. Since it began, over $400 million public dollars have gone to fund this voucher program instead of public schools. This year, instead of investing in public schools, Medicaid, or much-needed improvements to infrastructure, lawmakers committed approximately $400 million to fully fund the Hope Scholarship and enact a five percent tax cut, further harming public schools and chipping away at tax revenue to fund them. Public schools are the only education option that is available to all students and accountable to the public. Despite receiving public funding, private schools, microschools, and homeschooling are not held to the same standards. Public schools are open to all students, but private schools and microschools can choose which students to admit or deny. Homeschooling also may not be available to students due to financial challenges, access to technology or internet, or availability of an adult to manage their education at home. Additionally, those that use the Hope Scholarship waive their Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) protections and the private schools and microschools that they attend are not required to provide disability accommodations or critical supports for students like an Individualized Education Program (IEP).
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