Hope Scholarship Funding Concerns Grow in West Virginia Legislature скачать в хорошем качестве

Hope Scholarship Funding Concerns Grow in West Virginia Legislature

Lawmakers are feeling pressure to lower the growing costs of West Virginia’s Hope Scholarship program, but so far, sweeping changes haven’t been made. The threat of changes to cap the annual scholarship for students in private, parochial and home schools, restricting schools to those in West Virginia and requiring standardized testing led to a full Finance Committee room again Thursday. What emerged was an unsponsored, one-paragraph bill that changed the timing of payments to the parents of kids on the Hope Scholarship. It's four times instead of two so the first payment on Aug. 15th is less and gives the state more time to collect taxes to cover the same overall amount. Efforts to add income restrictions to the program fizzled without a vote after the chair ruled the amendments were not germane to the Hope Scholarship payment frequency bill. The bill that cleared the committee changes the timing of the payments, pushing them back early in the fiscal year when tax collections might be an issue. It doesn't change the overall costs and is really a housekeeping matter. “It didn't happen and there are more people than just us that know that we need financial guardrails for the Hope Scholarship program. It's fiscally irresponsible not to do so,” Del. Sean Hornbuckle, D-Cabell. School choice advocates balked at the idea of additional restrictions. Gov. Patrick Morrisey wants the full $230 million funding of hope withs tax cuts. The Senate budget calls for $300 million for Hope and tax cuts, prioritizing school choice funding. The House budget provides roughly $211 million in the fiscal year 2027 appropriation plus $20 million in carryover funds. Thursday's action seems to indicate changes aimed at reining in the cost of the program are not happening soon. _________________________________________ For the latest local and national news, visit our website: https://wchstv.com/ Sign up for our newsletter: https://wchstv.com/sign-up Follow WCHS-TV on social media: Facebook:   / eyewitnessnewscharleston   Twitter:   / wchs8fox11​   Instagram:   / wchs8fox11