Poll: Out-of-state schools should not get West Virginia taxes
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PARKERSBURG — Recent surveys found most West Virginians oppose public funds going to private schools in other states and another shows bipartisan support for criminal justice reforms. A poll by RABA Research found 84% of respondents do not believe it is appropriate for West Virginia tax dollars to be spent on private schools located outside of West Virginia while 16% did. Mark Blankenship Enterprises Research found two out of three voters, including 2 in 3 Republican voters, support criminal justice reform and about 7 in 10 voters, 6 in 10 Republicans support reducing the jail and prison population in the state. The Hope Scholarship for children in grades K-12 allows parents to place their children where they can best receive the instruction they need, which is no different than school districts spending millions of dollars out of state for books, curriculum and other educational needs, said Garret Ballengee, president and CEO of the Cardinal Institute in Charleston. Survey questions can be worded to lean toward an answer. “I don’t see how that’s any different than a parent sending their child to the Veritas Academy in Marietta,” he said. About $1 million of the $23.7 million in the Hope Scholarship for 2023-24 went to non-public schools and education service providers outside of West Virginia, said Tamaya Browder, Education Policy Fellow at the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy. Of the 2023-24 Hope Scholarship funds, about $17.3 million went to non-public schools and $6 million went to unaccredited schools during the 2023-2024 school year. Almost 30% of non-public school payments from the Hope Scholarship for the 2023-2024 school year went to 10 schools, all of which are religious schools, according to the Center on Budget and Policy. More money for the program, which is expected to grow in cost, could mean more going to non-public schools both in and out of state, according to Browder. “It does take away from that pool of resources that is available for public schools,” she said. The Hope Scholarship is for educational opportunities for students in grades K-12 and is separate from the Promise Scholarship that helps students with college expenses. The Hope Scholarship can not be used on secondary education. Blaming the Hope Scholarship for problems in school districts, such as consolidations, is unfair, Balengee said. Student numbers in West Virginia have been dwindling for years, he said. A poll by the Cardinal Institute with 50CAN and Edge Research in October found, “despite education reforms to expand school choice options, such as the Hope Scholarship Act in 2021, approximately half of West Virginia respondents feel they did not have a choice in what school their child attends,” the Cardinal Institute said. RABA polled 501 registered voters in West Virginia from March 10-14 and asked for their opinions on education, health care coverage and social safety net programs. Of those polled, 23% consider themselves Democrat, 47% consider themselves Republican and 29% something else. The margin of error is 4.4% plus or minus. The Blankenship survey was of 500 registered voters in West Virginia in March 2025 conducted by live telephone and online with quotas set to ensure representation by region, gender, and political affiliation, the company said. The poll found three out of four voters support policies allowing judges to review youthful offenders sentenced to long terms in prison, called the “Second Look” policy. The breakdown of support was 73% Republican voters, 79% Democrat voters and 72% of independents in favor of such changes. “These results were surprising, but not shocking,” said Mark Blankenship, of Mark Blankenship Enterprise Research. Economic development and efficient government spending remain priorities among West Virginia voters, he said. Residents want changes improving local economies and public safety, Blankenship said. “These results show that criminal justice reform is the rare nonpartisan issue,” Blankenship said. Jess Mancini can be reached at jmancini@newsandsentinel.comLocal News
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