Hope Scholarship and Your County Board of Education: What to Expect

The Hope Scholarship is managed by the state-level Hope Scholarship Board and the State Treasurer's Office — but your local county board of education is the gatekeeper for two critical steps that can stall your entire application. Understanding what the county does (and doesn't) control keeps your timeline on track.

The County's Two Roles

Your county board of education handles exactly two things in the Hope Scholarship process:

1. Issuing your child's WVEIS ID. Every student in West Virginia needs a West Virginia Education Information System (WVEIS) number to process state aid. Students who've attended public school already have one. Students who've been homeschooled or in private school their entire lives don't — and the only way to get one is through the local county board of education.

2. Receiving the Hope Scholarship Notice of Intent. The Hope NOI Form (Version 5) must be filed with the county board of education. This dual-purpose form satisfies the compulsory attendance requirement under W. Va. Code §18-8-1(m) and registers the child's Hope status. Your portal application can stall at "Eligible" rather than advancing to "Approved" if the county hasn't confirmed receipt.

The county does not approve or deny Hope Scholarship applications — that's the Hope Scholarship Board's authority. The county does not review your spending, manage your portal account, or determine your funding tier. But without the WVEIS ID and NOI confirmation, your application cannot complete.

Common Friction Points

WVEIS timing. First-time applicants need a WVEIS ID before completing the online Hope application. Request it well before the application window so you have time to finish the required steps by the applicable deadline.

Confusion about which form to file. Some county offices still expect the traditional Exemption C Notice of Intent from homeschool families. The Hope NOI is a different form — Version 5, issued by the State Treasurer's Office. If a county clerk asks you to file the standard homeschool notice, clarify that you're filing under the Hope Scholarship program and provide the Hope-specific form.

NOI not confirmed. A missing Hope NOI can delay or withhold funding. Contact the county to confirm receipt, and check the portal and email notices for any request for additional information.

How to Speed Things Up

Start the WVEIS request as soon as you decide to apply — weeks or months before you touch the portal. Call the county board office and ask specifically for the process to request a WVEIS student ID for a child who has never attended public school. Get a name, a timeline, and follow up if you don't have the number within two weeks.

Submit the Hope NOI using the county's accepted process and keep a dated copy so you can confirm when it was sent.

The county superintendent has no authority over your curriculum choices, spending decisions, or educational approach under the Hope Scholarship. The Board and county boards are prohibited by W. Va. Code §18-31-11(c) from exercising curricular control over Hope families. The county's job is administrative: issue the ID, receive the NOI, confirm receipt.

The West Virginia Hope Scholarship Parent Guide includes county contact scripts and a step-by-step WVEIS request workflow designed to minimize delays with unresponsive county offices.

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