Private schools in West Virginia
Hope is expected to pay $5,435.62 for 2026-27. From 2026-27, any West Virginia resident old enough for K-12 public school. The old rule about attending public school first is gone.
Start here
- 126 schools on the official Hope listBy town, with tuition where verified
- How Hope worksAward, who qualifies, how to apply
- Private schools by city14 town pages
- Homeschooling in West VirginiaThe law and what the state pays
West Virginia private schools at a glance
- Counties with a private school
- 40 of 55
- Town pages
- 14
- Most private schools
- Parkersburg (10), Martinsburg (8) and Morgantown (8)
- Typical school
- 71 students, 8 per teacher
- Smallest and largest
- Word of God Christian Academy, 10 students; The Linsly School, 423 students
- Co-ed or single-sex
- 1 all-boys
- Association members
- 49, most often the National Catholic Educational Association
- To a 4-year college
- 75% of graduates at the typical high school (28 reporting)
- Programs
- 5 Montessori, 2 special education
- Public charter schools
- 7, tuition-free and not counted here
Charter schools in West Virginia
- Catholic21
- Christian, not Catholic62
- Islamic1
- Other faiths2
- Nonsectarian12
- Not in federal survey45
- Pre-K (and up)52
- Elementary (K to 5)88
- Middle (6 to 8)78
- High school (9 to 12)47
- K to 12, one school26
- Under 5034
- 50 to 14935
- 150 to 29912
- 300 to 5996
- West Virginia88%
Where these facts come from
- Grades, size, affiliation, co-ed, membership, college-going: NCES Private School Universe Survey 2023-24, downloaded September 20, 2026.
- Program list: West Virginia Hope Scholarship schools, list dated August 10, 2026, checked November 4, 2026.
- Award and rules: West Virginia Hope Scholarship, official page, read October 8, 2026.
- Tuition for 10 schools: each school’s own website, last read October 11, 2026.
- Public charter schools: NCES Common Core of Data, public school directory 2025-26 (preliminary), loaded October 8, 2026.
What West Virginia pays
Figures read from each program’s official pages, October 8, 2026. Sources and how to apply
Nearly 29,000 applications were started for 2026-27, and more than 25,000 accounts were funded in the first quarter, the Treasurer reported in August 2026. There is no cap.
Worth knowing: Parents in Mingo County sued in September 2026 to stop the 2026-27 expansion to all students. The Treasurer is defending it. No ruling had been published as of October 1, 2026, and payments are going out.
How Hope works, start to finish
What share of West Virginia private schools are on the list, next to other states
Charter schools, private schools and school choice in West Virginia, next to other states
By city
Each count: schools in the town or within 6 miles (12 for small towns).
- Martinsburg (15)
- Shepherdstown (13)
- Charleston (11)
- Parkersburg (10)
- Wheeling (10)
- Clarksburg (9)
- Morgantown (9)
- Huntington (6)
- Princeton (6)
- Lewisburg (5)
- Ballard (4)
- Elkins (4)
- Weirton (3)
- Fairmont (2)
By kind of school
By county
- Barbour County (1): Feed My Sheep Christian School
- Berkeley County (10)
- Boone County (1): Christian Faith Academy
- Brooke County (1): Cornerstone Christian Academy
- Cabell County (7)
- Calhoun County (1): Little Kanawha Valley Christian School
- Clay County (1): Clay Christian Academy
- Fayette County (6)
- Grant County (3): BMF Christian, Believers Mennonite Fellowship Christian School, North Fork Christian School
- Greenbrier County (5)
- Hampshire County (1): Slanesville Christian School
- Hancock County (3): St. Joseph the Worker Grade School, St. Pauls Elementary School, Madonna High School
- Hardy County (1): New Life Christian Academy
- Harrison County (9)
- Jackson County (4): Pathfinder Institute, Ripley Christian Academy, Heritage Christian Academy, The Learning Cottage
- Jefferson County (5)
- Kanawha County (11)
- Lewis County (2): Timothy Education Center, St. Patrick School
- Logan County (1): Beth Haven Christian School
- Marion County (2): Fairmont Catholic Grade School, City on A Hill Christian Academy
- Marshall County (1): Our Lady of Peace School
- Mason County (2): Country View School, Sycamore Hollow School
- Mercer County (6)
- Mingo County (1): New Beginnings Christian School
- Monongalia County (8)
- Monroe County (3): Ballard Christian School, Sunny Meadow School, Mtn View School
- Nicholas County (2): New Life Christian Academy, Summersville SDA School
- Ohio County (8)
- Preston County (3): On Target Church Academy, Preston County Youth Center, Laurel Academy
- Putnam County (2): Calvary Baptist Academy, Teays Valley Christian School
- Raleigh County (8)
- Randolph County (5)
- Ritchie County (1): The Highland School
- Roane County (1): Faith Christian Academy
- Summers County (2): Joseph Academy, Pipestem Christian Academy
- Tyler County (1): Indian Creek Christian School
- Upshur County (1): Buckhannon Christian Academy
- Wayne County (1): Coalfield Family Services
- Wood County (11)
- Wyoming County (1): Turkey Ridge Independent Baptist School
The largest private schools in West Virginia
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| The Linsly School ✓ | 5-12 | 423 |
| Faith Christian Academy ✓ | PreK-12 | 399 |
| Grace Christian School ✓ | PreK-12 | 363 |
| St. Joseph School ✓ | PreK-8 | 312 |
| St. Francis de Sales Central Catholic School ✓ | PreK-8 | 312 |
| Central Catholic High School ✓ | 9-12 | 300 |
| Wood County Christian School ✓ | PreK-12 | 280 |
| Cross Lanes Christian School ✓ | K-12 | 279 |
| St. Joseph Grade School ✓ | PreK-8 | 272 |
| Covenant School ✓ | K-12 | 256 |
| St. Michael Parish School ✓ | PreK-8 | 215 |
| Calvary Baptist Academy ✓ | K-12 | 211 |
| Victory Baptist Academy ✓ | PreK-12 | 208 |
| Wheeling Country Day School ✓ | PreK-8 | 186 |
| Our Lady of Peace School ✓ | PreK-8 | 177 |
What private school costs in West Virginia
- Kindergarten to grade 5
- $6,500 middle, $4,500 to $15,000 (9 schools)
- Grades 6 to 8
- $6,500 middle, $4,500 to $15,000 (9 schools)
Prices read on each school’s own website; mostly larger schools so far, so a guide, not an average.
Run your own numbers
What would you pay?
Enter amounts of $0 or more.
We filled in the standard Hope amount. Change it if your award letter says something different. An award can never be more than the school actually charges. This is arithmetic, not a quote.
Put the next Hope window in your calendar
February 28, 2027 West Virginia Hope: Last day for late 2026-27 applications (reduced amount).
Every program's dates in one calendar that updates when we confirm new dates: subscribe in Google Calendar · subscribe in Apple Calendar or Outlook · all deadlines
Free. Nothing to sign up for: the calendar file is made in your browser and nothing is sent to us. Dates can change, so confirm on the official site.
Questions parents ask
How much does West Virginia pay toward private school?
$5,435.62 expected for 2026-27. Apply late and you get less in your first year: 75% of the award for applications June 16 to September 15, 2026, 50% for September 16 to November 30, and 25% for December 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027 (Hope Scholarship home page, read October 8, 2026).
Who can get it?
From 2026-27, any West Virginia resident old enough for K-12 public school. The old rule about attending public school first is gone.
Is there still room?
Nearly 29,000 applications were started for 2026-27, and more than 25,000 accounts were funded in the first quarter, the Treasurer reported in August 2026. There is no cap.
How do I know a school takes Hope?
Schools marked here are listed as a school or a microschool, located in West Virginia, on the Hope Scholarship Board’s participating schools table, last updated August 10, 2026. A microschool on the table is marked “Hope participating microschool”: a small learning program the board approved, not necessarily an accredited private school.