Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholarships No Longer Being Funded in West Virginia
Derek Redd Trending
WHEELING -- A valuable scholarship established to increase the number of teachers in areas of need across West Virginia is no longer being funded, and state officials are no longer accepting applicants.
Sarah Armstrong Tucker, chancellor of the Higher Education Policy Commission, confirmed this while addressing the West Virginia Legislature's Joint Standing Commission on Education as it met at Wheeling Park High School on Monday afternoon.
The Legislature is holding its November interim sessions in Wheeling, concluding today.
The Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars Program is described as "a competitive scholarship for recent high school graduates with a passion for teaching and a history of high academic achievement, community service, and active involvement in extracurricular activities while in high school," according to its website.
Since 2020, 25 recipients wanting to be teachers have been selected each year to receive $10,000 per year for their education for up to $40,000 over four years. This money can be used to cover the cost of tuition and fees, room and board, and other approved educational expenses. It can also be stacked with the Promise Scholarship, also funded by the state.
In exchange, the selected scholars must agree to teach in a West Virginia public school in an area of critical need -- math, science, elementary education or special education -- for a period of five years after graduating from college.
The scholarship may be used at any eligible West Virginia public or private, non-profit college or university offering West Virginia Board of Education-approved teacher preparation programs in math, science, elementary education, or special education.
In efforts to attract quality teachers to West Virginia, the scholarship was also open to students in other states.
Past years have seen as many as 300 students and aspiring teachers apply for the money
Tucker said the scholarship has not been funded by the Legislature for the past two years, and what money is still available for the scholarship is being used to fund those selected during its first three years.
The first cohort selected in 2020 are seniors this year, with the 2021 students being juniors and the 2022 students being sophomores. There were no scholarships given to freshmen this year, Tucker said.
"Currently this program is not admitting any new students," she said.
Delegate Joe Statler, R-Monongalia, commented that now was not the time to end the scholarship as there are many unfilled teaching positions in the state.
He added that word that the program is being shut down should be promoted across the state to encourage students to speak out for its continued funding.
But Tucker said students aren't taking advantage of many scholarship programs available to them at the state's community colleges.
She spoke of the WV Invests Grant -- a state-funded grant program that pays toward the full cost of basic tuition, mandatory fees and academic program fees for select certificate and associate degree programs at a West Virginia public two- or four-year institution.
Eligible programs are those that lead to careers in high-demand fields.
WPHS students present suggested many students perhaps aren't aware of the scholarship programs available to them. Others said students may not be looking at going to college as there are more lucrative opportunities available to them now in the trades after high school.
State Sen. Mike Oliverio, R-Monongalia, said there was "over $100 million" in college scholarships available to West Virginia residents. Additionally, they have the opportunity to receive money for college through the West Virginia National Guard.
"If you want a college education, the money is everywhere," he said. "But it will require some research on your part."