What do Republican Presidential Candidates Have to Say About School Choice? School Choice initiatives aim to introduce education to the marketplace. These programs give parents purchasing power, free students from zip code based schools, and bring innovation to schooling. While school choice is largely a state-level issue, the attitudes of federal officials can make it…

Hope Grows in the Mountain State  West Virginia’s Hope Scholarship program, passed in 2021. At the time of its passage, the Hope Scholarship was the most expansive ESA program in the country. An education savings account (ESA), the Hope Scholarship awards 100 percent of the state portion of per-pupil funding to eligible students. (Funding for…

Flooding Devastates Elk River Communities A little over seven years ago, on June 23-24, 2016, communities throughout West Virginia were devastated by “thousand-year” rainfall and subsequent flooding. The worst of the damage was concentrated in Kanawha, Fayette, Nicholas, Summers, and Greenbrier counties. A reported 23 people lost their lives in the floods.   In addition…

Foster Care in West Virginia As of July 16, 2023, there are 6,357 children in foster care in West Virginia. Many of these are in the foster care system because of the opioid epidemic. The Mountain State lacks enough families and community support to provide a loving home for these kids while they await reunification…

In the United States, civil asset forfeiture is a legal process through which law enforcement officers may seize assets from individuals that they suspect of committing a crime. The key here is “suspect” of committing a crime. There is no requirement for the person whose assets were seized to ever be convicted of criminal activity.…

West Virginia University Faces Budget Deficit Here in the Mountain State, it’s hard to miss the news that West Virginia University is facing a $45 million budget deficit. Over the coming 5-7 years, the university is projecting a need to reduce their overall budget by at least $75 million due to declining enrollment trends. In…

From New York to West Virginia When I started working at Cardinal in May, and being from Upstate New York, I had little firsthand experience with West Virginia. I knew a fair bit about the Mountain State’s history, geography, and some of the current issues. I pride myself on being informed about history, geography, and…

Success in Public Policy Reform You’ll have to excuse me for a moment. . . I was calculating how long I’ve been formally employed in the nonprofit public policy industry. I think I may have suffered what I’ll call a “revelatory aneurysm.” I have been working in public policy reform for 13 years.   via…

Leaving West Virginia I am West Virginian, born and bred. I was born 15 minutes down the road from where I would live in Logan County. My parents raised me in an unincorporated community outside a very small town in a river valley. Apparently, they took me to the Gulf when I was very young,…

Here at the Cardinal Institute, we’re devoted to prosperity for West Virginia. However, it’s hard for anyone to prosper when they are attempting to cope with anxiety, depression, and addiction. To start a business or have a successful career, one must have a sound mind. The good news is that those with mental health struggles…