West Virginia Should Become a Top State for Remote Workers In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, remote work is here to stay. In 2022, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 35% of men and 42% of women are working from home – either some or all days per week. Many states and cities…

School Choice Helps Children Achieve Their American Dream Every child should have access to a quality education. Education is the bedrock of a prosperous society, equipping future generations with the tools and opportunities they need to succeed. Thus, it is essential that we provide each student with the ability to achieve their own version of…

Wonderful Policy Changes to Celebrate in West Virginia On Tuesday, June 20th, our beloved West Virginia celebrates 160 years of statehood. While this year’s celebration may lack the same pomp and circumstance of 2013’s sesquicentennial, there’s plenty over the last 10 years to be excited about.   As a policy organization, we’re keen to focus…

Mother's Day is a West Virginia Invention From time to time, we have the opportunity to celebrate the incredible contributions of West Virginians on this blog. Did you know that Mother's Day first began in West Virginia? The Mountain State was the first in America to formally recognize and celebrate mothers. The movement centered around…

What is the Next Step in Education Reform for West Virginia? With the advancements that West Virginia has made in alternative forms of education, it is imperative that our state find ways to support the traditional public school system. The release of West Virginia's NAEP scores in October showed a decline in the quality of…

CON Laws Are Hurting West Virginians' Health Regulation is killing West Virginia. We have the highest prevalence of heart attacks, lung cancer, and drug overdose deaths of any state across the U.S. We rank highest in the nation for poor physical health and mental health. Despite such grim statistics, West Virginia has  protected an archaic…

Crypto Roads, Take Me Home: Three Policies for a Cryptocurrency Friendly West Virginia The Future of Cryptocurrency and West Virginia Whether it is Bitcoin, Ethereum, or any of the other countless blockchain tokens available today, one thing is clear: cryptocurrency is here to stay. However, many states have not prepared for this reality. Thus they…

State Occupational Licensing Index Recently, our friends from the Knee Center for the Study of Occupational Regulation in partnership with the Archbridge Institute released their new State Occupational Licensing Index (SOLI). This publication builds on previously published indices by Cato Institute and the Institute for Justice by expanding the scope of inquiry from strictly licenses…

A Look at Opportunity in Cities in the Nation's Third Most Rural State When one thinks of West Virginia, many things are likely to come to mind: natural beauty, John Denver, coal, whitewater rafting, rock climbing, poverty, opioids, state pride, and so on down the line. What isn’t likely to make a top ten list…

How Education Bills Fared During Legislative Session The 86th Session of the West Virginia State Legislature adjourned Sine Die at 11:49 pm EST  on March 11, 2023. This session was historic for a variety of reasons, especially related to K-12 Education. In February, the Cardinal Institute published a blog post highlighting our Top Five Education…