Bill
HB 5384
HB 5384 lets HEPC annually adjust ACT/SAT score requirements for PROMISE eligibility to try to increase the number of scholarship awards.
HB 5384 (Session 2026) – West Virginia
Summary
HB 5384 would authorize the Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) to annually adjust the composite testing score requirements for ACT and SAT in relation to PROMISE scholarship awards. The aim is to maximize the number of PROMISE awards by allowing year-to-year adjustments to the required ACT/SAT composite scores, rather than keeping a fixed threshold.
Purpose and intent
- Primary goal: Increase the number of students qualifying for PROMISE scholarships by permitting the HEPC to modify test-score benchmarks each award year.
- Rationale implied by the bill: If fixed minimum scores reduce eligibility volume, dynamic adjustment could help enroll more students into PROMISE while maintaining program integrity.
Key provisions and changes
- Authority granted: HEPC would be empowered to adjust the ACT and SAT composite score requirements on a year-by-year basis for PROMISE scholarship eligibility.
- Scope of adjustment: The bill allows adjustments to the required composite scores, presumably to respond to changing test-taking trends, enrollment, or budgetary considerations, with the objective of expanding the awards.
- Oversight and administration: Requires HEPC to determine and implement annual adjustments, though specific criteria, methodology, or limits for adjustments are not detailed in the provided text.
- Relationship to PROMISE: Directly tied to PROMISE scholarship year eligibility; changes affect which students qualify for PROMISE awards during each academic year.
Affected parties and impacts
- Students: Potentially more PROMISE recipients in years when HEPC lowers composite score requirements; or tailored thresholds to target enrollment goals.
- HEPC and higher education institutions: Increased administrative responsibility to set annual score thresholds and communicate eligibility criteria; potential need for transparent criteria and reporting.
- PROMISE program: Could experience shifts in annual award numbers, funding utilization, and demographic composition depending on scoring adjustments.
Procedural and timeline considerations
- Legislative action: HB 5384 was introduced and referred to Education and then Finance, with initial action dating to February 9, 2026.
- Implementation timeline: The bill would authorize year-by-year adjustments, implying an ongoing annual process once enacted. Specific effective dates or transition provisions are not provided in the text available.
- Reporting and accountability: The summary does not specify reporting requirements or sunset provisions; if enacted, these details would typically be established by subsequent implementing regulations or a separate rider.
Notes and considerations
- Fiscal impact: While intended to maximize awards, the bill does not include explicit funding or budgetary language in the summary. The effect on PROMISE funding levels would depend on how many additional students qualify under adjusted thresholds.
- Guardrails: The absence of explicit criteria for adjustments (e.g., maximum/minimum scores, preservation of previously admitted cohorts, or demand-driven triggers) means the practical design of thresholds would be critical to assess in full legislative and administrative texts or by HEPC guidelines.
Overall, HB 5384 seeks to give HEPC flexible, annual authority to modify ACT/SAT composite score requirements for PROMISE scholarships with the stated objective of increasing the number of awards, subject to future rulemaking and implementation details.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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