RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia General Assembly is taking initial steps to address concerns regarding the long-term financial viability of the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program (VMSDEP), which waives tuition at state colleges or universities for spouses and children of military veterans who are severely disabled or killed in action.
The program has faced scrutiny since an eligibility expansion in 2019 led to a surge in enrollment. An Executive Directive from Gov. Glenn Youngkin on the topic stated enrollment increased by 341% between the 2018-19 school year (when there were 1,385 students) and 2022-23 (when there were 6,107 students). It added costs increased by 444% in the same time from $11.9-million to $64.8-million.
Last year, lawmakers tried rollback changes, which led to a political backlash. This prompted lawmakers to cancel the changes, fully fund the program, and create several work groups tasked with evaluating the program and what steps could be taken in the future.
One of those evaluations was conducted by the nonpartisan Joint Legislative Audit & Review Commission, which gave lawmakers several policy options on what they could do, but only one recommendation on what they should do.
That recommendation is now being championed by Sen. Danica Roem in the current General Assembly session.
"What are we going to do to make sure that we've got good transparency, that we've got good accountability," Sen. Roem (D - Prince William) said.
Roem's bill requires an annual report each November detailing two key data points: the number of people who qualify for the program but are not enrolled and the best estimate of those who are enrolled.
"I always want that data. I always want to have make sure they've got the most amount of information possible, so that I can make a reasonable determination about what to do," Roem said.
Kayla Owen, the wife of a disabled U.S. Coast Guard veteran and co-founder of the advocacy group Friends of VMSDEP, expressed concerns about the proposed data collection method.
While she supports comprehensive data collection, Owen argues that there is ample time to conduct an accurate count rather than relying on estimates and believes that more detailed information should be required.
"We know that there are students that receive merit based scholarships. We don't know that if those monies are being accounted for in what's being imputed for the cost to the state," Owen said. "This is a great first step, and we're happy that everybody is starting to see the value of data and figuring out how to make this program sustainable."
A House version of the bill also exists, featuring minor wording differences and a later annual report deadline.
Potential future changes to the VMSDEP, as suggested in the state report, include imposing limits on eligibility, implementing academic requirements, and enhancing residency requirements.
Both Roem and Owen agree that accurate data must be prioritized before any changes are made.
"As we collect that data, we'll have more information about what we need to do to make the program better and more sustainable. Going forward," Owen said.
"I suspect that when we get back into the even year, when you actually have an introduced biennial budget, you'll probably have more legislators who are taking a much deeper look at that," Roem said.
The two versions of the bill are progressing through the General Assembly.
Given the differences, they will likely be sent to a conference committee, where lawmakers will work to reconcile the versions before presenting a unified bill to Governor Glenn Youngkin for consideration.
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