RICHMOND, Va. -- The fate of an education program for military families was discussed during a hearing at the Virginia State Capitol on Monday.
The Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program waives tuition costs for spouses and children of veterans who were killed or severely disabled in action. The program has seen a surge in enrollment since eligibility was expanded in 2019, which has resulted in tens of millions of dollars in lost tuition revenue for some universities. In response, a state agency presented several potential solutions for lawmakers to consider.
"Promises were made to the veterans community, and we want to ensure that those promises are kept," said Ed Mann of the Department of Virginia Veterans of Foreign Wars. "We paid our part, paid our dues in service of our country."
Lawmakers previously attempted to roll back the program this year but faced significant pushback from veterans' families. In light of these concerns, the Virginia General Assembly allocated funds to help cover the program's costs and ordered a study to explore its long-term viability.
"There's been a lot of discussion about how do we try to get a handle on the growth of this program?" Justin Brown, Senior Associate Director of the Joint Legislative Audit & Review Commission (JLRAC), said.
The agency did not make specific recommendations but provided several options for lawmakers.
Among the financial strategies discussed were requirements for students to pursue other financial aid before accessing the program or continuing to allocate state funds to cover the costs for universities. On the enrollment side, options included limiting eligibility to undergraduate degrees, modifying residency requirements, or introducing academic standards.
State Sen. Jeremy McPike, who spearheaded the 2019 expansion, emphasized the importance of the program.
"I think we have 700,000 Virginians that are veterans, and it's a huge part of our Commonwealth," the Northern Virginia Democrat said.
While acknowledging the need for more data, McPike expressed skepticism about the necessity of changes to the program.
"We'll see what happens. I'm not anticipating any changes, but the General Assembly is always a place of changing dynamics," he said.
Mann, along with other veterans affected by the program's future, expressed a willingness to collaborate with lawmakers to ensure its sustainability.
"Promises were made as far as when you return from service. So we want that promise kept," he said.
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