VMSDEP Advocacy, a Recent History Spring and Summer 2024
VMSDEP Advocacy, a Recent History — Spring and Summer 2024
Since many Virginians and other concerned citizens were not previously familiar with the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program (VMSDEP) or the challenges it recently faced, we’ve created a primer to bring everyone up to speed.
What is VMSDEP?
The Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program (VMSDEP) is a Commonwealth of Virginia benefit that provides up to eight semesters (the equivalent of four academic years) of tuition-free education at Virginia public colleges and universities for the spouses and children of qualifying veterans. Eligible families must be connected to a veteran who has been rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) as totally and permanently disabled (TPD), at least 90% permanently disabled due to military service, or who was killed, taken prisoner, or declared missing in action as a direct result of military combat. Covered service includes the United States Armed Forces, Armed Forces Reserves, or the Virginia National Guard. (Definition from the official VMSDEP website.)
Key Events
March 25, 2024:
The General Assembly’s proposed budget (HB30) quietly introduced significant restrictions to VMSDEP without naming the program. The language, buried deep in the bill, restructured the program to:
- Make VMSDEP a "last payer" behind all other aid (federal, state, local—including Chapter 35 benefits).
- Require FAFSA and Expected Family Contribution (EFC) application before VMSDEP support.
- Eliminate eligibility for graduate programs.
- Limit benefits to only a first bachelor’s degree or certificate.
- Apply changes immediately, with a one-year grace period for current students only.
Early April 2024:
A petition to protect VMSDEP gained over 4,000 signatures in ten days. Grassroots advocacy escalated as military families and supporters contacted state lawmakers.
Petition link
April 8, 2024:
Governor Youngkin proposed Amendments 62 and 230 to call for a formal study on VMSDEP changes and designate a program beneficiary to participate in the process.
April 17, 2024:
On “vote day” for the state budget—coinciding with the Day of the Military Child—members of the Friends of VMSDEP traveled to Richmond. The House rejected all of Governor Youngkin’s proposed amendments, triggering a full budget rewrite.
May 11, 2024:
A revised budget (HB/SB 6001) was introduced with even more aggressive VMSDEP limitations. The new language:
- Enforced last-payer status behind all financial aid.
- Required FAFSA completion and use of EFC.
- Limited benefits to a certificate or first associate/bachelor’s degree only.
- Gave SCHEV power to determine aid application formulas.
- Grandfathered only those enrolled in 2023–24 or committed by May 15, 2024.
May 13, 2024:
HB/SB 6001 passed both chambers. Governor Youngkin signed it into law without removing the VMSDEP changes.
May 15, 2024:
Governor Youngkin issued Executive Directive 7 (ED7) just after close of business on the day of the grandfathering deadline. While it called for a task force to study the changes, it also narrowed eligibility further by restricting grandfathered students to:
- Their current academic program or
- Four years of eligibility—whichever came first.
This eliminated options for:
- Students transferring from community colleges to universities.
- Early graduates hoping to apply unused eligibility to graduate school.
- Waitlisted students who missed the May 15 deadline.
May 24, 2024:
Governor Youngkin formally announced the creation of the VMSDEP Task Force, as directed under ED7. The task force included representatives from the Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs, State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), and the Department of Veterans Services. Its purpose was to assess the “unintended consequences” of the budget language and make recommendations.
Press release on task force
VMSDEP Repeal and Restoration: June–July 2024
June 10, 2024:
The first VMSDEP Task Force meeting took place. While established to study the impact of HB/SB 6001, the meeting revealed widespread concern and confusion among attendees, including policy advisors, education officials, and some affected families. Critics noted that the task force had no clear authority to reverse policy and lacked direct representation from many families most affected by the changes.
June 18, 2024:
A large rally and press conference were held at the Capitol. VMSDEP students and spouses delivered emotional testimony, urging lawmakers to reverse the changes. News coverage and public pressure escalated as national veterans groups joined the outcry.
Late June 2024:
As legislators returned for extended budget negotiations, frustration within both parties grew. Several lawmakers publicly stated they were unaware that the changes had targeted military survivors and felt misled. Legislative momentum for a full repeal of the VMSDEP restrictions increased rapidly.
Early July 2024:
Behind-the-scenes work began on clean-up language to restore the program. Advocates met with key legislators to draft language that would roll back the restrictive policies entirely.
July 18, 2024:
In a final summer session, both the House and Senate passed budget amendments to fully repeal the VMSDEP restrictions introduced in HB/SB 6001. The original program—covering full undergraduate and graduate tuition for eligible survivors and dependents—was reinstated in full. Students previously disqualified or excluded were once again eligible.
This repeal was a rare and significant legislative reversal, made possible by determined families, engaged citizens, and bipartisan support from legislators who listened to their constituents.