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The VGAP is a need- and merit-based undergraduate grant program with average yearly awards in '07-'08 of $3,671 for a community college student and $3,848 for a four-year college student. The new law addresses how homeschool graduates (including religiously exempt students) will meet the eligibility requirements for VGAP, particularly for grade point average or class rank. The law requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) to develop "empirical alternative equivalent measures" for homeschoolers who apply for state financial aid programs.

History of the Bill
During the 2009 legislative session, Senator Ken Cuccinelli (R-Fairfax), a homeschool dad himself, submitted an emergency bill, SB 1547, which quickly passed the Senate Education Committee without opposition. HEAV, VaHomeschoolers, and HSLDA worked together with Senator Cuccinelli and the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) to include additional clarifying language. The new version of SB 1547 passed both the House and Senate and was sent to the governor for his signature in February.

Governor Kaine sent the bill back to the lawmakers with an amendment. The change did not cause additional harm to homeschoolers, but it did not provide a solution to other opportunities that could hinder college students with homeschool diplomas. At the reconvened session in April, the Senate accepted the governor's amendment, but House members, concerned about protecting the rights of homeschoolers, refused to accept the change and sent the bill back to the governor.

The governor then had 30 days to veto the bill, let it lie on his desk and become law, or sign it. During this 30-day window, HEAV contacted the office of the superintendent of public instruction and Governor Kaine's director of educational policy. HEAV encouraged the governor to sign the bill on behalf of all the groups involved. HEAV assured the governor's representatives that we would work with SCHEV to address the governor's concerns.

A NOTE FROM YVONNE
On behalf of HEAV and Virginia homeschoolers, I would like to thank Governor Kaine for signing this important financial aid legislation that could potentially benefit thousands of future homeschool graduates. The law goes into effect July 1, 2009. I will let you know about the eligibility requirements for qualified homeschoolers as soon as HEAV, VaHomeschoolers, and HSLDA work out the details with SCHEV.