An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 22.1-206.4, relating to school boards; high school students; establishment of goals for completion of certain applications for student financial aid required.
HB1095 adds a new section to the Code of Virginia requiring each local school board to provide annual guidance and informational materials to high school students and their parents about student financial aid applications, including the FAFSA and related federal and state aid programs. The bill is aimed at increasing awareness of financial aid opportunities, deadlines, eligibility rules, and application processes for students in their final year before graduation.
The measure also requires school boards to use federally available data to set five-year goals for increasing the completion of financial aid applications, to post related data publicly on their websites, and to report progress to the Department of Education. The Department of Education, working with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, must supply school boards with data links, guidance materials, and resources, including information about alternatives such as the Virginia Alternative Student Aid application. The law is temporary and expires July 1, 2031.
The bill creates a new statewide reporting and outreach framework for public high schools and school boards regarding student financial aid applications. It does not mandate universal FAFSA completion, but it does require goal-setting, public posting of application-rate data, and annual progress reporting, while also limiting disclosure of personally identifiable information. It affects school boards, the Department of Education, SCHEV, students, and parents, and it reinforces existing state efforts to improve access to college financial aid.
The available record shows no committee transcript or recorded votes, so there is no direct evidence of debate or opposition in the provided materials. Based on the bill’s enactment, the overall sentiment appears favorable and policy-oriented, with the legislature supporting efforts to increase student access to financial aid information and improve application completion rates.
The main built-in point of contention is the balance between encouraging higher FAFSA completion and avoiding a mandate for universal completion. The bill expressly states that school boards are not required to set a goal that every student complete a financial aid application before graduation, and it also prohibits disclosure of personally identifiable information outside the local school division. Those provisions suggest sensitivity to privacy concerns and to any perception that the state is imposing a hard requirement on students or families.