SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

2017 SESSION

17104984D
HOUSE BILL NO. 2041
AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE
(Proposed by the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions
on February 2, 2017)
(Patron Prior to Substitute--Delegate Murphy)
A BILL to direct the Virginia Community College System to establish the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Scholarship Pilot Program.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. That the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) shall establish a three-year pilot program, to be referred to as the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Scholarship Pilot Program (the Program), beginning in 2017 for the purpose of providing access to postsecondary educational opportunities to students living in poverty. The Program shall provide to selected students who meet the TANF eligibility requirements scholarships to select community colleges in the Virginia Community College System. Program funds shall be used to make payments for the costs of tuition and books in advance of a student's enrollment in a participating community college.

§ 2. The Program shall be funded with federal TANF block grant funds appropriated for this purpose. Such funds shall be used to provide to 200 students participating in the program a maximum of $4,000 each per year. Such funds shall be paid to VCCS for disbursement to participating community colleges.

§ 3. The Program shall be implemented at two or more community colleges, at least one of which shall be located in an urban area and at least one of which shall be located in a rural area. Community colleges participating or applying to participate in the Program shall submit information outlining educational and vocational programs offered at the applying or participating community college that have been shown, through surveys or other assessments, to lead to self-sufficiency for enrolled students, including programs in which students receive a degree or qualifications necessary to obtain licensure or certification in a specific field of employment.

§ 4. VCCS and the Virginia Department of Social Services (the Department) shall enter into a memorandum of understanding establishing the parameters of the Program and the method for selecting students to participate in the Program. VCCS shall monitor, record, and analyze the outcomes of all students participating in the Program.

§ 5. VCCS shall report to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than December 1 of each year of the Program. Such report shall include (i) the number of students who were eligible to participate in the Program, (ii) the number of students selected to participate in the Program, (iii) the criteria for selection and other nonidentifying statistical information about students selected to participate in the Program, (iv) student outcome analysis and evaluation, (v) methods used to assess student outcomes, (vi) information regarding the community colleges selected to participate in the Program and the areas in which such community colleges are located, (vii) actual expenditures for the Program, and (viii) any other information deemed necessary by VCCS to evaluate the effectiveness of the Program.