Virginia STEP Grant Program; established.

Changed the program purpose from awarding grants on a competitive basis to facilitating opportunities for students and entities to participate in the program.

Removed the requirement that the Department give priority to students from middle-income or low-income families when awarding grants.

Changed the bill title from 'Substitute' to 'Appropriations Substitute' and updated the committee attribution from Education to Appropriations.

Changed the bill number from 25104896D to 25105979D.

Changed from a general program to a grant program that requires appropriated funds and competitive award process

Added priority consideration for students from middle-income or low-income families when awarding grants

Added requirement for the Department to establish application and award criteria and timelines

Changed program title from 'STEP UP Program' to 'STEP UP Grant Program' to reflect funding mechanism

Removed the creation of a special nonreverting fund in the state treasury and eliminated provisions for fund management by the Comptroller and State Treasurer.

Changed the section title from 'Grant Fund and Program established' to 'Program established', indicating the focus shifted from fund creation to program administration.

Removed priority language for students from middle-income or low-income families and changed the Department's role from awarding grants to facilitating opportunities.

Added explicit mention of facilitating participation by qualifying students and entities in the program rules and procedures.

Formatting and layout changes occurred between the introduced and enrolled versions, including page numbering, header changes, and spacing adjustments typical of final legislative documents.