Education Service. benefits.va.gov/gibill

Transcription

1 Education Service This presentation was provided to the International Education Council in June, 2015, and should not be considered a comprehensive overview of education benefits. More information about VA education benefits programs may be found at

2 Mr. Barrett Y. Bogue Team Leader, GI Bill Public Relations U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

3 Agenda Mission Trainees and Dollars Claims Processing Resources for Veterans Program Approval Distance Learning/Hybrid Courses Electronic Funds Transfer Certifying Official Responsibilities VA Form (Enrollment Certification) VA Form b (Notice of Change in Student Status) Questions

4 Office of Economic Opportunity Helping Veterans Attain Personal and Economic Success Strategic Goal #1: Promote employment opportunities for Veterans Strategic Goal #2: Enhance opportunities for Veterans to obtain knowledge and skills Strategic Goal #3: Provide opportunities for Veterans to obtain, retain and adapt a home Strategic Goal #4: Enable effective transition for Servicemembers

5 Mission and Stakeholders Mission Statement To provide ready access to and timely and accurate delivery of education benefits to Servicemembers, Veterans and their families Stakeholders Stakeholders and clients of the programs administered by Education Service include Veterans, Servicemembers, reservists, dependents of certain Veterans, educational institutions, training establishments, State Approving Agencies (SAA), Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs), and other Federal and private sector partners

6 FY 2011 FY 2014 Trainees/Dollars Paid Benefit Education Programs FY 11 Trainees Dollars Paid FY 12 Trainees Dollars Paid FY 13 Trainees Dollars Paid FY 14 Trainees Dollars Paid Chapter 30 Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB)-AD 185,220 / $1.4B 118,549 / $932M 99,755 / $775M 77,389 / $512M Chapter 32 Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP) 112 / $1.3M 76 / $682K 29 / $496K 8 / $359K *Chapter 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill 555,329 / $7.7B 646,302 / $8.5B 754,229 / $10.2B 790,408 / $10.8B Chapter 35 Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance Program (DEA) 90,657 / $463M 87,707 / $455M 89,160 / $483M 90,789 / $514M Chapter 1606 Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) 65,216 / $201M 60,393 / $157M 62,656 / $156M 63,745/ $150M Chapter 1607 Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) 27,302 / $95M 19,774 / $77M 17, 297 / $70M 13,784/ $56M Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) N/A 12,251 / $6.1M 67,918 / $428M 52,288 / $413M Note: Dollars may not add due to rounding Total 923,836 / $9.8B 945,052 / $10.1B 1,091,044 / $12.1B 1,088,411 / $12.4B As of May 13 th, 2015, VA issued $51.7 billion in Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit payments to 1,389,917 individuals since program inception (August 2009)

7 Foreign Trainees/Dollars Paid 10,140 = Post-9/11 GI Bill students who attended a foreign institution from FY14 to FY15. $97M = Dollars paid under the Post-9/11 GI Bill to schools and students attending a foreign institution in FY14 FY15.

8 Claims Processing Highlights Claims Inventory FY13 FY14 FY15 Claims Processed (All Benefit Types) Original Claims Timeliness (Average Days to Complete) Supplemental Claims Timeliness (Average Days to Complete) 4.5M 4.3M 2.2M Payment Accuracy 98.7% 98.7% 99.3% Claims Processed Original Supplemental Feb , ,939 Mar , ,414 Processing Targets for FY 2015 Process 4.5 million claims Continue to improve average days to complete original and supplemental claims Maintain 98% (or better) payment processing accuracy

9 Assisting Veterans in Making Informed Decisions The GI Bill website has free resources to assist Veterans and beneficiaries in making informed decisions when choosing a school to use their hard-earned GI Bill benefits. These are: Career Scope Online Choosing the Right School GI Bill Comparison Tool GI Bill Feedback System

10 CareerScope Online On August 2013 VA launched CareerScope Online, an assessment of interest and aptitude at no cost to all eligible benefit recipients As of May 6, 2015, 13,167 eligible benefit recipients used the tool, 11,410 successfully completed the assessment

11 GI Bill Comparison Tool Launched on February 4, 2014, in response to Executive Order to implement and promote Principles of Excellence. Two more releases launched in As of May 12, 2015, the Tool has had over 1 million page views and 942k unique visitors have accessed the Tool. Functionalities Streamlines information into an easy-to-use online tool Combines resources from more than 17 different web pages and three Federal Agencies Provides information to calculate benefits and research approved programs Compares multiple schools Displays school level complaint data from the Feedback System Future Releases Enhance print functionality School Certifying Official Contact Information Detailed Accreditation Information Major/Program Type Credit Transfer Policies In-State Tuition Policies Veteran Outcome Measures Feedback Rating

12 GI Bill Comparison Tool Feedback and Choosing a School Guide We welcome feedback on the Comparison Tool and encourages all visitors to submit feedback by clicking on the Feedback link located at the bottom of the tool s page. Just send us an at [email protected] with Comparison Tool in the subject line. Choosing A School A free guide for prospective students to read before they apply for the GI Bill and are searching for a school. hool.pdf

13 GI Bill Feedback System On January 30, 2014, VA launched the Feedback System to intake student complaints concerning non-compliant POE schools at Total POE complaints received as of May 12, 2015: 1,954 (66%) Pending: 17 (<1%) Active: 484 (25%) Completed: 1137 (74%) Non-POE received as of May 13, 2015: 1013 (34%) 63 Risk-Based Reviews conducted as of May 12, withdrawals

14 GI Bill Feedback System Complaints by Issue Post Graduation Job Opportunities 2% Release of Transcripts 3% Transfer of Credits 3% Student Loans 4% Change of Program 4% Grade Policy 4% Accreditation 5% Recruiting/Marketing Practices 6% Refund Issues 8% Quality of Education 11% Other 23% Financial Issues (Tuition/Fee) 27% Monthly Trend by Issue Apr-15 Mar-15 Feb-15 Jan-15 Dec-14 Nov-14 Oct-14 Complaints by Issue Post-Graduation Job Opportunities 99 Release of Transcripts 131 Transfer of Credits 164 Student Loans 153 Change of Program 185 Grade Policy 193 Accreditation 217 Recruiting/Marketing Practices 281 Refund Issues 353 Quality of Education 513 Other 735 Financial Issues (e.g. Tuition/Fee Charges)

15 Mr. Jerome Golombek Education Liaison Representative U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

16 Program Approval Program must be comparable to a Degree in the United States Comparability Guidelines: Graduate or Undergraduate Length of Program General Education Courses

17 Reporting Requirements Question: Will the institution give appropriate credit for previous education and training of VA students, shorten the training period proportionately, and reflect the credit granted on the enrollment certifications? Answer: Must be answered Yes. Program Approval The school must agree to evaluate any prior training and award credit for any course that may be considered as equivalent to a course in the current program curriculum. The school doesn t have to grant prior credit, however, the school must agree to evaluate any prior training.

18 Reporting Requirements Question: Will the institution, if and when requested by VA, make all appropriate records pertaining to the enrollment of VA students available for examination by VA or its representatives? Answer: Must be answered Yes. Program Approval If your country has a privacy policy that prevents the school from providing this information without the student s permission, have the student sign a waiver granting permission before submitting the program approval request.

19 Accreditation Distance learning is only approved for a course at a school located outside the United States if the course is accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education. Link: Distance Learning html#nationallyrecognized

20 Electronic Fund Transfers (EFT) Post 9/11 GI Bill The Post 9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) sends a tuition and fee payment directly to the school on behalf of a Veteran or beneficiary. The payment may be in the form of a paper check or electronic fund transfer. Other VA Benefit Programs All other benefit programs Education Service administers sends a monthly stipend to the Veteran or beneficiary and it their responsibility to pay the tuition and fees to the school.

21 Electronic Fund Transfers (EFT) Eligibility School must have an account with a U.S. Financial Institution and have a Tax Identification Number (TIN) or Employer Identification Number (EIN)

22 Electronic Fund Transfers (EFT) If school has an account with a U.S. Financial Institution, send on school letterhead the following information: Name of School Address of School U.S. Tax ID number Facility Code Name of Financial Institution Address of Financial Institution 9 Digit Routing Number Account Number Type of Account (Checking or Savings)

23 Electronic Fund Transfers (EFT) Eligibility If Foreign School does not have an account with a U.S. Financial Institution, tuition and fee payments will be sent by Paper Check.

24 Certifying Official Responsibilities Submit a VA Form for each trainee Maintain Records supporting the enrollment Maintain Records for 3 years after the student is no longer enrolled Make Records available for a Compliance Survey Submit a VA Form b for any changes during an enrollment period

25 VA Form Itemize Term Dates (Month/Day/Year) format Itemize Credit Hours Convert into Credit Hours Classroom Hours/Week = Credit Hours Indicate How many Credit Hours is Full-Time for the enrollment period Report Tuition and Fees in your country s form of currency Indicate the Tuition and Fees is in your country s form of currency in the Remarks field

26 Fees VA Form Fees are mandatory charges (other than tuition, room and board) applied by the school for pursuit of an approved program of education. Fees are defined in the school s catalog or supplement and listed on the school s billing statement or invoice.

27 VA Form b Report Any Changes in an Enrollment Reductions/Increases/Withdrawals Unsatisfactory Progress Graduation

28 Send any VA Form or b to the VA s Claims Processing Team as follows: Fax: or Where to Send Forms Mail: Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office PO Box 4616 Buffalo, NY 14240

29 Helpful Links *School Official's Handbook *VA-ONCE quick reference user guide *Online school official training *Education benefit presentations mation_for_schools.asp * Foreign Program Approval Information *GI Bill Comparison Tool *GI Bill Feedback System

30 Helpful Links *Trademark Terms of Use *Submit a Question/Internet Inquiry System *See School Certifying Officials Handbook (pg 14) for details

31 Please send any approval/certification questions to your ELR at: Certification Questions can be made to: *Available 8:00am 5:00pm (Eastern Standard Time) *This resource is for School Certifying Officials only Veteran inquiries can be made to: Contact Information FACEBOOK:

32 Questions?