Role of State Approving Agencies History, Functions and Future

Role of State Approving Agencies History, Functions and Future Dr Joseph Wescott II, President, NASAA National Association of State Approving Agencies GI Bill History Congress passes the GI Bill in June of 1944 President Roosevelt signing the G.I Bill of Rights, June 22, 1944 National Association of State Approving Agencies History of the GI Bill “One of the finest education benefits ever devised” 1776 Continental Congress approves measure to provide pensions to disabled soldiers 1943 Harry Colmery (WWI vet) writes 1st draft of new veterans education program on hotel stationery at Mayflower Hotel in Washington D.C Jan 1944 GI Bill of Rights introduced in Congress Jun 1944 FDR signs GI Bill of Rights into law 1947 Veterans account for 49% of all college students 1952 Veterans Adjustment Act extends many benefits of original GI Bill to Korean War vets 1953 Original GI Bill ends; 7.8 million WWII veterans had participated in the program GI Bill History A view of the Quonset huts used for temporary classrooms during the boom in the student population after World War II This photo was taken in February 1948 Photographs courtesy of Special Collections, NCSU Libraries National Association of State Approving Agencies GI Bill History Unexpected consequences… o 7.8 million veterans use GI Bill o 2.23 million attend college o 3.48 million attend trade/business & high schools o 1.4 million on-job training o 690,000 on-farm training National Association of State Approving Agencies GI Bill History Return on Investment… o o o o o o o o 2.6 million skilled trades people 1.375 million business people 451,000 engineers 238,240 teachers 175,000 scientists 66,000 doctors 22,000 dentists 12,000 nurses National Association of State Approving Agencies GI Bill History GI Bill Beneficiaries… o Presidents, including Gerald Ford and George H W Bush o Senators: Bob Dole, George McGovern, Pat Moynihan o Supreme Court Chief Justice: William Rehnquist o Congressman: Charles Rangel o At least 14 Nobel Prize winners o Two dozen Pulitzer Prize winners, such as Frank McCourt   o Hollywood stars: Bill Cosby, Steve McQueen, Clint Eastwood National Association of State Approving Agencies GI Bill History Sen “Sonny” Montgomery Maj Gen, US Army (ret) 1966 LBJ signs Veterans Readjustment Benefits Act—extended benefits to veterans serving during times of war and peace 1973 Military draft ends, all volunteer force begins 1976 VRBA ends—6.8 million Vietnam-era veterans had used their benefits 1985 Congress introduces revamped GI Bill, the “Montgomery GI Bill” National Association of State Approving Agencies GI Bill History Other organizations also played key roles in the success of the GI Bill(s) 1930 Congress authorizes formation of the Veterans Administration—it consolidated numerous organizations supporting vets 1945 American Legion distributed 2.7 million copies of “Gateway to Opportunity”—explained VA benefits 1945 Congress recognizes responsibility of States to determine education of its citizens Late State Approving Agencies (SAAs) created; 1940’s overseen by the Governor, but funded by the VA National Association of State Approving Agencies SAA History o Provided information on state approved programs to the VA o By late 1940s and early 1950s, the SAAs were operating under specifically mandated federal standards, the Code of Federal Regulations, and providing approval and oversight activities Role went from simple advisory to oversight o Became the primary source of assuring institutional accountability with specialized authorization to: o Approve & disapprove o Monitor education and training programs for veterans o Began to assist states and the VA with exposing fraudulent and criminal activity involving the payment of veterans’ benefits National Association of State Approving Agencies NASAA Changing Laws, Changing Roles o o o o o The Post 9/11 GI Bill Public Law 111-377 President’s Executive Order 13607 Public Law 112-249 Latest Developments… National Association of State Approving Agencies Post 9/11 GI Bill o Became effective on August 1, 2009 o A complex program! o o o o Many levels of eligibility Confusing concurrent eligibility New benefits similar to original WWII GI Bill Difficult to understand and administer o SAAs took on new “consultant/trainer” role National Association of State Approving Agencies Public Law 111-377 o Became effective October 1, 2011 o Many positives o More programs now covered by Post 9/11 GI Bill o More potential beneficiaries o A “Game-Changer” for SAAs o Changed State/Federal approval authorities o SAAs acquired new role of assisting VA with Compliance Surveys National Association of State Approving Agencies Public Law 111-377 o Changed States’ authority to approve programs o Accredited, non-profit degree programs “deemed” approved without continuing State review o States no longer processed approvals for public and nonprofit private institutions o SAAs retained jurisdiction over for-profit schools and NonCollege Degree (NCD) programs at all schools National Association of State Approving Agencies Public Law 111-377 o Changed States’ role in Compliance Survey process o Compliance Surveys were primarily an audit of federal entitlement program; focus shifted from academic programs (old “supervisory visits “) to more emphasis on finances (Note: Compliance surveys redesigned with NASAA’s help) o Schools with deemed approved programs provided approval/change notifications to ELR with courtesy copy of catalog/forms to NC SAA National Association of State Approving Agencies President’s Executive Order 13607 o Signed by President Obama on April 27, 2012 o Principles of Excellence for Educational Institutions Serving Service Members, Veterans, Spouses, and Other Family Members o Ensure that educational institutions assist prospective students in making right choices about how to use their Federal educational benefits o Prevent abusive and deceptive recruiting practices that target the recipients of Federal military and veterans educational benefits o Ensure that educational institutions provide high quality academic and student support services to active-duty service members, reservists, members of the National Guard, veterans, and military families Public Law 112-249 Improving Transparency of Education Opportunities for Veterans Public Law 112-249, signed on January 10, 2013, mandates, among other things oA centralized mechanism for tracking/publishing feedback from students and SAA regarding quality of instruction, recruiting practices, and post-graduation employment placement of institutions of higher education oSAA’s will share with accrediting agencies or associations information regarding the SAA’s evaluation of an IHL National Association of State Approving Agencies Approval Changes Big Change Last Year o Effective October 1, 2013, VA no longer accepted modification form—all requirements for approval go to state approving agency (SAA) o All institutions submit an approval package to the SAA o All approval related concerns and questions come to the SAA National Association of State Approving Agencies Passed In State Residency for Veterans o H.R.357 – GI Bill Tuition Fairness Act of 2014 o S.1982 – Comprehensive Veterans Health and Benefits and Military Retirement Pay Restoration Act of 2014 o S.2450 (H.R.4841) – Veterans’ Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014 National Association of State Approving Agencies New Law… S.2450 (H.R.4841) – Veterans’ Access, Choice and Accountability Act 2014 o Approval of courses of education provided by public institutions of higher learning for purposes of AllVolunteer Force Educational Assistance Program and Post-9/11 Educational Assistance conditional on inState tuition rate for veterans (Sec 702.) o Expansion of Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (Sec 701.) o Congress passed and President signed – PL 113-146 o Implementation ongoing Passed… H.R.4841 – Veterans’ Access, Choice and Accountability Act 2014 (Cont.) o Requirements for GI Bill recipients to receive instate tuition rate:  (A) A veteran who was discharged or released from a period of not fewer than 90 days of service in the active military, naval, or air service less than three years before the date of enrollment in the course concerned  (B) An individual who is entitled to assistance under section 3311(b)(9) or 3319 of title 38, United States Codes, by virtue of such individual's relationship to a veteran described in the above subparagraph (A) The latest… The Future… o Our continued partnership with SOC, VA and VSO’s o Compliance Survey Redesign Working Group (CSRWG) sunset 2014 after real achievements o Joint Advisory Committee (JAC) begins work this January 2015 o Congress revisits the Role of the SAAs in hearings and with a new law to clarify and strengthen role of the states National Association of State Approving Agencies Progress through Partnerships • NASAA, VA, and our other partners continue to work with Congress to inform the process o Assist Members’ and Committees’ staffs with technical advice and information o Suggest combined proposals, bills • And we look forward to a continued partnership with you and further joint accomplishments next year! Pending Legislation HR 456 – Reducing Barriers for Veterans Education Act of 2015 oAllows CH33 to be used for application fees at IHLs HR 475 – GI Bill Processing Improvement Act of 2015 oPotential extension of deadline for implementing Section 702 HR 476 – The GI Bill Education Quality Enhancement Act of 2015 oClarification and codification of approval authority oCapping tuition and fees for flight programs oChanging requirements for Compliance Surveys Thank you, and any questions? National Association of State Approving Agencies