North Carolina State Approving Agency

1. North Carolina State Approving Agency Dr. Joseph Wescott II, Executive Director, NC SAA

2. NC SAA Staff • Joseph Wescott II, Executive Director • Program Specialists • Elizabeth Kelly • Jay Fitzgerald • Meghan-Joy Woodall • John Pritchett • Kathy Nicholson, Program Assistant • NCSU Interns: Jon Charest & Annie Lu

3. NC SAA Staff Program Specialists’ Assignments* • All: Public and Private Universities, Community Colleges • Elizabeth Kelly: On-Military-Base, Truck, Beauty, Barber • Jay Fitzgerald: Religious Exempt Institutions & Nursing • Meghan-Joy Woodall: Trade, Business, Hospitals, Massage • Joseph Wescott: Flight, High Schools, L&C, new applications * Note: Some assignment overlap occurs based on workload

4. The Players • The “Triad” • VA • SAA • Institution/SCO • Other players • DoE • DoL • FAA • Accrediting agencies • State L&C agencies Mutual trust, Mutual dependence!

5. Our VA Partners • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) • Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA) • Veterans Affairs Central Office (VACO) • VA Regional Processing Office (RPO) – Atlanta • Education Liaison Representative (ELR) Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki Undersecretary for Benefits Allison A. Hickey

6. SAA & VACO • Veterans Affairs Central Office (VACO) • Atlanta • Buffalo • St. Louis • Muskogee • Services provided • Guidance • Instruction • Coordinates claims processing

7. Education Liaison Rep (ELR) • State Approving Agency (SAA) • Regional Processing Office (RPO) • VA Central Office (VACO) • VA • School Certifying Official (SCO) It Takes A Team! • SAA & VACO collaborate to help you • Interpret laws and regulations • Maintain integrity of programs • Train the SCOs • Encourage greater use of VA benefits • Help your school better serve veterans!

8. History • FDR signs GI Bill of Rights • Congress recognizes responsibility of States to determine education of its citizens Late State Approving Agencies created; 1940’s overseen by Governor, but funded by the VA Today A cooperative and successful combined federal-state program!

9. NC SAA Mission & Responsibility • To ensure quality instruction, appropriate administration, and fair and equitable practices for every veteran (and eligible person) who enters a NC SAA-approved educational program. • We do this by: • Validating and approving educational courses and programs to be pursued by veterans and eligible persons • Overseeing North Carolina’s educational institutions, and ensuring compliance with federal and state guidelines • Ensuring the interests and prerogatives of the State are preserved in both processes

10. NC SAA A New Era of Student Veterans • The DVA estimates that the number of post 9/11 veterans will double over the next 20 years from 2.1 million to 4.1 million. • More than 200,000 service members are expected to transition from active duty service each year for the next five years. • In the 2011-12 academic year veteran students averaged a 2.98 GPA and had a 90.5% success rate in earning college credits.

11. NC SAA A New Era of Student Veterans Student Veterans of America’s Million Records Project • Track the academic outcomes of more than 1 million student veterans. • Correlate on-campus services to high graduation rates. • Implement on-campus best practices at 950+ SVA chapters across the US with the goal of increasing veteran degree attainment.

12. NC SAA VA & NASAA Initiatives • National VA Online Complaint System • The centralized online reporting system • Report negative experiences with educational institutions • Identify and address unfair, deceptive, and misleading practices • Ensure high quality academic and student support services • VA Online Comparison Tool • Easier to calculate Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits and learn more about VA’s approved colleges, universities and other education and training programs across the country.

13. NC SAA Our Partnership with You Approvals • Evaluate educational programs for approval • Provide written evaluations and approvals to VA and the schools Inspections and Compliance Survey Visits • Visit and inspect each active educational institution • Confirm compliance for approved courses and programs Technical Assistance • Respond to institutional and veteran requests for information and assistance • Provide written reports to DVA, as requested • Maintain records and files for the State of North Carolina

14. NC SAA The Approval This is THE document that actually conveys State / DVA approval for educational programs to be considered for payment under the GI Bill. Your Approval contains… • General information about your school • Programs and hours that are approved (or EXCLUDED…) • Calendars, tuition and fees • Unique programs or policies (Remedial / Branches, others…) • Requirements specific to your institution

15. Remember: Every approval is different! It is specific to your school or institution, and is based upon your catalog and applicable state and federal law. You should read/review your approval annually. Many of your questions are answered here. Keep it handy! NC SAA The Approval

16. The Approval

17. The Approval

18. The Approval

19. The Addendum… A unique NC SAA Form that contains… The General Information section from the Approval, AND A specific change to the Approval Corrects or changes some portion of an Approval Examples: Changes to the academic calendar date (after published) Change of policy in Requirements section Delete a program or change the hours approved for a program NC SAA The Approval

20. The Addendum… Addenda are mailed or emailed to you, with instructions Supersedes the original information in the Approval Print a copy of the Addendum and add it to the Approval Comply with the Addendum changes NC SAA The Approval

22. Prior Credit High School Transcripts The DVA Form 22-8794 Continuing Education NC SAA Important Special Interest Items

23. Prior Credit Must be evaluated and recorded (by law…) prior to enrollment OR within 2-terms. This means you must have official transcripts of all previous training on file. Must have proof of prior credit evaluation in the student file. NC SAA Important Special Interest Items

24. High School Transcripts: Are they required? Depends on your school and on your Approval… If HS transcripts document “part” of admission process, YES! Schools that teach degree / IHL programs generally require HS transcripts for new (freshmen) admissions Private and Proprietary schools are “generally” required to meet State standards NCD / Diploma / Certificate programs generally require “proof of high school completion” OR “ability to benefit”… NC SAA Important Special Interest Items

25. NC SAA Important Special Interest Items VA Form 22-8794 “Designation of Certifying Officials” • When there are changes, submit a new form to DVA and a copy of same to NC SAA. • Be sure to include full contact information for each certifying official • Name, phone and fax number and email address for each certifying official in the appropriate box. • The Approving Official must sign box 7.

26. Important Special Interest Items Continuing Education Courses • Generally these courses are not approved. • All courses must lead to a vocational objective, i.e. a job. • Few exceptions: state licensed, state mandates, etc. • Contract courses: • Both the contractor and host institution must be approved. • Questions of academic quality control, awarding of credit, certification and records management.

27. NC SAA Compliance Survey Process • NC SAA schedules visits with the institution • NC SAA Program Specialist conducts on-site visit reviewing: • Process Management (prior credit, reporting attendance, etc.) • Records Management (required documentation is present) • Visit reports maintained at NC SAA with copy sent to DVA • Inspection discrepancies (if any) require resolution with documentation of corrective action to NC SAA (approval issues) or referral to VA (payment issues).

28. Record Keeping Requirements

29. NC SAA Responsibilities include: • 262 separate institutions of learning, plus 41 branch locations Our Service to You: • Conducted 103 Compliance Survey visits • Processed 25 requests for new approval, resulting in 21 new institutions • Reviewed and completed 101 applications for program re-approval (new catalogs) • Evaluated and approved over 1,200 individual programs

30. NC SAA Changing Laws, Changing Roles • The Post 9/11 GI Bill • Public Law 111-377 • President’s Executive Order 13607 • Public Law 112-249 • The latest…

31. Post 9/11 GI Bill • Became effective on August 1, 2009 • A complex program! • Many levels of eligibility • Confusing concurrent eligibility • New benefits similar to original WW II GI Bill • Difficult to understand and administer • SAAs took on new “consultant/trainer” role

32. Public Law 111-377 • Became effective October 1, 2011 • Many positives • More programs now covered by Post 9/11 GI Bill • More potential beneficiaries • A “Game-Changer” for SAAs • Changed State/Federal approval authorities • SAAs acquired new role of assisting VA with Compliance Surveys

33. Public Law 111-377 • Changed States’ authority to approve programs • Accredited, non-profit degree programs “deemed” approved without continuing State review • States no longer process approvals for public and non-profit private institutions • Approval AND disapproval authority given to U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs • SAAs retained jurisdiction over for-profit schools, and Non-College Degree (NCD) programs at all schools

34. Public Law 111-377 • Changed States’ role in Compliance Survey process • Former “Supervisory Visits” were more focused on SCO training and process improvement • Compliance Survey primarily an audit of federal entitlement program; focus shifted from academic programs to more emphasis on finances • Schools with deemed approved programs provided approval/change notifications to ELR with courtesy copy of catalog/forms to NC SAA

35. Public Law 112-249 Improving Transparency of Education Opportunities for Veterans Public Law 112-249, signed on January 10, 2013, mandates, among other things... • A 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. • SAA’s will share with accrediting agencies or associations information regarding the SAA’s evaluation of an IHL.

36. The latest… Big Change Last Year • Effective October 1, 2013, VA will no longer accept modification form--all requirements for approval will go to NC SAA. • All NC institutions must submit an approval package to the NC SAA. • All approval related concerns and questions must come to the NC SAA.

40. Pending… H. 357 – GI Bill Tuition Fairness Act of 2014 • Enable GI Bill recipients to receive in-state tuition at any public college or university in the country. • Reauthorizes the VA’s work study program. • 2 month extension of VRAP • House passed Feb 3, 2014 • Pending in Senate

41. The latest… The Future… • Our continued partnership with VA and VSO’s • Compliance Survey Redesign Working Group (CSRWG) • Joint Policy Advisory Committee (JPAC) • Joint Commission on Independent Study • Remedial Training

42. Pending… S. 1982 – Comprehensive Veterans Health and Benefits and Military Retirement Pay Restoration Act of 2014 • Require public institutions to charge the in-state tuition rate for Post-9/11 GI Bill and MGIB beneficiaries. • Reauthorizes the VA’s work study program. • Decrease the amount of reporting fees paid by the VA to educational and training institutions. • Recently sent back to committee

43. The latest… Remedial Training • Computer based remedial content may be certified it meets the following conditions: • It is delivered in a classroom on campus (set time and place). • Attendance is taken. • An instructor is present at all times to facilitate and answer questions. • Coursework is organized in such a fashion that students are working on the same material during the class period. • Remember remedial courses may not be certified if they are offered as independent study, distance learning, or hybrid course delivery.

44. NC SAA Our Principles • SAAs, as state agencies, believe states should approve schools and programs • Accreditation, while a good tool, is not the ONLY tool for approving programs • ALL schools need both consistent oversight and constructive technical assistance • TOGETHER we serve those who served us!

45. NASAA National Association of State Approving Agencies “We are not mere clerks or bureaucrats. We are not just state employees drawing a federally funded check. We are educators. We are the engineers of excellence and the gatekeepers of quality. We will not fail in our commitment to safeguard the public trust, to protect the GI Bill and to defend the future of those who have so nobly defended us.”

46. Thank you, and any questions?