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June 2013

Not “Deemed Approved”. Cinda Quattrini, Education Liaison Representative. June 2013. Facility Codes. The facility code is an eight character code assigned by the VA to each school, training institution, National Exam or approved license/certification with programs approved for VA benefits.

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June 2013

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  1. Not “Deemed Approved” Cinda Quattrini, Education Liaison Representative June 2013

  2. Facility Codes • The facility code is an eight character code assigned by the VA to each school, training institution, National Exam or approved license/certification with programs approved for VA benefits. • The ELR assigns the facility code to differentiate approved facilities from one another, based on the facility’s individual characteristics. • Each facility code has 4 parts: profit status, type training, name, and location. • Know your facility code! It determines the type of program approval you must pursue for your school and the payment method for tuition and fees.

  3. Facility Codes The numerical code is assigned by the VA to an institution in part, to identify its profit status. This is done with the 1st digit. • First Digit: • 1 = Public • 2 = Private for Profit • 3 = Private; Non-Profit • Facility code determines the type of program approval you must pursue for your school.

  4. Facility Codes The facility code determines how Ch33 tuition and fees payments are made to your institution. • First Digit: 1 = Public – Tuition & Fees payments not capped 2 = Private for Profit – Annual Cap applies 3 = Private Non-Profit – Annual Cap applies • Facility code determines the type of program approval you must pursue for your school. Note: All payments prorated for eligibility tiers

  5. Facility Codes The facility code also identifies the type of training offered at the school. This is done with the 2st digit. • Second Digit: 1 = University, College, Professional, or Technological 2 = Hospital 3 = Teacher’s College 4 = Junior (Community) College 5-9 = Technical NCD, Business NCD, Vocational NCD, etc. 0 = OJT or Apprenticeship Establishment • The second digit also plays a role in the type of program approval you must pursue for your school, as well if VRAP benefits are payable at your school.

  6. Non-Deemed Approved • Non Deemed-Approved Facilities • Existing Approval Process remains in place for all For-Profit schools and all Stand-alone NCD institutions • Requests for approvals or changes must be submitted to SAA for approval • SAA approves programs; notifies school and ELR of approval • ELR then accepts approvals for VA • SAA also approves all new facilities, including Public and Non-Profit Private Deemed Approved schools

  7. What Is “Deemed Approved”? Section 203 of Public Law 111-377, effective August 1, 2011, deemed certain programs of education to be approved for the purposes of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) educational benefit programs (Title 38, United States Code). It also gives VA the authority to approve and disapprove certain programs of education and the ability to utilize State Approving Agencies (SAAs) for compliance and oversight of schools.

  8. What Is “Deemed Approved”? • The following programs are deemed to be approved effective August 1, 2011, subject to sections 3675 (b)(1) and (b)(2), 3680A, 3684, and 3696 of Title 38, United States Code: • Accredited standard college degree programs and non-college degree programs offered at an accredited public or accredited not-for-profit proprietary educational institution, that is accredited by an agency or association recognized for that purpose by the Secretary of Education. • A flight training course approved by the Federal Aviation Administration that is offered by a certified pilot school that possesses a valid Federal Aviation Administration pilot school certificate. • An apprenticeship program registered with the Office of Apprenticeship (OA) of the Employment Training Administration of the Department of Labor or a State apprenticeship agency recognized by the Office of Apprenticeship. • A program leading to a secondary school diploma offered by a secondary school approved in the State in which it is operating. • A licensure test offered by a Federal, State, or local government is deemed to be approved for purposes of this chapter.

  9. Approval Comparison Chart

  10. Your SAA • Connecticut Office of Financial & Academic Affairs for Higher EdVeterans Program Approval - School Approval Unit 61 Woodland Street Hartford, CT 06105-2326 Phone: 860-947-1816 • Delaware State Approving Agency 35 Commerce Way Dover, DE 19904 Phone: 302-857-3313

  11. Your SAA • District of Columbia SAA and ELR, Robert Dumas VA Regional Office 1722 I Street NW Washington, DC 20421 Phone: 202-530-9102 • State Approving Agency for Veterans Education Programs University of Maine System 147 Water St., Suite 2 Randolph, ME 04346 Phone: 207-582-2100

  12. Your SAA • Maryland Higher Education Commission 6 N. Liberty Street, 10th Floor Baltimore, MD 21201 Phone: 410-767-3098 • Massachusetts Department of Higher Education 454 Broadway, Suite 200 Revere, MA 02151 Phone: 617-391-6086

  13. Your SAA • New Hampshire Department of Education, Div. of Higher Education, Veterans Education Services 21 South Fruit Street, Suite 20 Concord, NH 03301 Phone: 603-271-8508 • New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs/SAA Eggert Crossing Road PO Box 340 Trenton, NJ 08625-0340 Phone: 609-530-6849

  14. Your SAA • New York Bureau of Veterans Education 2 Empire State Plaza, 17th Floor Albany, NY 12223 Phone: 518-474-7606 • Division of Veterans/Military Education Pennsylvania Department of Education 333 Market Street, 12th Floor Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333 Phone: 717-787-2414

  15. Your SAA • Rhode Island Office of Higher Education The Shepard Building 80 Washington Street, Suite 525 Providence, RI 02903 Phone: 401-456-6000 • Vermont Office of Veterans Affairs Veterans Education and Training Program/SAA 118 State Street, Drawer 20 Montpelier, VT 05602-4401 Phone: 802-828-1082

  16. Your SAA • Virginia Department Veterans Services State Approving Agency 900 East Main Street, 6th Floor, West Wing Richmond, VA 23219 Phone: 804-786-2083 • Foreign Schools SAA and ELR, Gerald Miller VA Regional Processing Office 130 South Elmwood Avenue Buffalo, New York 14202 Phone: 716-857- 3143

  17. WEAMS WEAMS (Web Enabled Approval Management System) • WEAMS is VA’s On-Line Approval Database that provides approval information for all educational establishments. • The Long Term Solution (LTS) interfaces with WEAMS for automated processing • VCEs refer to WEAMS to determine approval criteria prior to processing enrollment certifications • WEAMS is a full internal database with detailed information about each approved training facility and approved programs at each of those sites • Additionally, WEAMS has an external search engine available at www.gibill.va.gov, located in the “Choosing a School” section

  18. WEAMS WEAMS (Web Enabled Approval Management System) • WEAMS is VA’s On-Line Approval database the provide approval information for all educational establishments.

  19. The WEAMS Report • When a new approval or reapproval action is completed by your SAA and accepted by your ELR, the ELR enters the program approval data into WEAMS under your facility code. • A WEAMS Report, also called a 1998 Report, is generated by the ELR and sent to the School Certifying Official(s). • You may only certify programs on student enrollments as they are indicated on the 1998 Report. If you have new programs, or existing programs have changed (including the name of a program), contact your SAA for an updated approval.

  20. WEAMS Report You r

  21. The WEAMS Report • Enter the programs into VA-Once or on the VA Form 22-1999 exactly as they appear on the 1998 Report. The Veterans Claims Examiners (VCEs) reference WEAMS when processing claims, as does the Long Term Solution (LTS) • You may certify up to the maximum number of total hours for a program on the enrollment cert as indicated on the 1998 Report. If a program is approved for 180 clock hours and the student attends 18 clock hours per week, the reported term can be no longer than ten weeks long. • If the student fails to complete the program as initially certified, you can’t merely extend the end date without reducing a period within the originally reported dates or reporting a period of leave of absence.

  22. Course & Objective Codes OBJECTIVE CODES For IHL Schools & programs only Denotes the degree (i.e. bachelors) If your degree is not listed, use N.E.C. code IHL School/program must have both an objective and course code Added on your standard programs page Make sure your Bio screen reflects the correct type of training (IHL vs. NCD) & the program name you enter matches your SAA approval or catalog. COURSE CODES For both IHL & NCD schools & programs Denotes the program (i.e. accounting) If your program is not listed, use the closest N.E.C code NCD school/program will have only a course code. VA Once will populate the Objective code field with the same code as you choose for the course code. Added on your standard programs page The VA Once Flip Book power point on the GI Bill website has been updated with instructions for course/objective codes. See slides 29-41 21

  23. Course & Objective Codes 22

  24. Course & Objective Codes 23

  25. Courses Precluded From Payment • VA Education Benefits are not payable for all types of courses or all types of programs – even at schools that are “deemed approved.” • Payment of VA Education Benefits will always be prohibited for the courses indicated below: • Bartending and Personality Development.  Any bartending or personality development courses (38 CFR 21.4252(a)). • Radio:  Any course(s) given by radio (38 CFR 21.4252(d)). • Private Pilot's Training.  Vocational flight training for a private pilot's certificate.  However, flight training at the private pilot's level may be pursued under all chapters at an IHL (Institution of Higher Learning) for credit toward a standard college degree (38 CFR 21.4252(c)). • Self-Improvement Courses.  Self-improvement courses such as reading, speaking, woodworking, basic seamanship, or English as a second language, which may or may not lead to a certificate in general studies.  Although a certificate is awarded upon completion of a required number of courses or subjects, it does not meet the legal requirements of an educational, professional, or vocational objective.

  26. Courses Precluded From Payment Avocational Courses Any course which is avocational or recreational in character, or for which the advertising contains significant avocational or recreational themes (38 CFR 21.4252(b)).         (1)  The following courses are presumed to be avocational or recreational in character and require evidence establishing that the course will be of bona fide use in the pursuit of the business or occupation:         (a)  Any photography or entertainment course; or         (b)  Any music course, instrument or vocal, public speaking course, or course in dancing, sports, or athletics, such as horseback riding, swimming, fishing, skiing, golf, baseball, tennis, bowling, sports officiating, or other sport or athletic courses, except courses of applied music, physical education, or public speaking which are offered by IHLs for credit as an integral part of a program leading to an educational objective; or

  27. Courses Precluded From Payment Avocational Courses (cont.) (c)  Any other type of course which the Department of Veterans Affairs determines to be avocational or recreational.         (2)  The evidence required to prove a course is not avocational or recreational can include, but is not limited to:         (a)  A statement on the application by the applicant explaining the business or occupational objective.         (b) A statement from someone in the business or from someone who employs persons in the contemplated occupation showing the need and use of the course.  Such statements will not be required when the claimant applies for an approved correspondence course if the stated objective is the one specified in the approval notice.  In addition, when it has been established by the SAA (State Approving Agency) and the VARO (VA Regional Office) that an approved photography course in a particular school does lead to employment as a photographer, such a statement will not be required.

  28. Courses Precluded From Payment Courses Offered Under Contract VA may not approve the enrollment of a veteran, servicemember, reservist, or eligible person in a course as a part of a program of education offered by any educational institution if the educational institution or entity providing the course under contract has not obtained a separate approval for the course from the appropriate State Approving Agency or from the Department of Veterans Affairs. (38 CFR 21.4252(m))

  29. Program Of Education A Program Of Education: Is a combination of subjects or unit courses pursued at an educational institution.  The combination generally is accepted as necessary to meet the requirements for a predetermined educational, professional or vocational objective.  Except for chapter 35, it may consist of subjects or courses which fulfill requirements for more than one objective, if all objectives pursued are generally recognized as being related to a single career field.

  30. Program Of Education • A claimant's program must meet each of the following conditions: • Meet the definition of a program of education.  NOTE:  VA will pay only for courses and subjects which are part of an approved program.  • Have an acceptable educational, professional, or vocational objective.  • Be approved for VA training.  • The claimant must not be already qualified for the objective of the program. • Selection of an Objective • A program of education must lead to one of three types of objectives: educational, professional, or vocational. 

  31. Objectives Defined • Educational Objectives: • An educational objective leads to the awarding of a diploma, degree, or certificate which reflects educational attainment as distinguished from a certificate or a license to practice a profession or trade.  The objective will be the name of the highest degree, diploma, or certificate included in the program, such as a GED (General Educational Development) certificate, high school diploma, bachelor degree, master degree, or Ph.D. degree.   • Non-Degree Postdoctoral and Graduate Level Certificate Programs.A postdoctoral-level certificate from an accredited college or university may be accepted as an educational objective.  • NOTE:  Undergraduate-level certificate programs lead to vocational objectives.  • (See 38 CFR 21.4230(b) and PL 107-103 Section 111) 

  32. Objectives Defined • Professional Objectives: • A professional objective leads to an occupation after an individual completes an extended academic program of study.  The program must be at the college level and be generally accepted as necessary to satisfy the educational requirements for licensing or certification to practice the identified profession.  • Typical examples of professional objectives are lawyer, physician (M.D.), or high school teacher.  • A program leading to a professional objective may include courses also leading to an educational objective. For example, a BS degree in Secondary Education to become a teacher.  • Bar review courses may be approved as part of an overall professional program for a lawyer.  Similarly, CPA (Certified Public Accountant) review courses can be approved as part of an overall professional program for a CPA. • Clinical pastoral education programs may lead to either professional or educational objectives. • (See 38 CFR 21.4230(c))

  33. Objectives Defined • Vocational Objectives: • A vocational objective leads to an occupation ordinarily attained after completion of a business, technical, trade, or other vocational school course, or an apprenticeship or other on-the-job training program.  • A vocational objective must be a recognized employment objective.  • It should be of the type listed in the DOL (Department of Labor) Dictionary of Occupational Titles found in the DOL "O*NET" database, at the following Internet site:"www.doleta.gov/programs/onet".  • Examples of vocational objectives are barber, secretary, machinist, computer programmer, automobile mechanic, and practical nurse.  With respect to non-degree certificate programs, an undergraduate level certificate from an accredited college or university may be accepted as leading to a vocational objective. • (See 38 CFR 21.4230(c))

  34. QUESTIONS?

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