NEW WI SCO TRAINING (10:45 – 11:45AM) JUNE 17, 2014

1. WACRAO 2014 Conference NEW WI SCO TRAINING (10:45 – 11:45AM) JUNE 17, 2014

2. GREETINGS

3. WACRAO 2014 WISCONSINCERTIFYING OFFICIALWORKSHOPJUNE 17-18, 2014

4. Survey of Certifying Officials • - SCO location at College & (full or part time VA) • Know your ELR, ECSS, SAA and RPO? • Receive E-mails from ELR?/Use RNW email to RPO as VA certifying official? • Refer to VA education web site? • VA student enrollment certified to VA? • Paper form or VAONCE? • Direct deposit for institutional tuition & fee payments? • VA regulations for certifying modality of instruction? • VA regulations for certifying net charges? • VA regulations for certifying nonstandard terms? • Chapter 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill changes PL111-377? • Start Up Questions for today? • Agenda and Topics – New VA Certifying Officials

5. AGENDA SCHEDULE • Objectives are to present SCO’s with resources, tools, knowledge, and application to understand and be successful: • -VA organizational structure • -SCO Training Resources • -GI Bill web site • -VA Education benefit eligibility (Chapters) • -Student application to VA for benefits/Forms • -SCO Responsibilities • -Institutional Requirements • -What the SCO certifies to VA • -Role of the SAA

6. AGENDA SCHEDULE • Continued objectives: • Role of the Education Liaison Representative • Student Responsibility • Role of the Certifying Official • Communicating with VA • SCO on line training module • Institutional certification of enrollment • Institutional records • Academic • Financial

7. Retention of an SCO - Generally our Education Liaison Representatives experience an SCO turnover rate of approximately 30% each year based on revised designation of certifying official forms submitted. - Each change requires updating in our data bases (WEAMS) – approval data, and VAONCE – authorizing new SCO’s access to web based enrollment submissions - Continuing need for training – SCO on line training modules found on the GI Bill web site, SCO National Handbook, and VAONCE FLIPBOOK are essential for training and effectively certifying and monitoring students

8. VA RPO’s & Jurisdictions

9. Training Resources • Access from www.gibill.va.gov under school resources for: • National SCO Handbook • VAONCE FLIPBOOK 2012 • ELR Technical Assistance & VAONCE Instruction • Nonstandard term calculator for equivalent credits and training time • SCO on line training module sessions • Access GI Bill web site • Open SCO on line training • Register – email and facility code • Complete the training modules • 1 module is optional on VA benefit chapters • SCO module provides training on certifications and monitoring

10. VA Education Benefit Chapters Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) Chapter 30 – Veterans VRAP – awarded benefits under Chapter 30 Montgomery GI Bill-Selective Reserves Chapter 1606 for Members of Reserves or National Guard (REAP) Chapter 1607 – mobilized under DOD Title 10 (called to active duty) Chapter 32 – VEAP (veteran benefit that began Jan 1, 1977) Dependents Educational Assistance Program Chapter 35 (spouse, children, surviving spouse (Public Law 110-181 – affecting Ch 1606/1607) enacted January 28, 2008 Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) Fry Amendment

11. Student Application forms (paper or on line) VA Form 22-1990 – All Chapters except Chapter 35 for original claims VA Form 22-1990e – Chapter 33 Transfer of Entitlement VA Form 22-5490 – Chapter 35 original claims and Fry *Updated Form VA Form 22-1995 – All Chapters except Chapter 35 & VA Form 22-5495 – Chapter 35 subsequent claims

12. Importance of Certifying Officials

13. Basic SCO Responsibilities Inform VA of the enrollment status of veterans and other eligible persons. Maintain adequate documentation at the institution to support certifications. Certify enrollments & changes timely to VA. Inform VA or SAA of new programs, changes in programs, institutional changes, etc. (Deemed approved IHL’s do not have to inform VA of degree programs added or modified) Apprise supervisors of any internal problems which may affect service to VA students.

14. Role of the VA Certifying Official - Understand VA reporting requirements - Communicate with VA students concerning awareness of benefit chapters, application process, and institutional and VA requirements in order to be certified - Certify VA student enrollment accurately and timely - Develop internal monitoring systems - Monitor and report changes to VA within 30 days - Communicate as needed with VA and SAA - Report concerns to institutional management

15. Institutional Requirements • VA requires a veteran or dependent apply to an institution to be a student, have prior credit evaluated, and pursue an approved vocational, educational, or professional objective • Student must apply to the institution • Student must be in pending status or accepted for enrollment • Student pursuing approved program and subjects that apply to program • Institutional monitoring for enrollment changes • Institutional reporting for modality of instruction

16. Inform VA of Student Enrollment Status Monitor unit subjects pursued to certify to VA only those subjects which apply to the student’s program. Monitor student’s grades to insure (s)he is making satisfactory progress and report unsatisfactory progress. Must monitor student’s conduct and report when student is suspended/dismissed for unsatisfactory conduct. Monitor monthly to ensure timely reporting of reductions, terminations or increases in training.

17. What is SCO Certifying on Enrollments • The 85/15% enrollment ratio requirement has been satisfied • Student certified is not an owner or officer of the school nor is the student certified as an official authorized to sign enrollment certifications • The institution holds no power of attorney agreement authorizing the institution to negotiate VA educational assistance allowance checks • No course certified is a repetition of any course previously satisfactorily completed except as permitted by VA regulations • The course or courses certified are approved by the State Approving Agency and are generally acceptable to meet requirements for the student’s objective

18. What is SCO Certifying on Enrollments • The institution has exercised diligence in meeting all applicable requirements of Title 38 USC and any failure by the institution to meet any requirements of the law will be reported promptly to VA • The institution agrees to report promptly to VA any enrollment change and any change due to unsatisfactory progress, conduct or attendance. Promptly means within 30 days of the enrollment change. Except for students receiving benefits under Chapter 33, the institution need not report an enrollment change for a student who was in full-time attendance before the change and in fulltime after the enrollment change.

19. SCO Communicating with VA - Contacting ELR by phone or email concerning procedural or certification issues and DEEMED approved approval questions - Contacting SAA offices pertaining to approval issues - Right Now Web (RNW) secure email when communicating with VA Regional Processing Office St Louis - Accessing the VA National SCO hot line - Contacting VA Debt Management Center (DMC) involving institutional overpayments

20. Myths of a VA Certifying Official • Common myths: • -SCO is a VA employee • -SCO completes all student forms needed by VA • -SCO provides all counseling to VA students about benefits • -SCO has a special number to call to check on status of a case • -SCO accepts GI Bill contributions or buy up dollars • VA Education Toll Free numbers: • General Number – 1-888-442-4551 • SCO Hotline – 1-855-225-1159

21. Role of the State Approving Agency • Approval authority within State for: • New facility approval • Private Profit institutions and non college degree institutions - approval authority • Other non accredited institutions approval authority • Provide technical assistance to SCO • Conduct compliance surveys for VA effective 10-1-2011 • ELR is VA Central Office Contracting Officer Technical Representative

22. Who is State Approving Agency Wisconsin Dept of Veterans Affairs, Madison (schools – IHL, NCD, FLT, and LACAS) Wisconsin Dept of Workforce Development, Madison (training establishments – OJT and Apprenticeship)

23. Role of the Education Liaison Representative - Maintain communication with certifying officials - Close working relationship with SAA - Interpret VA regulations, policies and procedures, SCO State workshops - Responsible for – approval data base approvals - Conduct compliance surveys - Present information about VA education benefit programs & certification requirements - Assist VA RPO St Louis as needed - Technical assistance to VA Central Office - VAONCE Administrator - Conduct EO Investigations

24. Student Responsibilities - Promptly notify SCO of changes to enrollment - Understand benefit programs - Application process to VA - Progress and pursuit - Contacting VA – inquiries concerning benefit eligibility and benefit payments - Understand cause and effect of enrollment changes

25. Chapter 31 Voc Rehabilitation VA Regional Processing Offices do NOT administer this benefit – VA Regional Office Case Managers are responsible for determining those eligible and awarding benefits. Important: Chapter 31 is not processed by RPO; however those who want CH33 BAH rate under CH31 must apply to RPO for determination of eligibility

26. CH33 Post-9/11 GI Bill Active Military service after 9/10/2001 • Veterans, Reserve/Guard, Transfer of benefits to Spouse and Dependents • Benefits range from 40-100% based on amount of active military service from 9/11/2001 • Provides for: • -Tuition and Fees to Institution, Monthly Housing Allowance, Book Stipend, Yellow Ribbon Program added tuition, Kicker payment, Rural relocation benefit • VA Work Study available, tutorial assistance, TOP-UP, are additional benefits if eligible • (SCO Handbook pages XXX)

27. CH33 Post-9/11 GI Bill - Note Post-9/11 GI Bill began due to Public Law 110-252 effective August 1, 2009. - Currently approximately 70% of VA students have chosen this benefit (1 million total in USA) • Chapter 33 has increased the workload for: • Certifying Officials • VA Regional Processing Offices • SAA & VA staff • Reason for increase has been due to increased veteran student usage and additional monitoring and reporting requirements

28. Chapter 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill

29. How it Begins-- Student Applies School Certifies Paper Paper VA-ONCE VONAPP RPO

30. RPO The Image Management System VCE Write Award • Request Info • ELR • SCO • Student Authorizer U. S. Treasury Austin, TX +

31. VAONCE Flow Chart

32. MODALITY OF INSTRUCTION • TYPES OF INSTRUCTION OFFERED: • Resident classroom instruction • Distance learning • Independent Study • Blended or Hybrid • *Remedial/deficiency subjects cannot be certified when pursued by on line instruction. Restricted to resident classroom instruction only

33. Certifying Terms, Quarters, Semesters • Academic institutional student term registration schedules & Student Account ledgers must be examined when preparing enrollment certifications to VA. • Validate dates of instruction • Validate modality of instruction • Verify net charges for tuition and fees • Identify 3rd party tuition payments • Scholarships dedicated to only tuition • Military Tuition Assistance • Institutional waivers and discounts • Other forms of reductions not charged to student for tuition

34. ENROLLMENT CERTIFICATIONS VAONCE web based system to certify: • Methods to certify • NEW CERT • Standard term • Multiple terms (nonstandard terms) • AMEND CERT • Add tuition and fees from prior cert same term • Increase or decrease tuition and fees when credits do not change • Change start or end date of term • Add comments *

35. ENROLLMENT CERTIFICATIONS VAONCE web based system to certify: • Methods to certify • ADJUST • Increase or decrease credits for term previously certified due to change in registration • TERMINATE • Cancel term before start date by student • Student totally withdraws from term during term • Report student graduation at end of term • Report unsatisfactory progress

36. CAUSE & EFFECT ON BENEFITS • Student will have overpayment when: • - reduction in credits during term • - withdraw from all credits during term • - correction to later start date of term reported • - Cancel before term started reported and VA issued payment of BAH and book stipend for CH33 student • Institutional overpayment when: • - CX before term started and VA issued tuition and fee payment to institution • - AMEND to reduce tuition and fees to prior enrollment and VA issued payment to institution

37. STUDENT OVERPAYMENTS • Students are provided overpayment letters from VA Debt Management Center and request for repayment. • Student can disagree with action taken by VA and request audit • Student can request waiver of debt from VA • Student will have overpayment reduced from subsequent benefit payments due to institutional certifications.

38. Treasury Offset Program • Institution must work with VA Debt Management Center to return payments to VA when notified. • If institution does not send payment back to VA following VA DMC demand letters referral sent to US Treasury for offset of debt from other federal funds authorized to the institution.

39. VA COMPLIANCE SURVEYS • VA and SAA conduct periodic site visits to institutions (compliance survey) to review a sample of VA certified student records to ensure accurate and timely reporting of enrollment data, confirm institutional academic and financial records support these certifications, and verify student is properly pursuing an approved program of study and subjects certified apply to program.

40. Contact Information for ELR John R. Johnson, VA ELR Phone: 612-970-5456 Fax: 612-970-5458 Email: john.johnson11@va.gov Address: VA Regional Office Attn: Education Service (272L) 1 Federal Drive St Paul, MN 55111

41. Wrap-Up THANK YOU!