IACRAO 73rd ANNUAL MEETING

1. IACRAO73rd ANNUAL MEETING Students, Records, and All That Jazz!

2. IACRAO73rd ANNUAL MEETING VA Certifying Lisa Neel, University of Notre Dame Sarah Gibson, Indiana University Margaret Baechtold, Indiana University Tuesday, October 23, 8:45am

3. Session Rules of Etiquette • Please turn off your cell phone/beeper • If you must leave the session early, please do so as discretely as possible • Please avoid side conversation during the presentation Thank you for your cooperation!

4. Introduction • Basics of Education Benefits certification for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs programs • Rules, Tools, and Resources for Schools

5. Topics of Discussion • VA Education Benefit Programs • Certification Basics • Suggested Tools • Resources and Links

6. The “Chapters” • CH 30 Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty • 36 months AD service, paid $1200 • CH 31 Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment • Documented VA disability rating, assigned VA Case Manager • CH 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill • The BIGGIE – 90 days-36 months AD time, can be transferred

7. The “Chapters” Continued • CH 35 Dependents Education Assistance • Children and Spouses of 100% service-connected disabled vets • CH 1606 Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve • National Guard and Reserve members never activated • CH 1607 Reserve Education Assistance Program (REAP) • National Guard and Reserve members mobilized for active duty

8. Benefits • CH 30: Full-time student receives monthly stipend currently $1564 plus any enlistment “kicker” or buy-up; funding goes directly to the student • CH 31: VR&E pays T&F to school, living stipend to student – handled outside VA Education Services by VR&E case managers in each state • CH 33: T&F paid directly to school, living stipend and book stipend paid to student; amount varies by eligibility tier which is based on length of service

9. Benefits • CH 35: Full-time student receives a monthly stipend currently $987 • CH 1606: Full-time student receives monthly stipend of $356 plus any enlistment “kicker” • CH 1607: Receives a prorated portion of CH 30 monthly stipend depending on longest consecutive days of AD service (max is 80% of CH 30 rate or $1251.20 plus kicker)

10. Application to VA • Students apply for benefits through the VA website VONAPP at http://www.gibill.va.gov/apply-for-benefits/application/ • Once application is approved by VA, student is issued a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) by VA (except CH 31) • CH 31 students get an authorization from their case manager

11. Designation of Certifying Official • School administration must designate those employees by name who are allowed to report enrollment data to VA by using a VA Form 22-8794 which is available from your VA Education Liaison Representative • Indiana ELR is Eric Lewis at Eric.Lewis1@va.gov or 317-916-3684. Only the ELR can grant access to VA Once, the web-based certification system used by VA

12. Certification Process • Student self-identifies as VA benefit eligible • Determine which program they are eligible for • Collect data: SSN, name, address, phone, program of study, email, schedule • Report enrollment data to VA via VA Once • Track and report changes in enrollment or charges

13. What Enrollment Data Do You Need? • Number of Credit Hours • Modality of Training – Res vs. Dist • Start and Stop dates of each course • Remedial/Deficiency courses

14. What Enrollment Data Do You Need? • Academic Advising Report or Degree Audit to confirm courses count for declared/approved major • Allowable Tuition and Fee charges • Other Restricted Aid to Calculate In-state Net-cost • Yellow Ribbon Eligibility – Private or out-of-state

15. VA Once

16. Other Requirements • Yellow Ribbon Program: agreement with VA; track contributions; manage applications first-come-first-served basis • Share payment data with Business Office • Reconcile payments from VA

17. Other Requirements • Report enrollment changes • Report failure for non-attendance • Report students on probation • Report dismissals • Report graduation

18. Tools • Spreadsheets • T&F Reported/Estimated Pmts • Debts • Yellow Ribbon Participants • TPC Calculator • Internal Reports, Drop/Add Tracking • System to flag veterans and military for institutional reporting

19. Resources • State Approving Agency -- http://www.in.gov/dva/2331.htm • Education Liaison Representative eric.lewis1@va.gov • GI Bill website www.gibill.va.gov

20. Resources • SCO Handbook and other documents at http://www.gibill.va.gov/school-certifying-officials/ • Indiana SCO List Serve – email mbaechto@indiana.edu • Association of Veteran Education Certifying Officials http://aveco.org

21. Resources • National Association of Veteran Program Administrators Open Forum – http://groups.google.com – set up account, search for NAVPA Open Forum and request to join -- or see www.NAVPA.org

22. Summary • VA has many complicated programs • Certification requires access to a wide range of student information • System tools help immensely • Resources

23. Questions and Answers ???????

24. Presenter Information • Margaret Baechtold • Sarah Gibson • Indiana University • 812-856-1985 • vetserv@indiana.edu • Lisa Neel • University of Notre Dame • 574-631-6488 • lneel@nd.edu

25. THANK YOU! • Please be sure to complete the session evaluation form.