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April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
VA Certifying
Officials Training
August 1, 2012
April 2010 April 2010
Staff DirectoryStaff Directory
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
Hours of Operation: Monday through Friday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
Name Position Title Phone Email
Trish Gordon-McCown
Veterans Affairs Coordinator 410-767-3098 [email protected]
Brian Gibbons Veterans Affairs Analyst [email protected]
Private Career Schools
Dean Kendall Associate Director of Workforce Development
410-767-3284 [email protected]
Amy KaniaEducation Analyst-Career/Workforce Education
Stephanie BakerEducation Analyst-Career/Workforce Education
Switchboard Operator
410-767-3300
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
Baltimore Education Liaison Representative (ELR)
Selica Cherry-AlexanderVA Regional Office (313/22)
Federal Building31 Hopkins Plaza
Baltimore, MD 21201410-230-4545 office410-230-4558 fax
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
GI Bill Chapters
Payments to schools
33 Post 9/11 GI Bill
Payments to students
30/34 Montgomery GI Bill (AD)
1606 Montgomery GI Bill (SR)
1607 Reserve Educational Assistance Program
35 Dependents Education Assistance Program
31 VA Voc Rehab – contract between VA & school
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
SAVE UNDER YOUR FAVORITES
G I Bill Information: http://www.gibill.va.gov
Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) – MD State Approving Agency for Veterans Educational Benefits: http://www.mhec.state.md.us/higherEd/acadAff/VeteransBenefits/index.asp
SCO Handbook (updated June 4, 2012):http://www.gibill.va.gov/school-certifying-officials/sco-training-resources/handbook.html
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
Post 9/11 (Ch-33) GI Bill Notables:
Private Institutions will have a per VA Academic Year (August 1st – July 31st ) $18,077.50 maximum for Tuition & Fees for 100% eligible GI Bill users.
Stipends, paid to the student, may be available for housing and books up to $1000. No Change.
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
As of August 1, 2012, VA-ONCE electronic
certification will be required for all
programs
of education except on-the-job training,
apprenticeship training,
and correspondence training.
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
Enrollment
Certification
Process
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
VA DOCUMENTS
•Letter of Eligibility
•Department of Veterans Affairs Application for VA Educational Benefits (and/or Request for Change of Program or Place of Training)
•DD214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty for most recent period of active duty.
•Transcripts for all periods of education after high school.
•Kicker Contract (the Department of Defense may be able to provide this information if you cannot locate a copy of the contract.)
April 2010 April 2010
PRIOR CREDIT
•One of the criteria for approval of any school for Veterans' training is that it review prior credit and grant credit as appropriate to a VA student's current program.
•Schools must evaluate prior credit, grant credit as appropriate, notify the student of the evaluation, and shorten the program certified accordingly.
•The change simply means credit evaluations no longer have to be reported to VA. Whenever a student initially enrolls in your school or changes programs at your school a credit evaluation must be completed. VA will review credit evaluations during compliance surveys and credit evaluation records must be kept and made available to VA upon request.
•The Prior Training Credit box in VA-ONCE is now NA (Not Applicable) by default and is locked (grayed out). Military Education and Training Resources Military education and training should be evaluated for prior credit. Information needed to evaluate military education and training is available online. The ACE Military Guide The ACE (American Council on Education) Military Guide (Guide to Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services) is on the web at: http://militaryguides.acenet.edu/.
Military Transcripts Information about military transcripts and how to request the transcripts is available from the Army and Navy as shown below: • Army (AARTS transcript): http://aarts.army.mil • Navy & Marine Corps (SMART Transcript): https://smart.navy.mil/smart/welcome.do
Pages 48 – 49, SCO Handbook
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
What Goes in the Tuition Box on the Enrollment Certification?
1. Start with Gross Tuition for the program
2. Compute, with the help of the Billing & Financial Aid Offices, the Net Tuition
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
Identify the program’s gross tuition
Subtract out Military TA, Federal TA, ROTC Scholarship, Third Party ‘billings’, including College employee discounts/waivers, STAR is not subtracted (State money).
Subtract scholarships that designate tuition payments (Provost scholarships, etc.)
-more-
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
Subtract MD National Guard Tuition Waiver, State Waivers (Foster Care)
DO NOT Subtract Pell Grants, Student Loans, Scholarships for educational/financial need (non-tuition/fee specific),
Do not subtract tuition reimbursement between a student/employer
Place Net Tuition in Tuition Box
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
VA Form 1999 (if applicable)
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
NCD Only (if applicable)
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
Only Mandatory Fees may be included
Mandatory fees are considered those fees required to be paid to the school
True “application” fees are to be excluded
Place Fees in Box #11-B
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
Private career school programs are measured and approved in Clock Hours
Maryland approves school schedules that identify the number of Clock Hours per Week students will be attending any given program
These clock hours per week are identified on the student’s enrollment agreement
Place these Clock Hours per Week in Box #10
Multiple schedules?
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
Report Changes in Enrollment– schedule, end date, interruption in
training, withdrawal/termination
Report Graduation
Report Student Placed on Probation
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
Use “Termination” when reporting changes in enrollment status and graduation.
For Last Date of Attendance and Last Date Credit Accrued, write in the student’s last date of attendance
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
Notice of Change in Student Status
Amend is used to change begin date, end date, tuition and fees, add a remark, and advance pay and accelerated pay requests on a certification already submitted.
Adjust is used to report an increase or decrease in clock hours. If tuition or fees were reported, they must also be changed to correspond to the adjusted number of clock hours.
Terminate is used to report a complete withdrawal from an enrollment period, or to report graduation or program completion. If a student certified for multiple enrollment periods completely withdraws from one enrollment period, then terminate the enrollment period from which he withdrew. VA-ONCE will give you the option to terminate any subsequent enrollment periods or to leave those periods as certified.
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
Academic Probation Applicable to schools that have a satisfactory
progress policy that includes academic and/or attendance probation prior to termination for Unsatisfactory Progress
Notify VA promptly when a student receiving VA education benefits is placed on academic or attendance probation
Notifications should be sent using VA’s Internet Inquiry System
Include the student’s name and Claim Number along with the statement “Student placed on academic (or attendance) probation”
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
When term or semester ends, payments stop.
Examples: Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) will stop
after last day of the term (prorated)
Ch-30, 1606, 1607, 35 payments to students will stop after the end of the term (prorated).
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
Active Duty & Spouses are not eligible BAH is based on the zip code of the Main
Campus Student must be enrolled more than ½ time BAH will be pro-rated based on rate of
pursuit BAH will stop after last day of the term
(prorated)
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
In order to change a currently enrolled and certified veteran or eligible dependent to Chapter 33 benefits, the student must be RE-Certified by the school to Chapter 33.
To do so, RE-Certify the student for Chapter 33 through VA-Once. RE-Certify for Chapter 33 as described in this training session (i.e., listing net tuition and fees after all applicable 3rd party waivers and payments are granted).
Under Remarks: “RE-Certifying under Chapter 33, effective (Date) ”
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
SCHOOL FISCAL ISSUES,
STUDENT OVERPAYMENTS,
AND DEBT COLLECTION
See SCO Handbook
Pages 87 - 99
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
Generally, overpayments of VA benefits are the responsibility of the student. However, there are instances under the Post 9/11 GI Bill when an overpayment is created on a school and funds need to be refunded by the school to the VA.
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
A debt is established on a school when: The student never attended classes for which he/she
was certified regardless of the reason for non-attendance
The student completely withdraws on or before the first day of the term. If student reduces hours, the debt is a student debt
The school received payment for the wrong student
The school received a duplicate payment
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
The school submitted an amended enrollment certification and reported reduced tuition and fee charges. (Reductions based on student’s action should be reported on a 1999b with the changes in the enrollment)
The student died during the term, or before start of the term
VA issued payment above the amount certified on the enrollment certification that was used to process the payment (VA data entry error)
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
A debt is established on the student for tuition and fees when:
The student withdrew after the first day of the term (FDOT)
If the student completely withdrew on the FDOT, treat as if student never attended
The student reduced hours whether the reduction occurred before or during the term
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
If the student attended at least one day of any of the classes certified and a payment has been issued, any debt created by the reduction/withdrawal should be charged to the student
The school submitted a change in enrollment (1999b) and reported a reduction in tuition/fees due to student action
If a student drops a course and adds a course so that there is no net change in training time, any change to tuition/fees is a student debt
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
Schools may refund money to VA in one of three ways:
1. Schools may send a check to the agent cashier of the Regional Processing Office of jurisdiction. It is essential that you include the student’s name and VA file number when you make a payment to VA. Please send payments to the attention of the “VA Agent Cashier” at the Regional Processing Office of Jurisdiction. Those addresses can be found on pages 87 - 90 of the School Certifying Official Handbook.
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
2. The school may return an uncashed Department of Treasury check to the following address:
U.S. Department of the Treasury
Financial Management Service
P.O. Box 51318
Philadelphia, PA 19115-6316
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
3. Schools may refund the VA electronically via Automated Clearing House. To do so, schools shall request their banks return the full payment amount using an R31 ACH return code. Each bank has its own time constraints for returning ACH payments. Please speak with your bank’s representative to obtain specific instructions on this process.
If your school refunds only a partial amount of a payment, you must utilize option one.
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
When the school writes a check, make the check payable to the Department of Veteran Affairs and mail the check to the Agent Cashier.
Submit any needed paper or VA-ONCE amendment, adjustment or termination before mailing the check to the Agent Cashier.
See detailed instructions on pages 89 - 99 of the School Certifying Official Handbook.
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
Returning Funds to VA
Schools should wait to refund payments to VA until a
collection notice from the VA Debt Management Center
(DMC) is received. In those instances where schools are
responsible for making a remittance to VA for excess
Tuition, Fees, or Yellow Ribbon payments, schools may
make a refund to VA in one of five options.
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
Schools may send a check, payable to the US Department of Veterans Affairs, to the VA Debt Management Center.
The address to the VA Debt Management Center is:
VA Debt Management Center Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building
P.O. Box 11930 St Paul, MN 55111-0930
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
Additional options of making payments to the VA:
Major credit card, debit card, or by electronic funds transferWestern Union Agent location or by visiting www.westernunion.com. School may return the uncashed Treasury check to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Financial Management Service Schools may refund VA electronically via Automated Clearing House (ACH).
SEE FULL DETAILS FOR REFUNDS ON PAGES 89 – 99 OF THE SCO HANDBOOK.
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
Requirements for IHLs to Maintain Approval
for VA (SAA Approval)
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
Prior to 8/1/11 Effective 8/1/11
New ApprovalsSchools and institutions request approval
for programs in a new school or facilityState Approving Agency State Approving Agency
Approval CriteriaSet by Statute
(38 USC chapter 36)
Programs deemed approved are subject to Title 38 USC 3675
(b)(1) and (b)(2), 3680A, 3684, 3696
Modifications to Programs State Approving Agency
VA’s Education Liaison Representatives
Compliance
State Approving Agencies
performed supervisory visits
State Approving Agencies and the VA will perform compliance surveys
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
Certified catalogs – two hard copies of catalog with Standard Certification:
“True and correct as to content and policy” with Certifying Official’s signature
Submit IHL Catalog Review form (located on the MHEC Website) -- provide any new credit based programs/updates since the last publication submission.
Additional publications – Student Handbook
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
New/yearly schedules must be submitted to the Maryland SAA for approval to the VA
Preferred delivery is via letter
One copy of schedule of Start and End dates is sufficient
April 2010 April 2010
Maryland State Approving Maryland State Approving AgencyAgency
ADDITIONAL
SCHOOL
RESOURCES
April 2010 April 2010
April 2010 April 2010
April 2010 April 2010
MARYLAND STATE APPROVING AGENCYMARYLAND STATE APPROVING AGENCY
IMPORTANT CONTACT INFORMATION
SCO VA CONTACT LINE – (855) 225-1159 (Hours 7am – 5pm)
CALL CENTER (GENERAL INQUIRIES) – (888) 442-4551 (Hours 7am – 7pm)
SUBMIT A QUESTION - https://gibill.custhelp.com/app/utils/login_form/redirect/ask/session/L3RpbWUvMTM0NzQ2MzI4OC9zaWQvbjc2dkYzNmw=
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs) https://gibill.custhelp.com/app/answers/list