Education Service

Education Service

GI BillComparison Tool

GI Bill Feedback System

Association of Veterans Education Certifying Officials

Veterans Benefits AdministrationVeterans Benefits Administration

Robert M. Worley IIDirector, Education Service

benefits.va.gov/gibillbenefits.va.gov/gibill

GI BillComparison Tool

• Overview• Data Requirements• Providing Feedback• Reporting Data to the Users

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benefits.va.gov/gibillbenefits.va.gov/gibill

GI BillComparison Tool

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• Launched February 4, 2014 in response to Executive Order 13607 to implement and promote “Principles of Excellence”

• Streamlines information into an easy-to-use online tool

• Combines resources from more than 17 different web pages and three Federal agencies

• The tool provides information to calculate benefits and research approved programs

– Tuition/fees

– Housing allowance

– Veteran indicators, i.e. Yellow Ribbon and GI Bill

– Graduation and loan default rates

benefits.va.gov/gibillbenefits.va.gov/gibill

GI BillComparison Tool Data Requirements

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• Data needs are met by extracting data from the following sources:o Web Enabled Approval

Management System (WEAMS)

o Department of Education Shopping Sheet

o Department of Education Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

o College Navigator

*Data will be included in fully developed GI Bill Comparison Tool

benefits.va.gov/gibillbenefits.va.gov/gibill

GI BillComparison Tool – How to Provide Feedback

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• The GI BillComparison Tool supports the 2012 presidential executive order and the Improving Transparency in Education for Veterans Act of 2012.

• VBA welcomes feedback on the Comparison Tool and encourages all visitors to submit feedback by clicking on the ‘Feedback’ link located at the bottom of the tool’s page.

• Prior to launching the Comparison tool, School Certifying Officials (SCOs) provided feedback on the data outputs.

Feedback

If you experience technical issues or have feedback on how we can improve the GI Bill Comparison Tool, please send us an email at [email protected] with “Comparison Tool” in the subject line. Base on your feedback, we will be making quarterly updates to the GI Bill Comparison Tool.

Please note this email is only for website related issues, all questions regarding GI Bill benefits should be directed to the “Ask a Question” section of our website.

benefits.va.gov/gibillbenefits.va.gov/gibill

GI BillComparison Tool - Reporting

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GI BILL COMPARISON TOOL DATA

Data Reported *JULY 13, 2014

Unique Visitors to Date280,413

Page Views to Date443,690GI BILL COMPARISON TOOL: TOP U.S. SCHOOL

SEARCHES

American Public University

Harvard

University of Texas at Austin

Arizona State University

University of Washington

benefits.va.gov/gibillbenefits.va.gov/gibill

GI BillComparison Tool – Highlights

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• Comparison Tool version 1.5 is planned for release within the next month. • This version will provide the following information:

GI Bill benefits calculator to provide precise information related to benefit payments and school costs

Increased search functionality to allow users to search schools by state

Additional school information on accreditation, Yellow Ribbon program, and Veteran support services

• Dr. Biden appeared on NBC’s “Today Show” to demo the GI Bill Comparison Tool on April 16th

benefits.va.gov/gibillbenefits.va.gov/gibill

GI BillFeedback System

• Overview• Intent• Management and Accessibility• Inside View of System• Complaint Processing• SAA Involvement• School Involvement• Reporting of VA Complaint Data

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benefits.va.gov/gibillbenefits.va.gov/gibill

• Launched on January 30, 2014

• Provides a mechanism for receiving, processing, and referring complaints about educational institutions within VA and to other federal agencies

• Empowers individuals to report their experiences with educational institutions

• Beneficiaries eligible for or receiving VA educational benefits may submit their experience on behalf of someone else, or anonymously

– Fraud

– Use of deceptive and misleading practices

– Failing to follow the “Principles of Excellence”

• The Feedback System will be used by VA personnel (VACO, ELR, and ECSS’s) and SAA personnel to track and manage cases submitted by individuals, coordinate with educational institutions, and provide feedback throughout the process with the complainant.

GI BillFeedback System Overview

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benefits.va.gov/gibillbenefits.va.gov/gibill

• The Feedback System is intended for complaints directly related to “Principles

of Excellence”

• These types of complaints should not involve or be concerned with the

following:

• VA’s handing of education benefits, not the institution or employer

• Limitations imposed by law (i.e. break pay)

• VA policies

• VA claims processing

• Entitlement

• Eligibility

• Payments

• Debts

• These are referred to VA’s Right Now Web or GI Bill Hotline

GI BillFeedback System - Intent

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benefits.va.gov/gibillbenefits.va.gov/gibill

GI BillFeedback System

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benefits.va.gov/gibillbenefits.va.gov/gibill

GI BillFeedback System – Inside View of the System

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benefits.va.gov/gibillbenefits.va.gov/gibill

GI BillFeedback System – Inside View of the System

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benefits.va.gov/gibillbenefits.va.gov/gibill

GI BillFeedback System – Inside View of the System

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benefits.va.gov/gibillbenefits.va.gov/gibill

• Routine complaints are reviewed and sent to schools to resolve and provide a written response back to VA

• Complaints are shared with the complainant to measure their satisfaction with the resolution

• Egregious or flagrant complaints will be directed to the Regional Program Offices (RPOs) to conduct a targeted risk-based review

• Complaints will be submitted to a central repository at Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Sentinel Network where they are accessible by

– Federal agencies

– State agencies

– Law enforcement

• Department of Justice

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

GI BillFeedback System – Complaint Processing

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benefits.va.gov/gibillbenefits.va.gov/gibill

State Approving Agency (SAA) Involvement:•Institutional data is supplied from WEAMS to help keep information up to date and ELRs are promptly notified of changes

– Approvals, suspensions, and withdrawals

– Adopting standardized naming conventions

•Promote availability of the Principles of Excellence Complaint System for individuals eligible for or receiving VA education benefits

•Procedures under development for access to the complaint system and data for SAA’s in support of compliance survey activities

•Submit complaints

•Risk-Based Program Reviews

•Lash-Up with Accrediting Agencies.

GI BillFeedback System and State Approving Agencies

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benefits.va.gov/gibillbenefits.va.gov/gibill

• Schools should adhere to the “Principles of Excellence” to provide high-quality student support and services for Veterans, Servicemembers and their eligible family members eligible for or receiving VA education benefits. Sign up for POE at [email protected] 

• VA requests schools:

– Review the complaint

– Provide a response to the complainant, as soon as, possible but no later than within 60 days of this notice via email to [email protected] using the following guidelines:

• Respond to the complainant

• Use school letterhead

• Respond with a proposed resolution

• Reference the complaint case number

• Forward to VA within 60 days of the message

GI BillFeedback System and School Involvement

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benefits.va.gov/gibillbenefits.va.gov/gibill

• Approximately 1,731 complaints submitted as of July 13, 2014

• Active Complaints: 876 (51%)

• Invalid (Non-POE): 687 (40%)

• Pending: 74 (4%)

• Generated risk-based program reviews: 36

Top 3 Complaints Types

Post-9/11 GI Bill

Veterans Retraining Assistance Program

(VRAP)

Federal Financial Aid

GI BillFeedback System – Complaint Data

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Complaints by Issue

Financial Issues (e.g. Tuition/Fee charges)

876

Other 732

Quality of Education 348

Refund Issues 247

Recruiting/Marketing Practices 197

Accreditation 152

Change in degree plan/requirements

144

Student Loans 129

Grade Policy 119

Transfer of Credits 104

Release of Transcripts 87

Post-graduation Job Opportunities 80

benefits.va.gov/gibillbenefits.va.gov/gibill

Contact Us

WEBSITE: www.benefits.va.gov/gibillFACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/gibillEducation TELEPHONE: 1-888-GIBILL-1 (1-888-442-4551)

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