Bill Overview
Title: Ensuring the Best Schools for Veterans Act of 2022
Description: This act makes adjustments to the process by which the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) evaluates programs of education for violations of the 85/15 Rule. The rule generally prohibits the VA from approving the enrollment of a veteran in any course at an educational institution where more than 85% of the students are having all or part of their tuition or other charges paid by the institution or the VA. The act adds an exception for tuition or charges paid under a payment plan at an educational institution with a history of offering payment plans that are completed within 180 days after the end of the applicable term, quarter, or semester. The act also requires the VA to establish a process by which an educational institution may request a review of a determination that the institution has more than 85% of enrolled students that have all or part of their tuition or other charges paid by the institution or the VA. The act adjusts the existing 35% exemption by exempting courses from the 85/15 Rule if the majority of courses at the institution are approved by the state approving agency, and the total number of veterans, reservists, or eligible beneficiaries who are enrolled at the institution equals 35% or less of the total student enrollment at the institution. Additionally, the 85/15 Rule does not apply with respect to the enrollment of a veteran in a program of education with fewer than 10 students who are having all or part of their tuition or other charges paid to or for them by the educational institution or the VA.
Sponsors: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]
Target Audience
Population: Veterans using VA educational benefits
Estimated Size: 2000000
- The bill concerns veterans' education, specifically those using VA education benefits.
- According to recent statistics, there are approximately 16.5 million veterans in the United States.
- Not all veterans use VA education benefits, but a significant portion of them can be assumed to benefit from such programs.
- The bill impacts educational institutions with veteran enrollments, specifically those affected by the 85/15 Rule.
- Most educational benefits for veterans are used in the United States, hence most of the target population is likely to be US veterans.
Reasoning
- The population targeted by this policy is mainly veterans who are utilizing VA educational benefits. There are approximately 2,000,000 veterans who might be impacted if they are part of or planning to enroll in programs affected by the 85/15 Rule.
- Not all institutions or courses will see changes, the bulk of impact will be where programs were previously constrained by the 85/15 rule, which may now allow more veterans or will adjust their parameters based on this policy.
- The 85/15 Rule affects schools where veterans are a significant part of the student body, influencing their admissions and financial structuring strategies.
- The policy budget allocations indicate that a gradual, yet impactful change is expected – with initial adjustments that may not fully reach all potential students until subsequent years.
- The inclusion of exceptions in the bill suggests an aim to provide flexibility for institutions balancing veteran and non-veteran enrollments, potentially spreading the impact across various regions and school types in the US.
Simulated Interviews
Student (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The new policy seems beneficial because it allows me more freedom in choosing a good program without restrictions.
- I hope it enables smaller programs to consider more veterans, not just larger institutions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Career Counselor (Houston, TX)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's essential for these educational policies to be flexible to cover as many veterans as possible.
- Hopeful that this adjustment means more veterans can access smaller niche programs aligned with their career interests.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
IT Specialist (Chicago, IL)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Hoping this leads to more tech courses being eligible, particularly in specialized fields.
- The regulation complexity always boggles my mind; any simplification is welcome.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Educational Administrator (Seattle, WA)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This adjustment could ease some administrative burdens and help recalibrate program offerings for veterans.
- Encouraged by the focus on review processes, which might create more transparency.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Part-time worker and student (Miami, FL)
Age: 23 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It’s great that this might open more avenues, especially for something practical like trade skills.
- Not started yet, but hopeful this policy helps prevent hasty decisions based on funding restrictions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Retired (Boulder, CO)
Age: 56 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Glad to see consideration given to funding structures; hopefully, this attracts more academic fields to accommodate veterans.
- Curious about how this will be rolled out and its tangible impact on smaller institutions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Construction Manager (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 33 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If this helps ease institutional pressures, I think more programs will consider veterans beyond compliance.
- Adjusting exemptions might allow different pathways without overloading the few popular veteran-friendly schools.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Freelance Writer (New York, NY)
Age: 48 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I've found it complicated when selecting courses; I appreciate any change that simplifies the eligibility criteria.
- This policy hopefully eases the crunch at certain institutions, allowing creativity in program development.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Student and barista (Austin, TX)
Age: 26 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This could mean fewer bottleneck courses. The more veterans flowing through, the better it might be for peer experience.
- Always had some confusion on eligibility, so hope this brings some clarity to key-course selections at least.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Retired Military Analyst (Boston, MA)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Am pleased by the emphasis on reviews and adaptability in this new shift. It reflects a high level of thoughtfulness.
- How expansive the real effect is varies, but notable in terms of interim restrictions relaxing for students.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $30000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $40000000)
Year 2: $28000000 (Low: $18000000, High: $38000000)
Year 3: $26000000 (Low: $16000000, High: $36000000)
Year 5: $25000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $35000000)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- Implementation and monitoring of the new review process by the VA may require additional administrative resources.
- Potential increase in the number of veterans qualifying for education benefits could change the financial demands on the VA budget.
- The regulatory changes could improve educational inclusivity for veterans, impacting overall enrollment trends at institutions.