KeepMilitaryProtections.Org: Sign the Citizens Petition
For decades, predatory lenders have targeted service members with 300% interest rates and other abuses. A nearly unanimous Congress acted to pass the Military Lending Act, which stops any bank or nonbank lender from charging American troops more than a 36% interest rate. Those protections are now being threatened. Military and veteran leaders are voicing their opposition and they need your help.
Lessons for Title IV from an Analysis of GI Bill Outcomes
I. Executive Summary Background The Post-9/11 GI Bill represents an idealized college financing plan, covering full tuition and fees at public colleges (or up to $29,000 at private institutions), plus housing and book [...]
CNN: March 20, 2025: Donald Trump presidency news
“Gutting the Department [of Education] could severely impact the ability of America’s military veterans to access crucial education benefits, such as student loan forgiveness, waivers or interest rate reductions, warned William Hubbard, vice president for [...]
Our Written Testimony: House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity Legislative Hearing
WRITTEN TESTIMONY SUBMITTED TO THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY 119TH CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION March 11, 2025 Chairman Van Orden, Ranking Member Pappas, and Members of the Subcommittee: We thank you [...]
Our Oral Testimony: Legislative Priorities Submitted to the Senate and House Committees on Veterans’ Affairs 2025
OUR ORAL TESTIMONY OF LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES SUBMITTED BY WILLIAM HUBBARD TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE COMMITTEES ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS 119TH CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION February 25th, 2025 Chairmen Moran and Bost, Ranking Members Blumenthal and Takano, [...]
Our Written Testimony: Legislative Priorities Submitted to the Senate and House Committees on Veterans Affairs 2025
OUR WRITTEN TESTIMONY FOR THE RECORD LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES SUBMITTED TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE COMMITTEES ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS 119TH CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION February 25th, 2025 Chairmen Moran and Bost, Ranking Members Blumenthal and Takano, and [...]
Which Veterans Are Forgoing Their Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits?
The Post-9/11 Veterans’ Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (also known as thePost-9/11 GI Bill, or PGIB) substantially increased the education benefit available to military service members who served after September 10, 2001. In this report, [...]
A Deeper Look at Post-9/11 GI Bill Outcomes for American Indian/Alaska Native, Black, and Hispanic Veterans
The Post-9/11 Veterans’ Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (also known as the Post-9/11 GI Bill, or PGIB) substantially increased the education benefit available to military service members who served after September 10, 2001. This report [...]
Post-9/11 GI Bill Access and Uptake: Insights and Recommendations from Veterans
The Post-9/11 Veterans’ Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (also known as the Post-9/11 GI Bill) (Public Law 110-252) substantially increased the education benefits available to military service members who served after September 10, 2001, but [...]
Stars and Stripes: Keep the improved 90/10 rule and avoid a $1.6B price tag — paid by taxpayers, costing veterans
After years of careful negotiation, bipartisan agreement, and strong support from 50 veterans service organizations over nearly a decade of advocacy, Congress finally closed the 90/10 loophole. This long-standing policy flaw allowed subpar “colleges” to [...]
Our Letter to the House Freedom Caucus on the 90/10 Rule
February 3, 2025 The Honorable Andy Harris Chairman, House Freedom Caucus 1536 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 The Honorable Jim Jordan Vice Chair, House Freedom Caucus 2056 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. [...]
Our Statement for the Record on the Topic of “Examining the Effectiveness of the Veterans Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Program
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD SUBMITTED TO THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY 118TH CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION December 11, 2024 Chairman Van Orden, Ranking Member Levin, and Members of the Subcommittee: We [...]
Our Letter to the Department of Education Re: Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges.
December 5, 2024 Herman Bounds, Director, Accreditation Group U.S. Department of Education Via email: [email protected] RE: Written Comments - Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges Dear Director Bounds, We write in response to the [...]
Veterans & Military Service Organizations’ Letter to Congress Regarding the College Cost Reduction Act and 90/10 Loophole
December 5, 2024 The Honorable Mike Johnson, Speaker U.S. House of Representatives Washington, D.C., 20515 The Honorable Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Leader U.S. House of Representatives Washington, D.C., 20515 Dear Mr. Speaker and Mr. Minority Leader, [...]
Our letter to California Institute of Applied Technology’s Accreditor
November 15, 2024 Res Helfer, Executive Director Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training 1722 N St NW Washington, DC 20036 Via email RE: California Institute of Arts & Technology (1643), Albuquerque, NM (vocational/non-title IV) [...]
Our Letter to MyComputerCareer’s Accreditor
November 15, 2024 Res Helfer, Executive Director Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training 1722 N St NW Washington, DC 20036 Via email RE: MyComputerCareer.edu and MyComputerCareer (1193), Columbus, OH (vocational/title IV); MyComputerCareer.edu and MyComputerCareer [...]
Coalition letter on OPMs
November 13, 2024 The Honorable James Kvaal Under Secretary United States Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue SW Washington, D.C. 20202 Dear Under Secretary Kvaal, We write as a coalition of organizations representing students, consumers, [...]
Our Letter to DeVry’s Accreditor
November 4, 2024 Third-Party Comment on DeVry University Higher Learning Commission 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500 Chicago, IL 60604-1411 RE: Third-Party Comment on DeVry University Dear Sir or Madam, We are writing to provide [...]
Our Letter to the Department of Education Regarding EDMC Schools
October 30, 2024 The Honorable Miguel Cardona Secretary U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave., SW Washington, DC 20202 Dear Secretary Cardona, We write to urge you to use your authority to help student veterans [...]
Stars and Stripes: Veterans face hidden dangers in online learning
"As veterans transition from military service to civilian life, higher education is the most common steppingstone to new career opportunities. The GI Bill and other educational benefits are designed to support this transition, offering veterans [...]
A new bill aims to make defrauded GI Bill vets whole again. Will it?
"Of the 17,918 GI Bill-approved schools, 809 have such warnings, according to VA data. A dozen have reached settlements with the FTC. Hubbard said that if the VA stopped approving schools with these warnings, a significant [...]
Our Letter to the OMB Regarding VA’s GI Bill School Feedback Tool
September 20, 2024 Via electronic submission Re: GI Bill® School Feedback Tool, No Form, OMB Control No. 2900-0797, Document Number 2024-18723 Dear Sir/Madam: Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the collection of information [...]
Our Letter to the Department of Education Regarding Perdoceo (formerly CEC) Schools
September 19, 2024 The Honorable Miguel Cardona Secretary U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave., SW Washington, DC 20202 Dear Secretary Cardona, I write to urge you to use your authority to protect student veterans, [...]
Our Letter to VA, With Recommendations for Helping Student Veterans, Following June 2024 Meeting
August 13, 2024 Mr. John Boerstler Chief Veterans Experience Officer Veterans Experience Office U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20420 Mr. Joseph Garcia Director, Education Service Veterans Benefits Administration U.S. [...]
Our Letter to VA Regarding the GI Bill® School Feedback Tool
August 15, 2024 Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Benefits Administration 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20420 Via electronic submission Re: GI Bill® School Feedback Tool, No Form, OMB Control No. 2900-0797, Document Number 2024-13219 [...]
Insider Higher Ed: Latest G.I. Bill Studies Show Institution Type Influences Veteran Outcomes
All three studies were conducted using interagency data sharing, a practice that has received growing support in recent years. Alexandria Walton Radford, senior director at AIR and co-author of the reports, said they demonstrate the type [...]
Yahoo Finance: In-Depth Study of Post-9/11 GI Bill Finds Better Completion Rates, Higher Earnings for Veterans at Nonprofit and Public Postsecondary Institutions than at For-Profit Schools
"We are thrilled that federal agencies are finally collaborating on student veterans’ outcomes, something Congress and veterans organizations have requested for years,” said Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success and former senior counsel of the [...]
In-Depth Study of Post-9/11 GI Bill Finds Better Completion Rates and Higher Earnings for Veterans at Nonprofit and Public (especially Flagship) Postsecondary Institutions than at For-Profit Schools and Lower Earnings for Those Who Skip Their GI Bill
Embargoed until July 10, 2024, at Noon (ET) For more information, contact: Dana Tofig, American Institutes for Research, [email protected] Julie Iriondo, U.S. Census Bureau, [email protected] Washington, DC – (July 10, 2024) Two reports released today provide new evidence [...]
Post-9/11 GI Bill-Eligible Enlisted Veterans’ Enrollment and Outcomes at Public Flagship Institutions, With a Focus on The Great Lakes Region
Never before has there been an assessment of the outcomes associated with the critical federal investment in the Post-9/11 GI Bill (PGIB) for American veterans. Thanks to an historic interagency effort to merge previously siloed [...]
Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits How Do Veterans’ Outcomes Differ Based on the Type of Education They Received? And How Are Veterans Who Have Not Used Their Education Benefits Faring?
This report examines two questions important to policymakers: How do the outcomes of veterans who used the Post9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (also known as the Post9/11 GI Bill, or PGIB) vary by [...]
CBS News – KCAL – Los Angeles: Veteran fights to protect others from predatory colleges | Veterans’ Voices
Chris Holmstrom introduces U.S. Army veteran Alphi Black, the founder of Veterans Education Success, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making sure that veterans in search of higher education are not taken advantage of by predatory colleges.
WICS/WCCU: Veterans gather in Washington to address predatory colleges exploiting GI Bill benefits
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WICS) — Veterans from across the country will travel to the nation’s capital to meet with officials from the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Education, and on Capitol Hill to help inform [...]
Insight Into Academia: Supreme Court Expands GI Bill Usage
"VA officials have yet to provide clear guidance on when the expanded benefits will be available. Meanwhile, organizations like Student Veterans of America and Veterans Education Success are working with VA leaders to understand the [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Supreme Court Decision Weakens Education Department
"Barmak Nassirian, vice president for higher education policy at Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group, has participated in several rounds of rule making on gainful employment and other topics. He’s worried about giving judges the [...]
‘Duped’: Students of UA’s new online college can’t get jobs, say school misled them on value of degrees
"“The unbelievable thing is that a public institution is willing to risk its reputation and engage in this kind of practice just for the sake of generating revenue,” Barmak Nassirian said about UA’s decision to [...]
Letter to ED Supporting the Implementation of Financial Value Transparency Requirements:
June 17, 2024 Stephanie Valentine PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and Clearance Governance and Strategy Division Office of Chief Data Officer, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave., SW [...]
Coalition Letter to the Department of Education on Automatic Textbook Billing
June 12, 2024 The Honorable Miguel Cardona Secretary U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave., SW Washington, DC 20202 Dear Secretary Cardona: The undersigned organizations representing a broad coalition of student, taxpayer, anti-monopoly, and civil [...]
Nextgov/FCW: VA’s tech training program for vets is up for renewal, but backers want more accountability
"Low employment rates for participants William Hubbard, the vice president for veterans and military policy at the advocacy group Veterans Education Success, played an important role in the creation of the VET-TEC program. While still [...]
Our Letter to the Department of Education on the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
May 20, 2024 Dr. Herman Bounds Director, Accreditation Group Office of Postsecondary Education U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202 Re: Written comments: Western Association of Schools and Colleges, 89 FR [...]
Our Letter to Congress on the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act
Representative Mike Bost, Chairman House Committee on Veterans' Affairs 364 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20003 Representative Juan Ciscomani 1429 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Dear Chairman Bost and Representative Ciscomani, We [...]
Our Letter to VA Regarding Proposed New Application for Education Benefit Restoration Due to School Closure, Program Suspension or Withdrawal
May 3, 2024 Nancy J. Kessinger VA Forms Manager Veterans Benefits Administration Department of Veterans Affairs Via email Re: OMB Control No. 2900-0859 (VA Form 22-0989)--Open for Public Comments Dear Ms. Kessinger, Thank you for [...]
Military.com: Veterans Scammed Out of GI Bill Benefits Could Get Benefits Restored Under House-Passed Bill
""We are pleased that the House of Representatives took an important first step today in providing the secretary of Veterans Affairs with the authority to restore the GI Bill for student veterans who have been [...]
Our Statement on House Passage of HR 1767 to Restore GI Bill Benefits to Defrauded Veterans
For Immediate Release April 30, 2024 Statement on HR 1767 “We are pleased that the House of Representatives took an important first step today in providing the Secretary of Veterans Affairs with the authority to restore [...]
Our Press Release: Legal Expert and Student Veterans Available for Interviews: Defrauded Veterans Speak Out About Sham Colleges & Need to Strengthen Accreditation & Licensing to Protect Students
Contact: Ana Cobian (323) 360-1827 [email protected] LEGAL EXPERT AND STUDENT VETERANS AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS Defrauded Veterans Speak Out About Sham Colleges & Need to Strengthen Accreditation & Licensing to Protect Students WASHINGTON, DC—In the wake [...]
Our Press Release: Progress in the Fight Against GI Bill Fraud & Scam Schools
Contact; Ana Cobian (323)360-1827 [email protected] INDEPENDENCE DAY— GOOD NEWS HOOK PROGRESS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST GI BILL FRAUD & SCAM SCHOOLS Fourth of July Good News: As Americans prepare to celebrate Independence Day, there is some [...]
Our Press Release: Supreme Court Affirms Veterans’ Right to Use Earned GI Bill Benefits
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – STATEMENT Contact: Will Hubbard (703) 379-3822 [email protected] Veterans Earned the Right to Use Their Hard-Earned Educational Benefits Supreme Court Announces Opinion Declaring Right of Veterans To Access Education Benefits Already Earned, [...]
Inside Higher Ed: ‘Catastrophic Success’ Threatens Army Education Benefits
"Will Hubbard, vice president for veterans and military policy at Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group that works to protect federal military and veteran education benefits, said his organization recognizes the Army’s “very real” budgetary [...]
Our Letter to American InterContinental University System’s Accreditor
April 12, 2024 Third-Party Comment on American InterContinental University System Higher Learning Commission 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500 Chicago, IL 60604-1411 RE: Third Party Comment on American InterContinental University System Dear Sir or Madam, [...]
Veterans Earned the Right to Use Their Hard-Earned Educational Benefits: Supreme Court Announces Opinion Declaring Right of Veterans To Access Education Benefits Already Earned, which VA Deemed As Double-Dipping
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – STATEMENT Contact: Will Hubbard (703) 379-3822 [email protected] Veterans Earned the Right to Use Their Hard-Earned Educational Benefits Supreme Court Announces Opinion Declaring Right of Veterans To Access Education Benefits Already Earned, [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Matthew C. Testimony to the Department of Education, March 2024
Good afternoon, my name is Matthew. I feel duty-bound to share my experience at Sonoran Desert Institute to help other veterans. After I got out of the Army, I first attended a Community College near [...]
VBA Acknowledgement Letter for FOIA regarding independent study rule
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Veterans Benefits Administration Washington, D.C. 20420 In Reply Refer To: FOIA Request 24-08178-F March 28, 2024 Della M Justice Vice President for Legal Affairs Veteran Education Success (VES) [email protected] Dear Della [...]
VA OGC Response (3) to FOIA regarding independent study rule
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of General Counsel Information and Administrative Law Group 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington DC 20420 www.va.gov/ogc March 22, 2024 In Reply Refer to: 024 FOIA Request: 24-08247-F Veterans Education [...]
Our FOIA Request to VA re: rule change for online programs and independent study (March 2024)
March 21, 2024 Department of Veterans Affairs Freedom of Information Act Services (005R1C) 811 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20420 Dear Sir/Madam, This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I request that [...]
Our Statement for the Record for a House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity Legislative Hearing
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD SUBMITTED TO THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY 118TH CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION MARCH 20, 2023 Chairman Van Orden, Ranking Member Levin, and Members of the Subcommittee: We [...]
Statement for the Record: Legislative Priorities Submitted to the Senate and House Committees on Veterans Affairs 2024
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES SUBMITTED TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE COMMITTEES ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS 118TH CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION March 13, 2024 Chairmen Tester and Bost, Ranking Members Moran and Takano, and Members of [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Caitlin Kadell Testimony to the Department of Education, March 2024
Good afternoon. My name is Caitlin Kadell, and I’m a Marine Corps veteran. I would like to take a few minutes today to talk about my time at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. In 2014, [...]
Student Veteran Submission: David Thibodeau Testimony to the Department of Education, March 2024
Good afternoon. My name is David Thibodeau. In 2008, a few years after my service in the Army National Guard, I enrolled in DeVry University in the Game & Simulation online program. I saw advertisements [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Amanda Sacoto-Dunbar Testimony to the Department of Education, March 2024
Hi, my name is Amanda Sacoto-Dunbar. Following my time in the Army, I decided to go to school. I completed a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in criminal justice, without any issues. I knew [...]
Veterans & Military Service Organizations’ Letter to U.S. House of Representatives Regarding a Proposal to in the College Cost Reduction Act to Re-Open 90/10 Loophole
March 11, 2024 The Honorable Mike Johnson Speaker United States House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515 The Honorable Hakeem Jeffries Minority Leader United States House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515 Dear Mr. Speaker and Mr. [...]
Our Press Release: Local Veterans Sound Alarm on National Stage on Tuesday 3/5 – Exposing How Unfair Practices, Poor-quality School Programs & “Sham Education Factories” Saddle Veterans with Debt & Fuel Student Debt Crisis
MEDIA ADVISORY Contact: Ana Cobian (323) 360-1827 [email protected] Local Veterans Sound Alarm on National Stage on Tuesday 3/5 Exposing How Unfair Practices, Poor-quality School Programs & “Sham Education Factories” Saddle Veterans with Debt & Fuel [...]
Our Press Release: Our Press Release: Local Veterans Sound Alarm On National Stage On Monday 3/4: Exposing How Unfair Practices, Poor-quality School Programs & “Sham Education Factories” Saddle Veterans With Debt & Fuel Student Debt Crisis
MEDIA ADVISORY Contact: Ana Cobian (323) 360-1827 [email protected] Local Veterans Sound Alarm on National Stage on Monday 3/4 Exposing How Unfair Practices, Poor-quality School Programs & “Sham Education Factories” Saddle Veterans with Debt & Fuel [...]
New York Times: University of Idaho Needs More Students. Should It Buy an Online School?
Alphi Black, an Army veteran from Los Angeles, is trying to have her student loans forgiven after having enrolled at the University of Phoenix following what she said were misleading sales pitches. After earning her [...]
MilitaryTimes: GI Bill rule change could upend requirements for online-only classes
“The impact of the proposed changes will lead to veterans being charged their GI Bill for what amounts to simple access to the internet,” said William Hubbard, vice president for Veterans and Military Policy at [...]
Our Oral Comment to NACIQI Regarding the Council on Occupational Education- February 2024 Meeting
Veterans Education Success Oral Testimony Regarding the Council on Occupational Education (COE)’s Oversight of Florida Career College National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity U.S. Department of Education Wednesday, February 28, 2024 The history [...]
Veterans & Military Service Organizations’ Letter to VA Regarding Proposed Regulatory Changes Opening Up GI Bill To Unaccredited Online Programs
February 21, 2024 The Honorable Josh Jacobs, Under Secretary for Benefits Veteran Benefits Administration U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20420 via email Re: Proposed Regulatory Change on the Definition [...]
First In-Depth Assessment of the Post-9/11 GI Bill Provides Insight on Veterans’ Post-Secondary Enrollment, Degree Completion, and Earnings
Unique sharing of individual-level data among federal agencies finds veterans complete college at double the rate of comparable independent students. February 15, 2024, at 4 p.m. (ET) For more information, contact: For more information, contact: [...]
A First Look at Post-9/11 GI Bill-Eligible Enlisted Veterans’ Outcomes
This first look at the Post-9/11 GI Bill and its outcomes for veterans is possible thanks to unprecedented interagency cooperation, combining and analyzing, for the first time ever, previously siloed federal data. There has never [...]
Student Submission: Natashia Monk Testimony to the Department of Education, February 2024
My name is Natashia Monk, and I am here to tell you how I have never been able to use the degree I received from the University of Phoenix. I was a single mother, and [...]
Military Spouse Submission: Sharon Edwards Testimony to the Department of Education, February 2024
Thank you for the opportunity to allow me to share a bit about my not-so-great experience at Fisk University. My name is Sharon Kaye Edwards, and for the longest time, I put off going to [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Henry Hawley Testimony to the Department of Education, February 2024
Good afternoon. After serving in the Navy for four years, I decided to use my GI Bill benefits to attend college. I chose Stratford University and attended from 2010 until 2013. I completed an associate’s [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Nico Castillo Testimony to the Department of Education, February 2024
Thank you for the time to explain my experience at Living Arts College. In September 2021, after a six-year stint in the U.S. Army, I decided to enroll because I was interested in film school [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Michael Caraway Testimony to the Department of Education, February 2024
Good afternoon and thank you for the opportunity to share a bit about the challenges I’ve faced since my time as a student at Brown Mackie College. My name is Michael Caraway and I have [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Kolin Wilkins Testimony to the Department of Education, February 2024
Good afternoon and thank you for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Kolin Wilkins. In February 2020, I enrolled at Vista College to pursue an associate’s degree in medical insurance coding and billing. [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Cheri Carter Testimony to the Department of Education, February 2024
Good afternoon, my name is Cheri Carter. In 2007, I decided to use my GI Bill to pursue a career in medical billing and coding because I had worked in the medical field as a [...]
Our Letter to VA Regarding Proposed Regulatory Changes Opening up GI Bill to Unaccredited Online Programs
MEMORANDUM TO: The Honorable Joshua Jacobs, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs CC: The Honorable James Kvaal, U.S. Department of Education The Honorable Terri Tanielian, White House Domestic Policy Council Mr. Joe Garcia, Education Service, Veterans [...]
Our Press Release: Veterans To Testify Monday, February 5 About How Unfair Practices & Failed Oversight Saddle Gis With Debt & Fuel The Student Debt Crisis
MEDIA ADVISORY Contact: Ana Cobian (323) 360-1827 [email protected] VETERANS TO TESTIFY MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5 ABOUT HOW UNFAIR PRACTICES & FAILED OVERSIGHT SADDLE GIs WITH DEBT & FUEL THE STUDENT DEBT CRISIS AS U.S. DEPARTMENT OF [...]
Coalition letter regarding Rep. Foxx’s College Cost Reduction Act
January 30, 2024 The Honorable Virginia Foxx Chairwoman House Committee on Education & the Workforce The Honorable Robert C. Scott Ranking Member House Committee on Education & the Workforce Dear Chairwoman Foxx and Ranking [...]
WBAP Impact Texas: “Veteran GI Bill For-Profit College Scams”
Listen to the full audio at WBAP NEws Talk 820 AM 93.3 FM
CBS Audio: Eye on Veterans: Scam U: Student vets testify in DC re: college degree scams, GI Bill abuse
Today we’re talking with former student veterans who testified before the US Dept. of Education in Washington DC, regarding for-profit colleges that failed to provide the useful degrees they promised, all while burning through the [...]
Our Letter to Remington College’s Accreditor
January 18, 2024 Holly Eichhorst Manager of Commission Actions and Governance Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges RE: Remington College Dear Holly Eichhorst, Remington College’s Dallas, Texas; Shreveport, Louisiana; and Nashville, Tennessee, campuses are [...]
Our Letter to Lincoln Technical Institute’s Accreditor (January 2024)
January 18, 2024 Holly Eichhorst Manager of Commission Actions and Governance Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges RE: Lincoln Technical Institute Dear Holly Eichhorst, The Lincoln Technical Institute in East Windsor, Connecticut, is on [...]
Our Letter to IntelliTec’s Accreditor
January 18, 2024 Holly Eichhorst Manager of Commission Actions and Governance Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges RE: IntelliTec Dear Holly Eichhorst, IntelliTec in Grand Junction, Colorado, is on the list of schools that [...]
Our Letter to Concorde Career College’s Accreditor
January 18, 2024 Holly Eichhorst Manager of Commission Actions and Governance Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges RE: Concorde Career College Dear Holly Eichhorst, The Concorde Career College’s campuses in Aurora, Colorado, and Miramar, [...]
Our Letter to Aviation Institute of Maintenance’s Accreditor (January 2024)
January 18, 2024 Holly Eichhorst Manager of Commission Actions and Governance Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges RE: Aviation Institute of Maintenance Dear Holly Eichhorst, The Aviation Institute of Maintenance campus in Manassas, Virginia, [...]
Fort Cavazos Herald: Area veteran fighting for restoral of GI Bill benefits
Glenn’s experience is not unique, according to Will Hubbard, vice president of veteran and military policy for Veterans Education Success. According to Hubbard, there are three entities involved in providing accountability and oversight. They are: [...]
820 News Talk-WBAP: Interview with Will Hubbard and Vet Michael Nelson
Just short of graduating, he received a gut wrenching email from the institute Do not return back to the school because we're now closed. No options, no nothing. Unfortunately, Nelson story is all too common. [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Riley Street Testimony to the Department of Education, January 2024
Good afternoon, I am Riley Street. I served in the Army from 2015 until 2020. After my time in the military, I decided to go to school to pursue art and design. I attended Living [...]
Military Spouse Submission: Dr. Cynthia Lawrence Testimony to the Department of Education, January 2024
Good afternoon, I would first like to say thank you for having me here to speak to you today on this matter of utmost importance. Hi, I am Dr. Cynthia Lawrence, and I am a [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Edgar Sort de Sanz Testimony to the Department of Education, January 2024
My name is Edgar Sort de Sanz, and I appreciate the opportunity to share my experience as a student at the University of Phoenix. After serving in the Navy, I enrolled in a Bachelor ‘s [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Jeri Glenn Testimony to the Department of Education, January 2024
My name is Jeri Glenn. I served in the US Navy from 1987-2002. When I looked for jobs after getting out, I found the lack of a degree put me at a disadvantage despite my [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Josiah Shaw Testimony to the Department of Education, January 2024
Hi, my name is Josiah Shaw. I served in the Air Force from 2002 until 2006 and again from 2012 until 2019. When I most recently returned to civilian life, I decided it was time [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Stephanie Pollay Testimony to the Department of Education, January 2024
Good afternoon, my name is Stephanie Pollay. I served in the United States Air Force from 2001-2003. After the service, I decided to go back to school. I was from a blue-collar family that was [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Sally Olsen Testimony to the Department of Education, January 2024
Hello, my name is Sally Olsen. I am speaking today to tell you about how I made the biggest mistake ever going back to school. I am a Marine Corps veteran. In 2004, at age [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Shawn Bonita Testimony to the Department of Education, January 2024
Hi, my name is Shawn Bonita. I served in the Navy from 2003 until 2009. After leaving the Navy, I decided to use my GI Bill benefits to attend college. I started off at a [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Luke Downs Testimony to the Department of Education, January 2024
Hi, my name is Luke Downs. I was a combat medic from 2015 until 2019. Since then, I have pursued a career in nursing because I believe the skills I already had would easily translate. [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Adam Young Testimony to the Department of Education, January 2024
Hi, my name is Adam Young. I served in the Navy from 2003 until 2007. I was enrolled in Full Sail University from 2020 to 2023, a for-profit school. Because my time is limited, I’ll [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Michael Nelson Testimony to the Department of Education, January 2024
My name is Mike Nelson, and I want to thank you for the opportunity to share my personal experience. I attended an accredited school that abruptly closed just a few months ago, during my final [...]
Military Spouse Submission: Jasmine Thomas Testimony to the Department of Education, January 2024
Hi, my name is Jasmine Thomas. I spoke at the public hearing in April and shared my awful experience at Fortis Institute. I wanted to speak again today because it is important that you keep [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Angela McMillen Testimony to the Department of Education, January 2024
My name is Angela McMillen, and I am a Navy veteran. I enrolled at the University of the Rockies, which became Ashford University during my attendance. I want to share that my concerns about Ashford [...]
820 News Talk- WBAP-Dallas: Interview with Will Hubbard by Nicole Osei
The power grid failed, knocking out power to millions of Texans for days. Eric Bushman, WB AP News veterans testified on Capitol Hill this week about getting scammed out of their GI Bill benefits. Nkomo said he [...]
KLIF 570 Radio News: Will Hubbard interviewed by Nicole Osei
Our law veterans are testifying in Washington, D.C. this week about their experiences with for profit colleges that scam them out of their GI Bill benefits. The Obama administration implemented tighter regulations for these types [...]
Our Press Release: Veterans To Testify January 8 About How Unfair Practices & Failed Oversight Saddle GIs With Debt & Fuel the Student Debt Crisis
MEDIA ADVISORY Contact: Ana Cobian (323) 360-1827 [email protected] VETERANS TO TESTIFY JANUARY 8 ABOUT HOW UNFAIR PRACTICES & FAILED OVERSIGHT SADDLE GIs WITH DEBT & FUEL THE STUDENT DEBT CRISIS AS U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Veterans’ Studies Gains Traction as Emerging Field
"While a disproportionate number of veterans (many with access to GI Bill money) have attended—and sometimes been swindled by—for-profit colleges, William Hubbard, vice president for veterans and military policy at Veterans Education Success, said it’s encouraging [...]
Idaho Education News: EXCLUSIVE: ‘The dollar store of higher education:’ Skeptics say the Phoenix purchase would cheapen the U of I brand
David Halperin and Della Justice have spent years scrutinizing for-profit universities. And nothing they have seen in recent months has changed their minds about Phoenix. For years, they say, Phoenix has used aggressive marketing and [...]
Our letter to the Indiana Supreme Court regarding proposed rule for unaccredited law schools
December 15, 2023 Proposed Rule Changes Indiana Office of Court Services 251 N. Illinois Street, Suite 800 Indianapolis, IN 46204 Submitted electronically Re: Proposed Amendment to Admission and Discipline Rule 13 To the Indiana Supreme [...]
2023 Annual Report & Decade Report: Decade in Review
To Our Valued Partners, As 2023 comes to a close, we celebrate a decade of our impact and victories for veterans. Sparked by a U.S. Senate investigation in 2012 into predatory colleges, our leadership has [...]
Veterans and Military Students Nomination Letter for Program Integrity and Institutional Quality NegReg
December 13, 2023 Aaron Washington U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave. SW Washington, DC 20202 via email Docket ID ED-2023-OPE-0039 Dear Mr. Washington, The undersigned veterans and military service organizations write to submit the [...]
Our Letter to the Department of Education on the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
December 8, 2023 Herman Bounds Director of Accreditation Group Office of Postsecondary Education U.S. Department of Education Via email: [email protected] RE: Written Comments - Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Dear [...]
Black Enterprise: Howard University Addresses GI Bill Suspension with Dedicated Veterans Office
Another expert, Carrie Wofford, the president of Veterans Education Success, a group responsible for often lobbying Congress on issues related to the GI Bill, told Military.com that the move against Howard also concerned her, because there were [...]
New York Times: How Millions of Borrowers Got $127 Billion in Student Loans Canceled
Seeking help, Ms. Olsen — a former Marine — contacted Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group. Their representatives helped her file a borrower defense claim in 2021. Read the full column at The New York [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Veterans ‘Check the Boxes’ Colleges Now Seek
"William Hubbard, vice president for veterans and military policy at Veterans Education Success, which advocates for and works to protect federal military and veteran education benefits, said four-year institutions that have larger budgets to invest [...]
Our Letter to Lincoln Technical Institute’s Accreditor
October 31, 2023 Holly Eichhorst Manager of Commission Actions and Governance Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges RE: Lincoln technical Institute Dear Holly Eichhorst, The Lincoln Technical Institute in New Britain, Connecticut is on [...]
Our Letter to Aviation Institute of Maintenance’s Accreditor
October 31, 2023 Holly Eichhorst Manager of Commission Actions and Governance Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges RE: Aviation Institute of Maintenance Dear Holly Eichhorst, The Aviation Institute of Maintenance in Chicago and Norfolk [...]
Our Letter to VA regarding Florida Career College, UEI College, and United Education Institute
We are writing to urge VA and the appropriate State Approving Agencies (SAAs) (copied on this letter) to exercise your oversight authority with respect to three affiliated schools – Florida Career College (FCC), UEI College, and United Education Institution. Specifically, we urge you to reassess the approval status for FCC, in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 3675(b)(4) and 38 U.S.C. § 3696, and to conduct risk-based surveys for UEI College and United Education Institute. (According to the Department of Education, these three institutions are all owned by IEC Corporation (IEC)).
Coalition Letter to Middle States Commission on Higher Education regarding Third-Party Providers
Middle States Commission on Higher Education 1007 North Orange Street 4th Floor, MB #166 Wilmington, DE 19801 October 20, 2023 Re: Public Comments on Third-Party Providers Policy and Procedures Thank you for the opportunity to [...]
Our Statement for the Record on the October, 2023, Legislative Hearing of the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD SUBMITTED TO THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY 118TH CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION October 18, 2023 Chairman Van Orden, Ranking Member Levin, and Members of the Subcommittee: We [...]
Military and Veterans Organizations’ Press Release Regarding Support for CFPB In Supreme Court Case
PRESS STATEMENT Military and Veterans’ Organizatons Express Support for CFPB On October 3, the United States Supreme Court will hear oral argument in the case of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau v. Community Financial Services Association [...]
Nationally Known Policy Expert and Student Veterans available for comment/context on U.S. Department of Education’s Gainful Employment Rule
Media Availability September 27, 2023 Nationally Known Policy Expert and Student Veterans available for comment/context on U.S. Department of Education’s Gainful Employment Rule Today, the Department of Education published the long-awaited gainful employment and financial [...]
School Administrators Poll
Greetings! At Elevate Vets and Veterans Education Success, we understand the increasingly complex and time consuming role of the School Certifying Official. Serving our military connected students brings layers of compliance and often complex regulations that [...]
Oral Testimony to the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee on the Topic of “Red Tape at VA”
ORAL TESTIMONY OF WILLIAM HUBBARD, VICE PRESIDENT FOR VETERANS & MILITARY POLICY PRESENTED TO THE U.S. HOUSE VETERANS’ AFFAIRS COMMITTEE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ON THE TOPIC OF “LESS IS MORE: THE IMPACT OF BUREAUCRATIC [...]
Our Statement for the Record for a House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity Oversight Hearing
TESTIMONY OF WILLIAM HUBBARD, VICE PRESIDENT FOR VETERANS & MILITARY POLICY SUBMITTED TO THE U.S. HOUSE VETERANS’ AFFAIRS COMMITTEE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ON THE TOPIC OF “LESS IS MORE: THE IMPACT OF BUREAUCRATIC RED [...]
Statement on Fake Letter
RE: Fake Letter with Subject Line “5 Star CDL Training” To Whom It May Concern: It has come to our attention that you may have received a letter purporting to be from Veterans Education Success [...]
Coalition letter to the Education Department regarding quality and accountability rulemaking
The Honorable James Kvaal Under Secretary of Education U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue SW Washington, D.C. 20202 August 31, 2023 Dear Under Secretary Kvaal: As the Department of Education proceeds with establishing a [...]
Our Amicus Brief to the U.S. Supreme Court On the Merits of GI Bill Benefits for Multiple Periods of Service
Veterans Education Success filed an amicus brief supporting that where a veteran has multiple periods of service, the veteran may qualify for both the Montgomery GI Bill and the Post 9/11 GI Bill. The brief [...]
Coalition Letter to the House Education Committee re: lowering college costs and increasing value
July 26, 2023 The Honorable Burgess Owens Chairman, House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development The Honorable Frederica S. Wilson Ranking Member, House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development Dear Chairman Owens and [...]
Veterans and Military Organizations’ Letter on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 Amendment
July 20, 2023 Senator Tom Carper 513 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 SUBJ: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 Amendment Dear Senator Carper, The undersigned organizations serving service members, veterans, and [...]
Our Letter to VA Regarding Hussian College
July 19, 2023 Joseph L. Garcia, Executive Director Education Service Veterans Benefits Administration Via email Re: Hussian College Closing Dear Director Garcia, We write to urge the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the appropriate [...]
Our Follow-Up to VA re: Risk-Based Survey SOPs
July 10, 2023 James Ruhlman, Deputy Director Program Management Education Service Veterans Benefits Administration Via email Dear Mr. Ruhlman, In response to concerns we raised about the standard operating procedures for the risk-based surveys as [...]
First News: Battling GI Fraud and Scam schools
Hear the full podcast at First News on demand with WRGA's Tony McIntosh here.
Cheyenne Post: Veterans Should Have the Right to Use Their Hard-Earned Educational Benefits
"We are pleased the Supreme Court granted cert as this case raises important questions regarding veterans’ rights when they have qualified for both the Post-9/11 GI Bill and the Montgomery GI Bill. When veterans serve their country [...]
Our Press Release: Supreme Court Decision on Affirmative Action Contains Puzzling Logic That Will Fail To Ensure Racial Diversity in the Armed Forces Officer Ranks
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Will Hubbard (703) 379-3822 SUPREME COURT DECISION ON AFFIRMATIVE ACTION CONTAINS PUZZLING LOGIC THAT WILL FAIL TO ENSURE RACIAL DIVERSITY IN THE ARMED FORCES OFFICER RANKS Jun 29, 2023– In the [...]
Our Press Release: Largest Post 9/11 GI Bill Fraud Case Yields Guilty Pleas
Contact: Ana Cobian: (323) 360.1827 [email protected] LARGEST POST 9/11 GI BILL FRAUD CASE YIELDS GUILTY PLEAS SERVES AS TRAGIC WAKE UP CALL: VA NEEDS STRONGER AUTHORITY & OVERSIGHT US Taxpayers & Student Veterans Scammed Out [...]
Our Press Release: Veterans Should Have the Right to Use Their Hard-Earned Educational Benefits
Assignment Desk Team, You may have heard about the potential purchase of the University of Phoenix by the University of Idaho System. I wanted to share this opportunity to interview a legal expert leading a [...]
Idaho Statesman: University of Phoenix has a checkered past. Did U of I make an ‘enormously risky’ move?
Blaming students for poor results is a tactic for-profit schools use, said Barmak Nassirian, a longtime higher education policy analyst who works for Veterans Education Success. When predatory institutions have a pattern of low graduation [...]
Our Letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs on the Marine Corps Excess Leave Program
June 21, 2023 Joseph L. Garcia, Executive Director Education Service Veterans Benefits Administration Via email Re: Marine Corps Excess Leave Program Policy Dear Director Garcia, We write to advise the Department of Veterans Affairs that [...]
Veterans and Military Organizations’ Letter to the Department of Education on Rulemaking (Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment, Financial Responsibility, Administrative Capability, Certification Procedures, Ability to Benefit)
June 20, 2023 Secretary Miguel Cardona U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave. SW Washington, DC 20202 RE: Docket ID ED-2023-OPE-0089 Dear Mr. Secretary, The undersigned organizations representing servicemembers, veterans, military families, and survivors are [...]
Our Letter to the Education Dept. on the Gainful Employment and Related Regulations
June 20, 2023 The Honorable Nasser H. Paydar, Ph.D. Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education U.S. Department of Education Re: Docket ID ED–2023–OPE–0089 Dear Assistant Secretary Paydar, I write to submit comments on behalf of Veterans [...]
Our Letter to VA regarding the VETS Credit Act
June 14, 2023 Joseph L. Garcia, Executive Director Education Service Veterans Benefits Administration Via email Re: School closings and GI Bill Restoration information Dear Director Garcia, As you requested in our meeting on May 24, [...]
Letter Reply from VA re: Risk-Based Survey SOPs (June 15, 2023)
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Veterans Benefits Administration Washington, D.C. 20420 June 15, 2023 Carrie Wofford, President Veterans Education Success 1501 K St., Suite 200 Washington, DC 20005 Dear Ms. Wofford: Thank you for your letter, [...]
Our Statement for the Record on the June 14, 2023, Legislative Hearing of the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD SUBMITTED TO THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY 118TH CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION June 14, 2023 Chairman Van Orden, Ranking Member Levin, and Members of the Subcommittee: We [...]
Our Review of a Report on Housing Allowances for Fully Online Post-9/11 GI Bill Beneficiaries
Hypothesis in Search of Evidence: Housing Allowances for Fully Online Post-9/11 GI Bill Beneficiaries A March 2023 Urban Institute paper on Post-9/11 housing allowances is a hypothesis in search of evidence, and much of the [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Zack Fenton Testimony to the Department of Education
Good morning. I’m Zack Fenton, I’m an Army veteran, and I would like to share some details about my experience at IntelliTec College. I enrolled in an automotive program in early 2020. I specifically shared [...]
Our Statement for the Record on the June 2024 Legislative Hearing of the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD SUBMITTED TO THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY 118TH CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION June 12, 2024 Chairman Van Orden, Ranking Member Levin, and Members of the Subcommittee: We [...]
Our Follow-Up Letter to the Department of Education regarding proposed new Borrower Defense to Repayment Application
June 16, 2023 U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave. SW, LBJ, Room 6W203 Washington, DC 20202-8240 Submitted via electronic portal Re: Borrower Defense to Loan Repayment Universal Forms (Docket No. ED-2023-SCC-0024) Comment Request 5/17/2023 [...]
Our Follow-Up to VA re: Risk-Based Survey SOPs
June 1, 2023 Joseph L. Garcia, Executive Director Education Service Veterans Benefits Administration Via email Re: Risk-Based Surveys Dear Director Garcia: Thank you for your response to our previous letter concerning the implementation of risk-based [...]
The Guardian: US veterans defrauded by for-profit universities fight to restore benefits
"When the Department of Ed finds out there was wrongdoing, that actually has no bearing on whether the students who are veterans are going to get their money back, because they’re using GI Bill dollars,” [...]
U of I’s purchase of University of Phoenix fraught with red flags. Here are ones we know
A day after the public learned of the proposed deal, the Idaho State Board of Education authorized the creation of a not-for-profit to purchase the for-profit University of Phoenix on behalf of the University of Idaho.
Our Press Release: Local Detroit, MI, Student Veteran & National Advocate Applaud Changes to Weed Out Failing Programs & Help Protect Student Veterans Using Their GI Bill Benefits
MEDIA ADVISORY - Contact: Ana Cobian - 323.360.1827 [email protected] LOCAL DETROIT, MI, STUDENT VETERAN & NATIONAL ADVOCATE APPLAUD CHANGES TO WEED OUT FAILING PROGRAMS & HELP PROTECT STUDENT VETERANS USING THEIR GI BILL BENEFITS This Change By [...]
Our Press Release: Letter from Veterans & Higher Ed Advocates Ask University of Idaho to Reconsider University of Phoenix Purchase in Light of the Business’ Consumer Protection Legal Liabilities
Assignment Desk Team, You may have heard about the potential purchase of the University of Phoenix by the University of Idaho System. I wanted to share this opportunity to interview a legal expert leading a [...]
Our Press Release: Nationally Known Policy Expert Available for Comment/Context on the Imminent Release of U.S. Department of Education Proposed Rules On “Gainful Employment,” Financial Responsibility, Administrative Capability, and Certification
MEDIA ADVISORY Contact: Ana Cobian - 323.360.1827 [email protected] Nationally Known Policy Expert Available for Comment/Context on the Imminent Release of U.S. Department of Education Proposed Rules On “Gainful Employment,” Financial Responsibility, Administrative Capability, and Certification [...]
Proposal for Idaho to purchase University of Phoenix should stop in its tracks
The Idaho State Board of Education made a stunning announcement Wednesday afternoon: The following day, it would “consider a proposal by the University of Idaho to create a not-for-profit entity to acquire the University of Phoenix.” The proposal was listed as an action item, meaning with almost no public debate, the board could act Thursday.
Our Press Release: Local Atlanta, GA, Student Veteran & National Advocate Applaud Changes to Weed Out Failing Programs & Help Protect Student Veterans Using Their GI Bill Benefits
MEDIA ADVISORY - Contact: Ana Cobian - 323.360.1827 [email protected] LOCAL ATLANTA, GA, STUDENT VETERAN & NATIONAL ADVOCATE APPLAUD CHANGES TO WEED OUT FAILING PROGRAMS & HELP PROTECT STUDENT VETERANS USING THEIR GI BILL BENEFITS This Change By [...]
Our Press Release: Local Akron, OH, Student Veteran & National Advocate Applaud Changes to Weed Out Failing Programs & Help Protect Student Veterans Using Their GI Bill Benefits
MEDIA ADVISORY - Contact: Ana Cobian - 323.360.1827 [email protected] LOCAL AKRON, OH, STUDENT VETERAN & NATIONAL ADVOCATE APPLAUD CHANGES TO WEED OUT FAILING PROGRAMS & HELP PROTECT STUDENT VETERANS USING THEIR GI BILL BENEFITS This Change By [...]
Our Press Release: Detroit Veteran Available for Interviews – Defrauded Veterans Speak Out About Sham Colleges & Need to Strengthen Accreditation & Licensing to Protect Students
Contact: Ana Cobian (323) 360-1827 [email protected] DETROIT VETERAN AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS Defrauded Veterans Speak Out About Sham Colleges & Need to Strengthen Accreditation & Licensing to Protect Students WASHINGTON, DC—In the wake of being defrauded [...]
The Washington Post: University of Phoenix to be acquired by University of Idaho nonprofit
"Della Justice, vice president of legal affairs at Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group that spoke out against the Arkansas-Phoenix deal, said she was dismayed with the Idaho board’s decision. “We are disappointed that the [...]
Our Press Release: Local Phoenix, AZ, Student Veteran & National Advocate Applaud Changes to Weed Out Failing Programs & Help Protect Student Veterans Using Their GI Bill Benefits
MEDIA ADVISORY - Contact: Ana Cobian - 323.360.1827 [email protected] LOCAL PHOENIX, AZ, STUDENT VETERAN & NATIONAL ADVOCATE APPLAUD CHANGES TO WEED OUT FAILING PROGRAMS & HELP PROTECT STUDENT VETERANS USING THEIR GI BILL BENEFITS This Change By [...]
Coalition Letter Urging Congress to Pass the College Transparency Act
Coalition letter strongly urging Congress to pass the bicameral, bipartisan College Transparency Act (S. 1349 / H.R. 2957).
Our Press Release: Experienced Veterans Advocate Joins Team at Veterans Education Success
For Immediate Release May 15, 2023 Experienced Veterans Advocate Joins Team at Veterans Education Success Former Legislative Counsel and Senior Associate, Advaith Thampi, J.D. Washington, D.C. – Veterans Education Success is pleased to announce that [...]
Statement for the Record Submitted to the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs 118th Congress, First Session
Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Moran, and Members of the Committee: We thank you for the opportunity to share this statement for consideration during this hearing, which includes many notable bills addressing topics in higher education [...]
Our Letter to the Dept of Education Regarding Accreditation and State Authorization Rulemaking
April 24, 2023 Ashley Clark U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave. SW, Room 2C–185 Washington, DC 20202 RE: Docket ID ED–2023–OPE–0039 Dear Ms. Clark, I am pleased to submit comments in response to the [...]
The Washington Post: Potential deal to buy University of Phoenix draws scrutiny in Arkansas
"If [Phoenix] becomes affiliated with Arkansas, we’re concerned that the documented bad practices at Phoenix would continue under the banner of a major university system,” said Della Justice, vice president of legal affairs at Veterans [...]
The Boston Globe: Website posing as fake Massachusetts university draws attention of authorities
"These types of schemes and bad-acting for-profit colleges tend to target first-generation and veteran students, said Della Justice, vice president for legal affairs at Veterans Education Success, a nonprofit that advocates for veteran students using [...]
Wilmington Veteran Testifies About Sham College – Calls for Reforms
contact: Ana Cobian (323) 360-1827 [email protected] WILMINGTON VETERAN AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS Defrauded Veterans Speak Out About Sham Colleges & Need to Strengthen Accreditation & Licensing to Protect Students WASHINGTON, DC—In the wake of being defrauded [...]
Jacksonville Veteran Testifies About Sham College – Calls for Reforms
Contact: Ana Cobian (323) 360-1827 [email protected] JACKSONVILLE VETERAN AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS Defrauded Veterans Speak Out About Sham Colleges & Need to Strengthen Accreditation & Licensing to Protect Students WASHINGTON, DC—In the wake of being defrauded [...]
Old Forge, PA Veteran Testifies About Sham College – Calls for Reforms
Contact: Ana Cobian (323) 360-1827 [email protected] OLD FORGE, PA VETERAN AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS Defrauded Veterans Speak Out About Sham Colleges & Need to Strengthen Accreditation & Licensing to Protect Students WASHINGTON, DC—In the wake of [...]
Detroit Veteran Testifies About Sham College – Calls for Reforms
Contact: Ana Cobian (323) 360-1827 [email protected] DETROIT VETERAN AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS Defrauded Veterans Speak Out About Sham Colleges & Need to Strengthen Accreditation & Licensing to Protect Students WASHINGTON, DC—In the wake of being defrauded [...]
Heartland, TX Veteran Testifies About Sham College – Calls for Reforms
Contact: Ana Cobian (323) 360-1827 [email protected] HEARTLAND, TX VETERAN AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS Defrauded Veterans Speak Out About Sham Colleges & Need to Strengthen Accreditation & Licensing to Protect Students WASHINGTON, DC—In the wake of being [...]
Kentucky Army Spouse Testifies About Sham College – Calls for Reforms
Contact: Ana Cobian (323) 360-1827 [email protected] FT. CAMPBELL, KY ARMY SPOUSE AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS Defrauded Veterans Speak Out About Sham Colleges & Need to Strengthen Accreditation & Licensing to Protect Students WASHINGTON, DC—In the wake [...]
Defrauded Veterans Testify About Sham Colleges – Call for Reforms
Contact: Ana Cobian (323) 360-1827 [email protected] LEGAL EXPERT AND STUDENT VETERANS AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS Defrauded Veterans Speak Out About Sham Colleges & Need to Strengthen Accreditation & Licensing to Protect Students WASHINGTON, DC—In the wake of [...]
Our Press Release: Heartlanx, TX Veteran Available for Interviews – Defrauded Veterans Speak Out About Sham Colleges & Need to Strengthen Accreditation & Licensing to Protect Students
Contact: Ana Cobian (323) 360-1827 [email protected] HEARTLAND, TX VETERAN AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS Defrauded Veterans Speak Out About Sham Colleges & Need to Strengthen Accreditation & Licensing to Protect Students WASHINGTON, DC—In the wake of being [...]
Our Press Release: Ft. Campbell, KY Army Spouse Available for Interviews – Defrauded Veterans Speak Out About Sham Colleges & Need to Strengthen Accreditation & Licensing to Protect Students
Contact: Ana Cobian (323) 360-1827 [email protected] FT. CAMPBELL, KY ARMY SPOUSE AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS Defrauded Veterans Speak Out About Sham College & Need to Strengthen Accreditation & Licensing to Protect Students WASHINGTON, DC—In the wake [...]
Our Press Release: Wilmington Veteran Available for Interviews – Defrauded Veterans Speak Out About Sham Colleges & Need to Strengthen Accreditation & Licensing to Protect Students
Contact: Ana Cobian (323) 360-1827 [email protected] WILMINGTON VETERAN AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS Defrauded Veterans Speak Out About Sham Colleges & Need to Strengthen Accreditation & Licensing to Protect Students WASHINGTON, DC—In the wake of being defrauded [...]
Our Press Release: Old Forge, PA Veteran Available for Interviews – Defrauded Veterans Speak Out About Sham Colleges & Need to Strengthen Accreditation & Licensing to Protect Students
Contact: Ana Cobian (323) 360-1827 [email protected] OLD FORGE, PA VETERAN AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS Defrauded Veterans Speak Out About Sham Colleges & Need to Strengthen Accreditation & Licensing to Protect Students WASHINGTON, DC—In the wake of [...]
Our Press Release: Jacksonville Veteran Available for Interviews – Defrauded Veterans Speak Out About Sham Colleges & Need to Strengthen Accreditation & Licensing to Protect Students
Contact: Ana Cobian (323) 360-1827 [email protected] JACKSONVILLE VETERAN AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS Defrauded Veterans Speak Out About Sham Colleges & Need to Strengthen Accreditation & Licensing to Protect Students WASHINGTON, DC—In the wake of being defrauded [...]
Our Press Release: Local Jacksonville, FL, Student Veteran & National Advocate Applaud Changes to Weed Out Failing Programs & Help Protect Student Veterans Using Their GI Bill Benefits
MEDIA ADVISORY - Contact: Ana Cobian - 323.360.1827 [email protected] LOCAL JACKSONVILLE, FL, STUDENT VETERAN & NATIONAL ADVOCATE APPLAUD CHANGES TO WEED OUT FAILING PROGRAMS & HELP PROTECT STUDENT VETERANS USING THEIR GI BILL BENEFITS This Change By [...]
Our Amicus Brief to the U.S. Supreme Court regarding GI Bill Benefits for Multiple Periods of Service
Veterans Education Success filed an amicus brief supporting that where a veteran has multiple periods of service, the veteran may qualify for both the Montgomery GI Bill and the Post 9/11 GI Bill. The case is Rudisill v. Wilkie before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Education Department Will Terminate Aid to Florida Career College
The U.S. Department of Education announced today it will stop providing federal student grant and loan payments to Florida Career College (FCC), a for-profit school whose predatory practices Republic Report helped expose in a May 2020 investigation.
Los Angeles Times: Veterans burned by for profit colleges fight for their lost GI Bill benefits
“Veterans get disproportionately victimized primarily because they disproportionately represent all of the characteristics of your nontraditional students,” said Barmak Nassirian, vice president for higher education policy at Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group focused on [...]
Our Letter to VA regarding Florida Career College’s Loss of Title IV Approval
April 13, 2023 Betsy Wickham, Bureau Chief State Approving Agency Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs Via email David Salgado, Director Veterans Education Program Texas Veterans Commission Via email Joseph L. Garcia, Executive Director Education Service [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Glen Stroman Testimony to the Department of Education
Good morning/afternoon. I’m Glen Stroman, and I am a veteran who attended Grand Canyon University to earn my doctorate. I am a teacher and I have advised students on college choices, so I did my [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Nicholas Whatley Testimony to the Department of Education
Hello, I am Nicholas Whatley and I am a Navy Veteran. In about 2017 I enrolled in Hallmark University’s Airframe and Powerplant Technology Associate’s program to get my civilian aviation certification. I was there for [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Tyler Dean Testimony to the Department of Education
Hello, my name is Tyler Dean. I am an Air Force veteran. I enrolled in Keiser University’s online accelerated Applied Engineering degree in 2021 to become an engineer. Keiser’s admissions counselors knew I wanted to [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Deborah Butrim Testimony to the Department of Education
Good morning/afternoon. I’m Deborah Butrim, and I served in the Army for 20 years. Towards the end of my service, I enrolled in a PhD program at Walden University. I was going to enroll at [...]
Our Testimony on Accreditation and State Authorization at the Department of Education Negotiated Rulemaking Hearings
My name is Della Justice and I am Vice President for Legal Affairs with Veterans Education Success, a nonprofit research, policy, and student-veteran advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C. We work on a bipartisan basis [...]
Military Spouse Submission: Jasmine Thomas Testimony to the Department of Education
Hello, my name is Jasmine Thomas. I’m an active-duty army spouse that is stationed in Fort Campbell, KY. I am a stay-at-home mother of two and I attended Fortis Institute, a for profit school in [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Ashley Beverly Testimony to the Department of Education
Good morning. My name is Ashley Beverly. I’m a Navy veteran and I have been a social worker for seven years. I decided I wanted to get my doctorate in Clinical Social Work, so I [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Quenton Ross Testimony to the Department of Education
Hello, my name is Quenton Ross. I’m a disabled Navy veteran. I’m here to tell you that I did not get the high quality education that Full Sail University promised. Before leaving the Navy I [...]
Our Letter to the Department of Education regarding proposed new Borrower Defense to Repayment Application
April 3, 2023 U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave. SW, LBJ, Room 6W203 Washington, DC 20202-8240 Submitted via electronic portal Re: Borrower Defense to Loan Repayment Universal Forms (Docket No. ED-2023-SCC-0024) To Whom It [...]
Coalition Letter on Third Party Servicer Guidance
March 30, 2023 Annmarie Weisman Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Planning, and Innovation Office of Postsecondary Education U.S. Department of Education Re: Docket ID ED-2022-OPE-0103 Submitted electronically via regulations.gov Dear Deputy Assistant Secretary Weisman, On [...]
Our Statement for the Record on the March 30, 2023, Legislative Hearing of the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity
Chairman Van Orden, Ranking Member Levin, and Members of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee of the Committee on Veterans Affairs: We thank you for the opportunity to share our views regarding legislation under consideration by the [...]
Major Step Forward in Justice for Veterans – Student Veteran Benefit Restoration Bill Drops
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Ana Cobian (323)360-1827 [email protected] “Major Step Forward in Justice Long Overdue for Student Veterans” as New Bill: Student Veteran Benefit Restoration Act Drops House Veterans Affairs to Hold Thursday Hearing on [...]
Coalition Letter on Maryland 90/10
March 27, 2023 Emily A. A. Dow, Ph.D. Assistant Secretary for Academic Affairs Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) 6 N. Liberty St., 10th Fl. Baltimore, MD 21201 By Email Dear Dr. Dow, The undersigned organizations, [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Univ. of Phoenix is the Top Recipient of GI Bill Funding
"These large for-profit college chains have massive recruiting efforts focused on veterans,” Carrie Wofford, president of the advocacy group Veterans Education Success, told USA Today. “They hire lots of salesmen and hold lots of events [...]
USA Today: This controversial, for-profit college has received $1.6B in GI Bill funds, the most of any school
Carrie Wofford, president of the advocacy group Veterans Education Success, is not surprised. For years her group has tracked schools that aggressively enroll veterans, checking to see whether they are delivering quality education. “These large for-profit [...]
KUAF: University of Arkansas System Moves Closer to Deal with University of Phoenix
The University of Arkansas System is in talks with the University of Phoenix on a possible affiliation deal, as an Arkansas nonprofit is set to buy the for-profit university. KUAF's Daniel Caruth hears from UA System officials and critics about what an affiliation could mean.
Our Letter to the Dept. of Education RE: Online Program Managers and Bundled Service’s Guidance
March 16, 2023 Ashley Clark U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave. SW Washington, DC 20202 RE: Docket ID ED-2023-OPE-0030 Dear Ms. Clark, I write to submit comments on behalf of Veterans Education Success in [...]
Letter Reply from VA re: Risk-Based Survey SOPs (March 16, 2023)
March 16, 2023 Carrie Wofford, President Veterans Education Success 1501 K St., Suite 200 Washington, DC 20005 Dear Ms. Wofford: Thank you for your letter, dated March 7, 2023, to the Department of Veterans Affairs [...]
U.S. taxpayers stuck with the tab as helicopter flight schools exploit GI Bill loophole
For some flight schools that train helicopter pilots, the GI Bill that took effect in 2009 was a windfall the government never intended. Helicopter schools had been struggling financially, and the bill excluded them from direct funding. But after finding a loophole in the law that allows them to train military veterans completely at government expense, with no cap on what they can charge, the schools rapidly expanded. They now collect tens of millions a year in taxpayer dollars.
Our Testimony at the Department of Education’s Virtual Hearing on Incentive Compensation Guidance
My name is Barmak Nassirian and I serve as Vice President for Higher Education Policy with Veterans Education Success, a nonprofit research, policy, and student veteran advocacy organization. We work on a non-partisan basis to [...]
Our Letter to VA re Risk-Based Survey SOPs
March 7, 2023 Joseph L. Garcia, Executive Director Education Service Veteran Benefits Administration Via email Re: Risk-Based Surveys Dear Director Garcia: We thank you and your team at the Education Service for making progress towards [...]
Statement for the Record: Legislative Priorities Submitted to the Senate and House Committees on Veterans Affairs
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES SUBMITTED TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE COMMITTEES ON VETERANS AFFAIRS 118TH CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION March 7, 2023 Chairmen Tester and Bost, Ranking Members Moran and Takano, and Members of [...]
Our Oral Comment to NACIQI Regarding the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)- Winter 2023 Meeting
Good morning. I am Allison Muth, a Senior Attorney with Veterans Education Success. We work on a bipartisan basis to advance higher education success for veterans, service members, and military families, and to protect the [...]
Our Oral Comment to NACIQI Regarding the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)- Winter 2023 Meeting
Good afternoon. As some of you know, I am Allison Muth, and I am a Senior Attorney with Veterans Education Success. We work on a bipartisan basis to advance higher education success for veterans, service [...]
Our Oral Comment to NACIQI Regarding the Middle States Commission on Higher Education- Winter 2023 Meeting
Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you again. As I shared earlier, I am Allison Muth, and I am a Senior Attorney with Veterans Education Success. We work on a bipartisan basis to [...]
Our Oral Comment to NACIQI Regarding the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)- Winter 2023 Meeting
Good morning. I am Allison Muth, and I am a Senior Attorney with Veterans Education Success. We work on a bipartisan basis to advance higher education success for veterans, service members, and military families, and [...]
Our Letter to VA Regarding Additional Information about ASA College
February 28, 2023 William Clarke, Veterans Program Manager Bureau of Veterans Education New York State Division of Veterans’ Services Via email Joseph L. Garcia, Executive Director Education Service Veteran Benefits Administration Via email Re: ASA [...]
Arkansas Times: Veterans’ group warns against a Phoenix deal; UA System president defends moving forward
Coalition members include the Center for American Progress, New America Higher Education Program, Project on Predatory Student Lending, The Institute for College Access & Success, Veterans Education Success, attorney David Halperin, and Robert Shireman, a [...]
Career-training companies scoop up federal funds with little oversight
The United States spends untold millions on workforce training programs. Many don’t help people find jobs.
Letter from Rep. Buchanan urging VA to update its guidance on GI Bill restoration after closed schools
Letter from Vern Buchanan writing to urge President Biden and Secretary McDonough to ensure that the Department of Veterans Affairs update its guidance to help prevent student veterans from losing access to valuable G.I. Bill credits
Letter From Veteran & Higher Ed Advocates Asks University Of Arkansas To Reconsider University Of Phoenix Purchase In Light Of The Business’ Consumer Protection Legal Liabilities
Contact: Ana Cobian - 323.360.1827 MEDIA ADVISORY - LEGAL/VETERAN EXPERT AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT/CONTEXT LETTER FROM VETERAN & HIGHER ED ADVOCATES ASKS UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS TO RECONSIDER UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX PURCHASE IN LIGHT OF THE BUSINESS’ [...]
Coalition Letter to the University of Arkansas Trustees regarding the potential purchase of the University of Phoenix
February 15, 2023 Board of Trustees University of Arkansas via email C.C. Gibson III Chairman Board of Trustees University of Arkansas RE: University of Arkansas System and University of Phoenix Dear Chairman Gibson and Trustees, [...]
Our Letter to VA Regarding January 12, 2023 Meeting and Feedback Tool
February 15, 2023 Joseph L. Garcia, Executive Director Education Service Veteran Benefits Administration Via email Re: Our January 12, 2023 Meeting and Feedback Tool Dear Director Garcia, Thank you again for your time and help [...]
Our Letter to the Dept. of Education re: “Low-Financial-Value” Colleges
VES comments on behalf of Veterans Education Success in response to the Department of Education’s Request for Information (RFI) Regarding Public Transparency for Low-Financial-Value Postsecondary Programs, published in the Federal Register on January 11, 2023.
Veterans & Military Organizations’ Letter to the Dept. of Education re: “Low-Financial-Value” Colleges
The undersigned military and veteran organizations write to provide comments on the above-referenced Request for Information (RFI). We agree with the Department that low-financial-value programs “may cause particularly acute harm for student loan borrowers who may struggle to repay their debts after discovering too late that their postsecondary programs did not adequately prepare them for the workforce” and that “taxpayers also shoulder the costs.” We write specifically regarding the impact on student veterans and military-connected students.
Coalition Letter for Higher Education Accountability Priorities
As 40 organizations working on behalf of students, consumers, veterans, faculty and staff, civil rights advocates, and researchers concerned about unaffordable student debts and predatory practices, we write to share our coalition’s higher education priorities. As Congress continues to consider long-overdue reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA) and to evaluate other higher education proposals, we strongly urge you to support policies that better protect students - especially low-income students and students of color - and the taxpayers who invest in them.
Letter to NC-SARA re: Proposal to Elevate SARA’s Consumer Protection Standards
The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), administered by the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA), lowers barriers for schools to offer online programs in multiple states, easing the way for institutions to expand the reach of their online programs. SARA’s impact is immense - almost 6 million students were enrolled in online programs at more than 2,300 SARA participating schools in Fall 2020, including 1.6 million students enrolled in online programs based outside of their state.1 Every state except for California is a SARA member. 2 However, the agreement’s standards set an extremely low bar for consumer protection, leaving millions of online students vulnerable to abuse by unscrupulous schools.
GAO: Higher Education: Higher Education: Department of Education Should Improve Enforcement Procedures Regarding Substantial Misrepresentation by Colleges
If colleges provide inaccurate or misleading information about, for example, their students' ability to transfer course credits to another college or qualify for a specific certification after graduation, students may have difficulty completing their degree, [...]
The Christian Post: DOJ seeks to recover money bilked from veterans by House of Prayer schools
In testimony on GI Bill modernization before the House Veterans Affairs Committee last July, William Hubbard, vice president for Veterans & Military Policy at Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group focused on advancing higher education success for service [...]
WTOC: FBI raided Hinesville church over possible VA fraud, according to court documents
Veterans Education Success, a non-profit that helps service members further their education, says they’ve been raising concerns over the school for years. Sending letters to the VA and Georgia’s State Approving Agency in 2020. “We [...]
Military News: Feds Try to Seize Money, Property from Church Accused of Multimillion-Dollar Scheme Targeting Vets
The investigation was spurred in 2020 after Veterans Education Success, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group that lobbies on military education issues, raised concerns about the church to the VA and lawmakers. "All veterans should feel [...]
WRDW: Raided church accused in multimillion-dollar VA fraud scheme
A nonprofit said it had been warning about these facilities for years. Veterans Education Success, a nonprofit that helps veterans find educational opportunities, says the House of Prayer churches committed fraud by taking GI Bill [...]
Our Letter to VA Regarding Living Arts College Closure
January 10, 2022 Timothy D. Freeman, Executive Director North Carolina State Approving Agency Via email Joseph L. Garcia, Executive Director Education Service Veterans Benefits Administration Via email Re: Living Arts College Closure Dear Mr. Garcia [...]
Court Watch: Exclusive: Church Preyed on Veterans and Stole Millions, says DOJ
In 2020, Veterans Success Education, a nonprofit which advocates for higher education standards for military members and their families sent a letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs asking the agency to investigate what it [...]
The August Chronicle: DOJ: House of Prayer Christian Church swindled $22+ million in VA benefits
In August 2020, Veterans Education Success, an advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C., asked the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Georgia Veterans Service to investigate alleged abuses of the GI Bill program by [...]
Our Letter to VA with Additional Information Regarding Bay State College
January 9, 2023, George O’Connor Assistant Commissioner for Academic & Veterans Affairs Department of Higher Education Commonwealth of Massachusetts Via email Joseph L. Garcia, Executive Director Education Service. Veteran Benefits Administration Via email Re: Bay State College Dear Mr. O’Connor and Mr. Garcia...
The Untold Story of Warren Seavey and His Students
At the close of World War II, a renegade professor admitted a wave of returning veterans to Harvard Law, even though some had questionable credentials and others didn’t even apply. They’d be called “the best class there ever was.
The Chronicle: Washington Bible College Linked to Alleged ‘Cult’ Loses GI Bill Approval After FBI Raid
A Tacoma seminary program associated with a chain of churches raided by the FBI earlier this year has lost approval to receive federal Veterans Affairs education funds. Former members have described the chain as a cult that defrauds soldiers.
Stars and Stripes: Tacoma bible college linked to alleged ‘cult’ loses GI Bill approval after FBI raid
A Tacoma seminary program associated with a chain of churches raided by the FBI earlier this year has lost approval to receive federal Veterans Affairs education funds. Former members have described the chain as a cult that defrauds soldiers.
GI Bill fix for vets enrolled in defunct schools heads to White House
“VA should not be making it harder for student veterans to use their benefits and get back on track to their educational goals with unnecessary requirements,” said Will Hubbard, vice president for veterans and military [...]
Our Press Release: Senate Passes Important “VETS Credit Act” Unanimously, Bill Heads to the President for Signature
December 21, 2022 Contact: Will Hubbard VP for Veterans & Military Policy [email protected] (703) 379-3822 PRESS RELEASE: Senate Passes Important “VETS Credit Act” Unanimously, Bill Heads to the President for Signature Today, we celebrate the [...]
Our Letter to VA Regarding the 85/15 Rule Federal Register Notice
We write to submit comments on the Department’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on the above-referenced 85/15 Rule published in the October 12, 2022 issue of the Federal Register.
Our Letter to the Department of Education on the Council on Occupational Education.
VES advocacy letter on behalf of students and veterans in higher education in response to the call for third-party comments announced on November 14, 2022, in the Department of Education’s Notice Accrediting Agencies Currently Undergoing Review for the Purpose of Recognition by the U.S. Secretary of Education. 1 Our comments concern the Council on Occupational Education (“COE”) and the senior Department official’s (SDO) decision letter dated October 27, 2021, requiring COE to come into compliance with 34 C.F.R. Part 602 within 12 months and to submit a compliance report within 30 days thereafter.
VA: Conflicting Interests Certification for Proprietary Schools
PURPOSE: This form informs individuals that the law has restrictions concerning any potential conflict of interest.
VA Report to Appropriations 2018 CTR – State Accrediting Agency Oversight
Despite adequate statutory and regulatory provisions, VA has identified additional steps that can be taken to further strengthen SAA compliance with the conflict of interest laws and regulations and ensure SAAs are aware of ethics rules.
The Hidden Loophole: How Predatory Offshore Medical Schools are Partnering with U.S. Universities to Access Federal Student Aid Funds
For-profit, offshore Caribbean medical schools that are not eligible to participate in Federal Student Aid’s Direct Loan Program are taking advantage of a regulatory loophole to obtain Title IV, Higher Education Act (HEA) funds. In this report, we discuss how these predatory, offshore medical schools, partnering with American schools, are taking advantage of students to syphon Title IV funds, and call on the U.S. Department of Education to implement policies to address the regulatory loophole and protect students and preserve the integrity of the Title IV program.
Can Information and Advising Affect Postsecondary Participation and Attainment for Non-Traditional Students?
Lack of information and advising prior to college matriculation may contribute to poor postsecondary outcomes among non-traditional students. We conducted a large-scale, multi-arm field experiment with the U.S. Army to investigate whether a package of research-based personalized information and access to advising affects postsecondary choices and attainment among a large non-traditional adult population. We find no impact of the intervention on whether veterans enroll in college, on the quality of their college enrollment, or on their persistence in college. Our results suggest that influencing non-traditional populations’ educational decisions and outcomes will require substantially more intensive programs.
VA FOIA Request Response RE: SAA requests for waivers of 38 USC 3683
VA's Agency Decision to VES' September 14, 2022, request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. § 552, submitted to the Veterans Benefits Administration Central Office (VBACO) FOIA Office, for access to records regarding information on whether any current State Approving Agencies employees have requested, received, or been denied a waiver under Sec. 3683, which prohibits SAA employees from receiving wages, salaries, gifts, profits, dividends, or services from a for-profit school.
U.S. Department of Education Renews Contracts with Troubled For-Profit Colleges
A new Student Defense analysis reveals that the U.S. Department of Education - through both decisions and inaction - continues to allow predatory institutions to scam students and taxpayers with impunity and without rebuke. This analysis comes nearly two years after Student Defense called on the Biden Administration to use civil law enforcement authorities to better protect student loan borrowers.
Letter to VA Regarding Bay State College
November 21, 2022 George O’Connor, Assistant Commissioner for Academic & Veterans Affairs Department of Higher Education Commonwealth of Massachusetts Via email Joshua Jacobs, Senior Advisor for Policy Performing the Delegable Duties of the Under Secretary [...]
Letter to VA Regarding Florida Career College
November 21, 2022 Betsy Wickham, Bureau Chief State Approving Agency Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs Via email David Salgado, Director Veterans Education Program Texas Veterans Commission Via email Joshua Jacobs, Senior Advisor for Policy Performing [...]
Letter to VA Regarding Full Sail University
November 21, 2022 Betsy Wickham, Bureau Chief State Approving Agency Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs Via email Joshua Jacobs, Senior Advisor for Policy Performing the Delegable Duties of the Under Secretary for Benefits Veterans Benefits [...]
Letter to VA Regarding ASA College
November 21, 2022 William Clarke, Veterans Program Manager Bureau of Veterans Education New York State Division of Veterans’ Services Via email Joshua Jacobs, Senior Advisor for Policy Performing the Delegable Duties of the Under Secretary [...]
Our Testimony to the Veterans’ Advisory Committee on Education on Protecting Veterans’ Education Benefits
November 17, 2022 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Benefits Administration Education Service 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20420 Via electronic submission to [email protected] Re: Advisory Committee on Education Meeting November 29-30, 2022 Dear [...]
Sixth defendant in scuba fraud investigation admits filing false claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs
Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, November 14, 2022 Sixth defendant in scuba fraud investigation admits filing false claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs Dive school official caused more [...]
Republican Eagle: College provides assistance for veterans on campus
Nearly 5% of students at public community colleges are veterans, according to a 2019 report from the American Association of Community Colleges. Military veterans are more likely to complete postsecondary programs than their non-veteran peers, [...]
The Potential of the G.I. Bill and the Need to Combat Fraud in the Program
By Will Hubbard The following op-ed was published in The Ripon Society. It’s time to fulfill America’s promise to our veterans They finally found John Gibson, a Georgia Congressman, after a frantic statewide search. The year [...]
Veteran’s Day Message 2022
Established by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1954, Veteran’s Day is an opportunity to recognize those who faithfully served our Nation as a member of the armed forces. It is also an opportunity to recognize [...]
Coastal Courier: Patty Leon: An update on House of Prayer
On June 23, federal agents raided the House of Prayer Church in Hinesville and its other affiliated churches in North Carolina, Washington State, Augusta, Texas and California. The raids stemmed from an investigation after a [...]
Inside Higher Ed: 90-10 Loophole Closed
“We can celebrate today as the day that the loophole was finally closed,” said Barmak Nassirian, vice president of higher education policy for Veterans Education Success, which helped lead the effort to rally public support [...]
Higher Ed Dive: Education Department finalizes 90/10 rule, college ownership regulations
Another military group, Veterans Education Success, celebrated the policy shift, saying in a statement that following “years of harassment by deceptive and aggressive for-profit college recruiters, veterans, service members, and their families will no longer be viewed [...]
Military.com: Education Department Closes Loophole Advocates Say Some Colleges Used to Scam Veterans
"After years of harassment by deceptive and aggressive for-profit college recruiters, veterans, service members, and their families will no longer be viewed as nothing more than dollar signs in uniform," Veterans Education Success President Carrie [...]
Our Press Release: After Decade-Long Fight, the Department of Education Has Closed The 90/10 Loophole
Contact: Will Hubbard VP for Veterans & Military Policy Veterans Education Success After Decade-Long Fight, the Department of Education Has Closed The 90/10 Loophole Major Win for Student Veterans & Their Families WASHINGTON D.C., [...]
Military Times: Feds close 90/10 loophole involving veterans education benefits
“After years of harassment by deceptive and aggressive for-profit college recruiters, veterans, service members, and their families will no longer be viewed as nothing more than dollar signs in uniform,” Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education [...]
Senate Letter Urging the Department Of Education to Hold Predatory For-Profit College Executives Accountable for Scamming Students
October 18, 2022 Dear Secretary Cardona: We applaud the Department of Education’s (“the Department”) recent and ongoing efforts to clear the backlog of borrower defense to repayment claims that the Trump Administration allowed to accumulate. [...]
WRDW-TV (Augusta, GA): Ga. agency pulls GI Bill funding for church that was raided
Veterans Education Success, a nonprofit that helps veterans find educational opportunities, says the House of Prayer churches committed fraud by taking GI Bill funding and not providing a proper education in return. Read the full [...]
The Augusta Chronicle: State agencies withdraw GI Bill funding for House of Prayer Christian Church seminaries
The USA Today Network previously reported that Veterans Education Success, an advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C., asked the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Georgia Veterans Service to investigate alleged abuses of the [...]
Military.com: House of Prayer, a Church Accused of Squeezing Veterans for Benefits, Stripped of GI Bill Eligibility
Veterans Education Success, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group that lobbies on military education issues, told Congress that the House of Prayer's alleged scam against veterans serves as a flashpoint for the need for boosted oversight over the [...]
Bucks County Beacon: Veterans, Scams, And Higher Education In Pennsylvania
In 2017, the non-profit group Veterans Education Success (VES) filed a complaint with the FTC regarding some of Victory Media’s specific business practices. VES noted that in 2015 more than 257 schools awarded Military Friendly® status were [...]
Our Letter to the WASC Senior College and University Commission on Revised WSCUC Standards of Accreditation
October 6, 2022 President Jamienne S. Studley WASC Senior College and University Commission 1080 Marina Village Parkway Suite 500 Alameda, CA 94501 Re: Revised WSCUC Standards of Accreditation Dear President Studley, I write to respectfully [...]
Veterans and Military Organizations’ Letter on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 Amendment
October 4, 2022 Senator Tom Carper 513 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 SUBJ: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 Amendment Dear Senator Carper, The undersigned organizations serving service members, veterans, and [...]
Justice Department Announces Enforcement Action Involving Over $100 Million in Losses to Department of Veterans Affairs
Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, September 16, 2022 Justice Department Announces Enforcement Action Involving Over $100 Million in Losses to Department of Veterans Affairs The Department of Justice announced [...]
Our Nomination Letter for Debbie Cochrane for Appointment to NACIQI
September 15, 2022 The Honorable Miguel Cardona, Ed.D. Secretary of Education U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue SW Washington, DC 20202 Mr. Secretary, Responding to the Department of Education’s Federal Register notice of August [...]
Department of Veteran Affairs’ Response to our Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request for Communications Regarding the House of Prayer Bible Seminary
September 12, 2022 Walter Ochinko Sent via email to: [email protected] Dear Mr. Ochinko: This is in response to your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request dated August 17, 2022 in which you asked for a [...]
Our Letter to Department of Veterans Affairs on the GI Bill Comparison Tool Information for Wheeling University
September 12, 2022 Joe Garcia, Executive Director Education Service Veterans Benefits Administration Department of Veterans Affairs Via electronic mail RE: Wheeling University GI Bill Comparison Tool Dear Mr. Garcia, We are writing in regards to [...]
Our Statement for the Record on the Topic of “Veteran Readiness and Employment: Is VA Succeeding?”
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD HEARING ON THE TOPIC OF "VETERAN READINESS AND EMPLOYMENT: IS VA SUCCEEDING?" SUBMITTED TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 15, 2022 [...]
Our Reaction: Westwood College Borrower Defense Relief Announcement
For Immediate Release: August 30, 2022 Student Veterans Who Attended Westwood are Available for Interviews Legal Expert also Available Huge Win for Student Veterans & Other Students Borrower Defense Relief News - Department of Education [...]
Our Press Release: $386 Million Veteran Training Program Struggles to Achieve Outcomes
Contacts: Will Hubbard VP for Veterans & Military Policy Veterans Education Success PRESS RELEASE: $386 Million Veteran Training Program Struggles to Achieve Outcomes Washington, D.C., August 25, 2022 – Today, shocking revelations have come to [...]
WRGA-FM (Atlanta, GA): Radio Interview with Will Hubbard on ITT Tech Loan Forgiveness
We're very excited that the Biden administration has is taking important and long overdue steps to cancel some of these loans that these students had. Unfortunately, veterans that might have used the GI Bill are [...]
North Carolina News Network: Interview with Della Justice on ITT Tech Loan Forgiveness
Just to tell you a little bit about our organization it is Veterans Education Success. As you said, we are a nonprofit organization that works on a bipartisan basis to protect the integrity and promise [...]
CNBC: Key events on the path to student loan forgiveness, from Occupy Wall Street to the 2020 presidential primaries
Nassirian at Veterans Education Success agreed that the problems in the higher education system, namely price escalation and diminishing quality, span way beyond the for-profit sector. “Packaging people with debt that schools knew or should [...]
Our Letter to VA Regarding Eastern Gateway Community College
Ms. Samantha Erickson SAA Director Ohio Department for Veterans Services 77 South High Street, 7th Floor Columbus, OH 43215 via email Mr. Josh Jacobs Acting Under Secretary for Benefits Veterans Benefits Administration 810 Vermont Ave. [...]
Sirius XM’s POTUS Politics: Interview With William Hubbard on the ITT Tech Borrower Defense Relief Announcement
They have been a long time target of what I like to call scam factories. And these are schools that are purely interested in taking advantage of their benefits, and they don't even actually care [...]
CNBC: ‘It’s frustrating and stressful.’ 40 million people are in the dark about whether or not student loan payments will resume
“The fact that they haven’t issued any guidance so close to the theoretical start date pretty much indicates yet another payment freeze is inevitable,” said Barmak Nassirian, vice president for higher education policy at Veterans [...]
The Charlotte Observer: These colleges lied to students. Their loans don’t have to be paid back, feds say
Veterans Education Success called the decision “huge news” but asked that Congress restore GI Bill benefits to defrauded veterans. “These students deserve to have their student loans canceled after having been so misled about the [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Debt Relief for All Former ITT Students
Tasha Berkhalter, a former ITT student and veteran who had a borrower-defense claim approved in 2021, said, “I chose the school because they had advertised its high-tech criminal justice program. Their initial staff told me [...]
Military Times: Plan to erase $4B in ITT student loans won’t restore GI Bill benefits
“These students deserve to have their student loans canceled after having been so misled about the education at ITT, the transferability of credits, and employment after graduation,” said Della Justice, vice president of legal affairs [...]
The Associated Press: Former ITT Tech Students Get $3.9B in Debt Cancellation
Federal officials based the decision on findings from many state attorneys general, along with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the nonprofit Veterans Education Success. Investigators found widespread evidence that ITT Tech made false claims [...]
Our Reaction: ITT Tech Borrower Defense Relief Announcement
For Immediate Release: August 16, 2022 Reaction from Veteran Advocacy Org - Veterans Education Success Huge Win for Student Veterans & Other Students Borrower Defense Relief News - Department of Education Decision Today The Department [...]
MarketWatch: Department of Education to cancel $3.9 billion in federal loan debt for former ITT students
Tasha Berkhalter, a former ITT student, shared her first hand experience with these tactics. An army veteran, Berkhalter enrolled at ITT in 2006 hoping to earn a credential that would allow her to work for [...]
Department of Justice: Universal Helicopters Inc. and Dodge City Community College Agree to Pay $7.5 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Related to Post-9/11 GI Bill Funding
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, August 15, 2022 Universal Helicopters Inc. and Dodge City Community College Agree to Pay $7.5 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Related to Post-9/11 GI Bill Funding Universal Helicopters Inc. [...]
The Chronicle of Higher Education: It’s Time to End Higher Ed’s Gimmicky Sales Tactics
By Barmak Nassirian The following op-ed was published in The Chronicle of Higher Education on August 8th. Private-public partnerships — arrangements in which college projects or services are outsourced to for-profit providers — have been all [...]
ProPublica: At Liberty University, Veterans’ Complaints Keep Coming
The complaint was one of more than a dozen provided in response to a public records request about Liberty that was filed with the Veterans Affairs department’s GI Bill Feedback Tool and shared with ProPublica. [...]
You Don’t Have to Be a Veteran to Be a Great Veteran Supporter in Higher Ed
The idea of a student going straight from high school through college is outdated, said Hubbard; adding: "What want to see is a modernization of policies and procedures that allows us to account for and [...]
The Christian Post: House of Prayer schools allegedly bilked over $7 million from veterans for Bible study classes
In testimony on GI Bill modernization before the House Veterans Affairs Committee on Wednesday, William Hubbard, vice president for Veterans & Military Policy at Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group focused on advancing higher education success for service [...]
Military.com: Church that Allegedly Scammed GI Bill Benefits Is Proof More Oversight Is Needed, Advocate Tells Congress
An advocacy group told a House panel on Wednesday that a church alleged to have scammed veterans out of millions of dollars in service benefits should be a wake-up call for regulators of GI Bill [...]
WTOC (Savannah, GA): Churches at center of FBI raid lose recommendation, removed from VA’s school list
“We knew that this school had a troubling and problematic history. We’ve spoken with many students and whistleblowers who worked at the school and were able to detail the practices that they were taking at [...]
Our Press Release: Nationally Recognized Leader on Deceptive Trade Practices by Predatory Schools To Lead Legal Affairs Team at Veterans Education Success
For Immediate Release July 20, 2022 Nationally Recognized Leader on Deceptive Trade Practices by Predatory Schools To Lead Legal Affairs Team at Veterans Education Success Former Assistant AG in Kentucky AG’s Office for Consumer Protection, [...]
Oral Testimony of William Hubbard, Vice President for Veterans & Military Policy on the topic of “Modernizing Veteran Education In The Shadow Of Covid-19”
House Veterans’ Affairs Joint Oversight Hearing Subcommittees On Economic Opportunity and Technology Modernization Oral Testimony of William Hubbard, Vice President for Veterans & Military Policy on the topic of “Modernizing Veteran Education In The Shadow [...]
Our Written Testimony on GI Bill Modernization Before the House Veterans Affairs Committee
TESTIMONY OF WILLIAM HUBBARD, VICE PRESIDENT OF VETERANS & MILITARY POLICY SUBMITTED TO THE SUBCOMMITTEES ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND TECHNOLOGY MODERNIZATION, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PRESENTED AT THE SUBCOMMITTEE JOINT OVERSIGHT HEARING ON THE TOPIC [...]
Military.com: How a Church Allegedly Scammed Millions in VA Money from Vets
Will Hubbard, the vice president for veterans and military policy at Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group, told Military.com that regulators should have spotted the red flags with the church. "I think your average taxpayer [...]
The Century Foundation: Cosmetology Training Needs a Make-Over
This spring, the U.S. Department of Education announced that it was discharging the federal student loans of 28,000 students who attended Marinello Beauty School. In taking such action, the department was following a rule that [...]
American University Practicum Report: Student Veterans and Deceptive Schools
This report was completed as part of a student practicum in collaboration with the American University (AU) Master's of Public Policy program. We are grateful to AU and their bright students for studying these important [...]
Our Statement For The Record Committee Hearing On Pending Legislation Submitted To The Committee On Veterans’ Affairs
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD COMMITTEE HEARING ON PENDING LEGISLATION SUBMITTED TO THE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS UNITED STATES SENATE July 13, 2022 Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Moran, and Members of the Committee: We thank you [...]
The Washington Post: Biden administration wants to ease student-loan forgiveness for some
Barmak Nassirian, vice president for higher education policy at the advocacy group Veterans Education Success, said the proposed changes are a “giant step in the right direction.” Still, he is concerned the department would allow [...]
Reaction: STUDENT VETERANS WILL BENEFIT FROM STEPS PROPOSED BY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Barmak Nassirian, VP for Higher Education Policy Reaction: STUDENT VETERANS WILL BENEFIT FROM STEPS PROPOSED BY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Washington, D.C., July 6, 2022 - Today, the Department of Education released [...]
The Associated Press: More flexibility proposed for student debt forgiveness
Veterans Education Success, a nonprofit advocacy group, called it a “significant improvements over current rules,” adding that it would hold “unscrupulous schools accountable for federal losses.” Read the full story in the Associated Press here.
The News & Observer: Christian school duped veterans on GI Bill in NC, advocates say. ‘Really sickening’
Veterans Education Success, a Washington D.C.-based veterans advocacy organization, sent a letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2020 outlining a series of allegations against the church that were gathered from students and members. [...]
The Fayetteville Observer: What to know about the House of Prayer Church raided by the FBI in Fayetteville
In 2020, Veterans Education Success wrote a letter to the Veterans Administration, asking that abuse of the GI Bill program by House of Prayer Christian Church’s bible seminaries be investigated. Veterans Education Success works to [...]
WTVD-TV (Fayetteville, NC): FBI raids Fayetteville church accused of operating as a cult, targeting military members
Veterans Education Success is an advocacy group that has reportedly worked closely with former church members. "In some cases they actually target service members, coaching them on how to get out of the military with [...]
WRAL-TV (Fayetteville, NC): Fayetteville church accused of defrauding veterans, operating like a cult
House of Prayer Christian Church is less than two miles from Fort Bragg. Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group, says the church used that close proximity to prey on veterans, Eleven pages of concerning or [...]
Fox 21 News (Colorado Springs): Pending lawsuit would forgive student loan debt for veterans and other borrowers
Veterans were then deceived into enrolling in low-quality programs and taking out costly loans that accrue “mountains of debt,” according to Veterans Education Success. “This debt relief is sorely needed, and is the minimum due [...]
Army Times: Nationwide FBI raids target alleged ‘cult’ near five Army posts
It’s also not clear why authorities are investigating the organization, though non-profit Veterans Education Success wrote a letter to federal and Georgia authorities in 2020 that accused the church of operating “like a cult” and [...]
NPR: Debt relief for veterans who say they were cheated by for-profit colleges
"Well, what's the degree worth? It's not even worth the paper it's printed on. I've had an extremely hard time finding employment," says student veteran Jarrod Thoma. "This is a huge deal for many students [...]
Task & Purpose: The FBI Just Raided a ‘Cult’ Church That Allegedly Targets US Service Members
A 2020 letter from Veterans Education Success to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Georgia Department of Veterans Services detailed repeated instances of defrauding soldiers and veterans. This included misleading students enrolled in education classes at [...]
EdNC: Helping Veterans Succeed at N.C. Community Colleges
Nearly 5% of students at public community colleges are veterans, according to a 2019 report from the American Association of Community Colleges. Military veterans are more likely to complete postsecondary programs than their non-veteran peers, a 2018 [...]
ABC News 5 (Cleveland): Proposed settlement to provide relief for former for-profit college students
Nicole Wilson, an Akron native that is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and Ohio National Guard, said the proposed settlement is a massive sigh of relief. “I have children and I don’t have to [...]
WTOC (Savannah, GA): Report compiled by Veterans Education Success claims House of Prayer church committed fraud
Veterans Education Success helps former service members find opportunities to further their education. In the fall of 2020, the organization compiled a report of wrongdoings of the House of Prayer church and sent a letter [...]
USA Today: FBI raids Georgia churches near military bases, sources say church was targeting soldiers
In August 2020, Veterans Education Success, an advocacy organization based in Washington D.C., asked the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Georgia Veterans Service to investigate alleged abuses of the GI Bill program by [...]
USA Today: Despite collapsed colleges and an evidently fake school, this agency still approves millions in federal aid
A college oversight agency that signed off several large for-profit colleges accused of defrauding students, and one seemingly without students or faculty, remains in business despite the federal government's repeated attempts to limit its power. [...]
Military.com: Veterans Swindled by Shuttered For-Profit Corinthian Colleges Get Loan Debt Erased
"When Corinthian shut down, all these veterans had collection agencies coming after them for loans" they were unaware of, Carrie Wofford, president of advocacy group Veterans Education Success, said in an interview with Military.com. "Finally, [...]
University Business: Biden administration discharges $5.8 billion for defrauded loan borrowers
“This is huge news for countless thousands of students—many of them veterans—who were cheated by Corinthian College out of their GI Bill and loaded up with unfair student debt,” said Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans [...]
Our Statement on the Corinthian Colleges Borrower Defense Relief News
For Immediate Release: June 2, 2022 Contact: Carrie Wofford, Veterans Education Success President: Statement by Veterans Education Success President Carrie Wofford Borrower Defense Relief News - Department of Education Decision Today: “Great News for Half [...]
American Institutes for Research: Informing Improved Recognition of Military Learning
This report examines student veterans’ experiences with and perceptions of having their military learning recognized by a postsecondary institution. Previous research suggests recognition of military training and occupation helps to support student veterans as they [...]
Our Press Release: Congress to Restore Rapid Retraining Assistance Benefits For Veterans of Disapproved Programs
Washington, D.C., May 19, 2022 – Last night, veterans advocates applauded congressional action to restore emergency education benefits of veterans who attended programs that were disapproved or closed. In March, the U.S. Department of Veterans [...]
GAO: Higher Education: Education Needs to Strengthen Its Approach to Monitoring Colleges’ Arrangements with Online Program Managers
What GAO Found At least 550 colleges worked with an online program manager (OPM) to support at least 2,900 education programs (e.g., certificate and degree programs) as of July 2021, according to the most recently [...]
Military Times: Last-minute fix allows major for-profit school to again receive GI Bill payouts
Officials from Veterans Education Success — a frequent critic of for-profit colleges — said numerous students reached out to them in recent weeks with complaints about how the situation was handled and the stress that [...]
The Hill: If you can buy a university for $1, you’ll likely get what you pay for
By Will Hubbard The following op-ed was published in The Hill. This past month, thousands of student veterans found themselves opening their email inboxes only to find out their school had lost eligibility for the GI Bill, [...]
The Washington Post: Student loan forgiveness program for military borrowers slowly improves
“The law made a promise to people that if they went into public service jobs, they would have their loans forgiven. And a lot of people went to school on that basis,” said Christopher Madaio, [...]
Higher Ed Dive: University of Arizona Global Campus regains access to GI Bill benefits
Some are concerned about UAGC regaining access. Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group, had asked the VA earlier this month to “clearly state that it will not entertain any other state approving agency’s request to [...]
Our Press Release: Student Veterans Advocate Calls on VA Review of UAGC Following AZ SAA Approval
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Despite More Than One Million Consumer Protection Violations, University of Arizona Global Campus Allowed to Resume Use of GI Bill Non-profit Student Veterans Advocate Calls on VA to Look More [...]
Our Press Release: Guidance for Student Veterans and Military-Connected Students at UAGC
Guidance for Student Veterans and Military-Connected Students at UAGC Veterans Education Success has been contacted by student veterans and other military-connected students attending the University of Arizona Global Campus seeking guidance about their options. We, [...]
GAO: Federal Student Aid: Education Needs to Take Steps to Ensure Eligible Loans Receive Income-Driven Repayment Forgiveness
To make student loans more affordable, income-driven repayment plans base monthly payments on a borrower's income and family size, and extend repayment periods. Borrowers in these plans are also eligible for forgiveness after 20 or [...]
Our Letter to Department of Veterans Affairs on the Rutgers Business School Lawsuit Allegations
April 12, 2022 The Honorable Thomas J. Murphy Acting Under Secretary for Benefits U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20571 Re: Rutgers Business School Lawsuit Allegations Dear Under Secretary Murphy, [...]
Arizona Daily Star: Advocates: Students at risk as UA Global Campus’ problems mount
“The reality is that there are thousands of schools in America and none of them are facing this unique situation that is purely based on the decisions of UAGC,” said William Hubbard, vice president for [...]
Higher Ed Dive: University of Arizona Global Campus shouldn’t get federal student aid after court ruling, groups say
Although the university said it is working with federal and state agencies to resume the funding, Veterans Education Success, an advocacy organization, urged the Department of Veteran Affairs to permanently shut off UAGC's access to [...]
Our Press Release: Analysis/Reaction: University of Arizona Global Campus Lost Access to GI Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Analysis/Reaction: University of Arizona Global Campus Lost Access to GI Bill An Estimated 3,000 Student Veterans Impacted Non-Profit Advocate, Veterans Education Success, Urges Action to Protect Current & Future Student Veterans Chandler, [...]
The Chronicle of Higher Education: Lapse in GI Benefits Highlights a Rocky Start for U. of Arizona Global Campus
The Veterans Education Success advocacy group on Tuesday sent a letter to the Defense Department, asking it to follow the VA’s lead and end the university’s eligibility for student aid — in this case the [...]
Military Times: Thousands of student veterans left in limbo after school loses GI Bill eligibility
“Veterans rely on VA’s stamp of approval when choosing a school for their GI Bill benefits,” Jennifer Esparza, legal affairs director at Veterans Education Success, said in a statement. “We urge VA to put veterans [...]
Student Advocates’ Letter to the Department of Education on Ashford University/University of Arizona Global Campus and Title IV
April 5, 2022 Secretary Miguel Cardona U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave., SW Washington, D.C. 20202 Dear Secretary Cardona: We urge the U.S. Department of Education to promptly address issues raised by the recent [...]
Our Letter to the Department of Defense on Ashford University/University of Arizona Global Campus’ Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding
April 5, 2022 Gilbert R. Cisneros Jr. Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness 1400 Defense Pentagon Washington, DC 20301 Re: Ashford University/University of Arizona Global Campus’ Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding with [...]
Buchanan Bill to Help Student Veterans Approved by House VA Committee
William Hubbard, vice president for veteran and military policy at Veterans Education Success, said, "We thank Congressman Buchanan for championing this bipartisan solution for student veterans. When facing the difficult situation of a closed school, [...]
Higher Ed Dive: University of Arizona Global Campus loses access to GI Bill benefits
Still, it's possible that most students have already had their housing allowances dispersed this month, giving them a buffer, said William Hubbard, vice president for veterans and military policy at Veterans Education Success, an advocacy [...]
The Washington Post: What the student loan payment pause has meant to Black women
Army veteran Alphi Coleman, 38, can relate. The stress of working unfulfilling jobs to get ahead was wearing her down before the pandemic. “All I was doing was working to pay my student debt,” said [...]
Our Press Release: University of Arizona Global Campus (formerly Ashford University) Loses Access to GI Bill Funds
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts: Carrie Wofford, President Will Hubbard, VP for Veterans & Military Policy University of Arizona Global Campus (formerly Ashford University) Loses Access to GI Bill Funds VA must ensure veterans’ hard-earned GI Bill [...]
Our Letter to Department of Veterans Affairs Regarding Substantial Misrepresentations at the University of Arizona Global Campus
April 1, 2022 Thomas J. Murphy Acting Under Secretary for Benefits U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20571 Re: VA Compliance with 38 U.S.C. § 3696 regarding Substantial Misrepresentations at [...]
Phoenix New Times: University of Arizona Global Campus Loses GI Bill Funding
“Veterans rely on VA’s stamp of approval when choosing a school for their GI Bill benefits,” said Jennifer Esparza, the legal affairs director at Washington, D.C.-based bipartisan nonprofit Veterans Education Success. Esparza also attended Ashford [...]
Phoenix New Times: University of Arizona Bailed Out School Amid Losing Fraud Lawsuit, But Left Students in the Dust
“Veterans are targeted by predatory schools,” said Jennifer Esparza, the legal affairs director for Washington, D.C.-based bipartisan nonprofit Veterans Education Success, which referred more than 100 whistleblowers to Bonta for the recent trial. Esparza was [...]
Higher Ed Dive: The Ed Department brokered a deal on 90/10 rule changes. Here’s what’s inside
"The essence of the deal has to do with ineligible programs, such as corporate training programs," said Barmak Nassirian, a negotiator for student veterans. The department struck a deal with negotiators that would allow for-profit [...]
Our Press Release: First-Ever Consensus Reached on 90/10 Rule at U.S. Dept. of Education Rulemaking
Contacts: Will Hubbard VP for Veterans & Military Policy Veterans Education Success Barmak Nassirian VP for Higher Education Policy Veterans Education Success PRESS RELEASE: First-Ever Consensus Reached on 90/10 Rule at U.S. Dept. of [...]
Higher Ed Dive: Ed Department Warns Colleges Against Misleading Veterans
An advocacy group, Veterans Education Success, has been pushing regulators on issues at the center of the Ed Department's warning. The group published a report Wednesday highlighting complaints from military veteran students who attended several [...]
Our Press Release: For-Profit School—Future Tech Career Institute—Has Access Cut to Veteran and Service Members’ Education Benefits
Contacts: Will Hubbard VP for Veterans & Military Policy Veterans Education Success Dr. Joe Wescott Legislative Liaison National Association of State Approving Agencies PRESS RELEASE: For-Profit School—Future Tech Career Institute—Has Access Cut to Veteran and [...]
Whistleblower Submission: Lisa Houck Testimony to the Department of Education
Good afternoon. My name is Lisa Houck, and I was employed in the admissions department at Hesser College, which was a for-profit school owned by Kaplan that is no longer open. I worked there from [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Paola Santiago Testimony to the Department of Education
Good afternoon. My name is Paola Santiago and I’m a veteran of the U.S. Army. I am here today because DeVry’s false advertising led me to waste my time and hard-earned benefits at a school [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Damian Pearsall Testimony to the Department of Education
Good morning. My name is Damian Pearsall and I’m a Navy Veteran. I graduated from the Art Institute of Indianapolis in their fashion design program. During recruitment, the school misrepresented the job prospects for its [...]
USA Today: Veterans may be tricked into taking out unnecessary student loans for college, Biden administration warns
Yet Veterans Education Success, a nonprofit advocacy group, has received reports from thousands of student veterans over the past eight years who said they were deceived into taking out student loans. “What is so frustrating to student veterans [...]
Statement by Carrie Wofford on Important Dept. Ed Bulletin And Release of New Veterans Education Success Report on Unwanted Student Loans
For Immediate Release: March 16, 2022 Contact: Carrie Wofford, President of Veterans Education Success [email protected] (202) 422-6338 Statement by Carrie Wofford on Important Dept. Ed Bulletin And Release of New Veterans Education Success Report on [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Brendan Mullican Testimony to the Department of Education
Good afternoon, my name is Brendan Mullican and I am a veteran of the U.S. Navy and served in the Iraq War. I decided to use my GI Bill benefits to earn a bachelor’s degree [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Kenneth Shaw Testimony to the Department of Education
Good afternoon, my name is Kenneth Shaw. I served in the Navy and the Army. I attended Argosy University’s Dallas campus from 2013 to 2018 in their online business program. I completed all courses in [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Bernard Hilton Testimony to the Department of Education
Good afternoon, my name is Bernard Hilton, and I'm a Marine Corps veteran having served 22 years. In 2014, I enrolled in a two-year program at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary College in Scottsdale, Arizona. One [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Allison Johnson Testimony to the Department of Education
Good afternoon. My name is Allison Johnson and I’m a veteran of the U.S. Army. I am here today because I want you to know how for-profit colleges like Keiser University take advantage of disabled [...]
Predatory Practices and Disproportionate Impacts on Student Veterans Is Revealed in New Report on College Transcript Withholding
For Immediate Release: March 14, 2022 Contact: Carrie Wofford, President of Veterans Education Success [email protected] (202) 422-6338 Predatory Practices and Disproportionate Impacts on Student Veterans Is Revealed in New Report on College Transcript Withholding New [...]
For The Record Subcommittee Hearing On Pending Legislation Submitted To The Subcommittee On Economic Opportunity Committee On Veterans’ Affairs U.S. House Of Representatives
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING ON PENDING LEGISLATION SUBMITTED TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 16, 2022 Chairman Levin, Ranking Member Moore, and Members of [...]
The Student Veteran Experience with Transcript Withholding
Colleges frequently withhold their students’ academic transcripts for balances due, even when the debt is disputed. Indeed, transcript withholding is one of the most common debt collection tactics used by colleges across all sectors. Many [...]
CBS8 (San Diego) Interview with Our Legal Affairs Director, Jennifer Esparza
I was using tuition assistance at the time, and I thought this isn't even worth that money that was going to them [Ashford University]. I didn't want to spend the time doing it anymore because [...]
Our Reaction to the Court Ruling Ordering Ashford U To Pay $22.37 Million Fine To Defrauded Students and Vets
Media Advisory & Backgrounder: Higher Ed & Veterans Story Contact: Carrie Wofford, President, [email protected] Organization that Brought Whistleblowers and Defrauded Veterans to Fraud Case, Veterans Education Success, Applauds Court Ruling For-Profit, Ashford University, Committed Extensive [...]
Our Statement for the Record: Legislative Priorities for 2022
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES SUBMITTED TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE COMMITTEES ON VETERANS AFFAIRS 117TH CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION March 1, 2022 Chairmen Tester and Takano, Ranking Members Moran and Bost, and Members of [...]
Buchanan Introduces Bill to Help Student Veterans
William Hubbard, the Vice President for Veteran and Military Policy at Veterans Education Success said, "When a student veteran faces the collapse of their school, added layers of bureaucracy only serve to worsen an already [...]
Our Oral Testimony to the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI)
James Haynes, Veterans Education Success Oral Testimony National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity February 24, 2022 Good afternoon, my name is James Haynes and I am the Federal Policy Director for Veterans Education [...]
ABC15 Arizona: For-profit schools accused of taking advantage of veterans
"We didn't know how to pay for college," said Alphi Coleman, an Army veteran who joined the military to help pay for college. "We didn't have counselors in our school to tell us how that [...]
The Florida Daily: Vern Buchanan Champions the Veterans Eligible to Transfer School Credits Act
Veterans Education Success is backing the proposal which was sent to the U.S. House Veterans Affairs Committee. So far, there is no companion measure in the U.S. Senate and no co-sponsors in the House. Read [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Linda Lopez Testimony to the Department of Education
U.S. Department of Education Negotiated Rulemaking Public Comment of Linda Lopez February 18, 2022 Good afternoon. My name is Linda Lopez. I graduated from University of Oregon at 58 years old, and I’m currently working [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Daniel Dresen Testimony to the Department of Education
Testimony of Veteran Daniel Dresen U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel February 2022 Good afternoon, my name is Daniel Dresen and I’m a US Army National Guard veteran from North Highland, California. After serving [...]
Our Letter to VA on the Principles of Excellence Complaint Feedback Tool
February 18, 2022 Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Benefits Administration 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20420 Via electronic submission Re: Principles of Excellence Complaint Feedback Tool, OMB Control No. 2900-0797 Dear [...]
Our Testimony to the Department of Education on Negotiated Rulemaking February Public Hearings
STATEMENT REGARDING ONGOING DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION NEGOTIATED RULEMAKING February 17, 2022 Hello, and thank you for the time to present here today. My name is Will Hubbard. I am a proud Marine Corps Veteran and [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Jenica King Testimony to the Department of Education
Good afternoon. My name is Jenica King and I’m an Army veteran and the spouse of an active duty servicemember. I used my GI Bill to attend Ashford University. One reason I went there is [...]
Student Veteran Submission: John Roberts Testimony to the Department of Education
Good afternoon. My name is John Roberts, and I am an Army veteran. I was trained to fly helicopters, and when I retired, I wanted to earn my certification to fly airplanes. Liberty University was [...]
Brown University: Can Information and Advising Affect Postsecondary Participation and Attainment for Non-Traditional Students? Evidence from a Large-Scale Experiment with the U.S. Army
Non-traditional students disproportionately enroll in institutions with weaker graduation and earnings outcomes. One hypothesis is that these students would have made different choices had they been provided with better information or supports during the decision-making [...]
Statement of Carrie Wofford on the Education Department’s Approval of $415 Million in Borrower Defense Claims
For Immediate Release: February 16, 2022 Contact: Carrie Wofford, President of Veterans Education Success: [email protected] (202) 422-6338 Statement by Veterans Education Success President Carrie Wofford Huge News - Department of Education Decision Today: “Good News [...]
The Bradenton Times: Buchanan Bill Would Aide Vets on GI Bill When School Closes
William Hubbard, the Vice President for Veteran and Military Policy at Veterans Education Success said, "When a student veteran faces the collapse of their school, added layers of bureaucracy only serve to worsen an already [...]
Student Defense: Legal Memorandum: The Department of Education’s Obligation to Reform Its Financial Responsibility Oversight
In recent years, tens of thousands of students have been harmed by the closures of predatory colleges where—despite years of unheeded warnings—the closures were described as “abrupt” or “precipitous” or caused by sudden financial or [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Ryan McKenzie Testimony to the Department of Education
Good afternoon. My name is Ryan McKenzie and I’m an Army veteran who attended DeVry University online. When I contacted DeVry, I was working long hours at a factory and needed to provide a better [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Alphi Coleman Testimony to the Department of Education
Good afternoon. My name is Alphi Black and I’m an Army veteran who used my GI Bill to attend the University of Phoenix. I graduated in 2018, but this did not provide the fulfillment and [...]
NACIQI Chairmanship Letter
February 14, 2022 Ms. Lisa Brown General Counsel U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20202 Dear Ms. Brown: We write to express concerns regarding a longstanding conflict of interest that undermines [...]
The Century Foundation: Employer-Provided Tuition Benefit Programs: Is Guild As Good As It Gets?
To attract and retain workers in today’s tight labor market, the largest employers in the United States have turned to promoting college tuition and education benefits. In 2021, Amazon announced a plan to revamp its [...]
Bipartisan Policy Center: Which Colleges Are Worth the Cost?
While the federal government distributes nearly $150 billion in higher education student aid annually, regulations that hypothetically prevent low-quality institutions from benefiting from this aid rarely function as intended. Researchers have made progress in measuring [...]
USA Today: Online College Accused of Recruiting Unprepared Students, Pocketing Money – Despite Sanctions
The students interviewed by USA TODAY aren’t alone in their discontent with CTU. The advocacy group Veterans Education Success has collected about 500 complaints from veterans who attended Perdoceo schools as recently as 2021. Of [...]
Coffee Or Die: GI Bill Benefits May Soon be Less Appealing to ‘Predatory’ Schools
“It’s a very community-driven process,” said William Hubbard of Veterans Education Success, an organization that advocates for student veterans. Veterans Education Success and numerous veterans it represents have testified during the Department of Education’s rule-making process. [...]
The Capitol Forum: For-Profit Colleges Under CFPB Scrutiny for Lending Practices; Experts Expect Data Sharing with Education Department
“Essentially every for-profit institution we’ve looked at does [institutional loans],” said Christopher Madaio, vice president for legal affairs at Veterans Education Success. Depending on the circumstances, students may not fully understand that they are taking [...]
Our Statement for the Record on Securing High-Demand Jobs for Veterans
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING ON SECURING HIGH-DEMAND JOBS FOR VETERANS SUBMITTED TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 2, 2022 Chairman Levin, Ranking Member [...]
Education Counsel: Lessons from a Risk-Based Oversight Model Designed to Protect Students and Taxpayers
Over the past 20 years, many higher education institutions have closed without warning, leaving student veterans without degrees and with few options to complete their degrees and get better jobs. Partially in response to these [...]
Spectrum News 1 SoCal: Veteran Says For-Profit Trade School Took His GI Bill Funds and Left Him Career-Less
The corporation was one of many for-profit institutions that Chris Madaio with Veterans Education Success believes took advantage of a federal loophole that allowed GI Bills not to count as federal funds. He says it [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Controversial Transfer Agreement Ends
“California never should have signed a contract with a predatory for-profit college that was sued by law enforcement for high-pressure enrollment tactics and failing to disclose job prospects to student veterans and military students,” Carrie [...]
Times Higher Education: Biden Crackdown Targets For-Profit Colleges
Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success, said the overturned by the California community college system — with 1.8 million students across 116 campuses — expects more public U.S. universities to reconsider adopting the “hunter-for-profit [...]
Statement of Carrie Wofford on the Cancellation of California Community Colleges’ Agreement with For-Profit School – American Public University System (APUS)
For Immediate Release: Contact: Carrie Wofford, President of Veterans Education Success: [email protected] Veterans Education Success (VES) Statement on the Cancellation of California Community Colleges’ Agreement with For-Profit School - American Public University System (APUS) Sacramento, [...]
EdSource: Community Colleges chancellor announces end to for-profit transfer agreement
“California never should have signed a contract with a predatory for-profit college that was sued by law enforcement for high-pressure enrollment tactics and failing to disclose job prospects to student veterans and military students,” said [...]
Whistleblower Submission: Dr. Mary Ann Markey Testimony to the Department of Education
Testimony of Dr. Mary Ann Markey U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel January 2022 Good afternoon. My name is Dr. Mary Ann Markey, and I have been teaching for Grand Canyon University since 2010, [...]
American GI Forum Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Department of Rulemaking Public Comment Hearing Testimony of the American G.I. Forum on the 90/10 Loophole Luis Vasquez-Contes, National Commander Good afternoon, to the leaders and staff members of the Department of Education. My name [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Randy Diel Testimony to the Department of Education
My name is Randy Diel and I’m an Army veteran who attended American InterContinental University. As I was finishing my bachelors degree in computer information systems, the school convinced me to continue my education through [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Sean Braunstein Testimony to the Department of Education
Good afternoon. My name is Sean Braunstein. I am an Army veteran and recipient of educational benefits that I earned while serving our country on active duty. I am here to tell my story in [...]
The American Legion Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
NEGOTIATED RULEMAKING FOR HIGHER EDUCATION JOSEPH SHARPE PUBLIC COMMENT On behalf of National Commander Paul Dillard and the nearly two million members of The American Legion, we thank The Department of Education for inviting us [...]
WTKR News (Norfolk): Virginia Beach veteran says she was scammed out of GI Bill benefits
"We have gotten complaints from many, many veterans from at least 10, significantly large for-profit institutions, that many veterans are not really being told the truth," said Chris Madaio, the vice president for legal affairs [...]
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings Ashlynne Haycock, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) January 19, 4:20 PM Good Morning, my name is Ashlynne Haycock [...]
Our Letter to the Department of Education on the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSACHE)
January 20, 2022 Dr. Herman Bounds Director Accreditation Group, Office of Postsecondary Education U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202 RE: Call for Comments 86 FR 71251, Document Number 2021-27095 Submitted [...]
Our Letter to the Department of Education on the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
January 20, 2022 Dr. Herman Bounds Director Accreditation Group, Office of Postsecondary Education U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202 RE: Call for Comments 86 FR 71251, Document Number 2021-27095 Submitted [...]
National Advisory Council on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) on Accreditation to the Department of Education
January 20, 2022 Herman Bounds Director, Accreditation Group Office of Postsecondary Education U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202 Dear Director Bounds: We submit this letter on behalf of the undersigned [...]
Our Letter to the Department of Education on the Western Association of Colleges and Schools, Senior College and University Commission (WASCSR)
January 20, 2022 Dr. Herman Bounds Director Accreditation Group, Office of Postsecondary Education U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202 RE: Call for Comments 86 FR 71251, Document Number 2021-27095 Submitted [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Jonelle Daugherty Testimony to the Department of Education
Good afternoon. My name is Jonelle Daugherty, and I am a Navy reservist. I started pursuing a PhD in Sports and Performance Psychology in 2014 at University of the Rockies. In 2018, University of the [...]
The Hill: For-profit colleges prey on veterans — the Department of Education must say ‘no more’
By Will Hubbard The following op-ed was published in The Hill. For decades, for-profit colleges have used deceptive marketing to recruit veterans into expensive, practically worthless degree programs and mountains of debt. Veterans and their [...]
Veterans with Student Loans They Never Authorized or Wanted
Following publication of our report, the U.S. Department of Education reached out to request a meeting to discuss our findings. Soon thereafter, the Department sent a warning letter to all colleges and universities nationwide, available [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Myrna Figueroa Lopez Testimony to the Department of Education
Good afternoon, my name is Myrna Figeruoa Lopez and I’m an Air Force veteran from Puyallup, Washington. I am also a single mom who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis and PTSD. After a difficult divorce, I [...]
Student Veteran Submission: David Reyasbautista Testimony to the Department of Education
Good Afternoon. My name is David Reyasbautista. I am a Marine Corps veteran and am here to tell my story in the hope that you make sure others do not experience what happened to me [...]
Diverse: Will a Gainful Employment Rule for For-Profit Colleges Return?
Brian Whitehead served in the U.S. Army from 2000 to 2005 before he went to ITT Technical Institute, a for-profit college chain that later closed in 2016. At ITT Tech from 2006 to 2008, he [...]
Our Letter to the Community College Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) on Their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the American Public University System (APUS)
January 14, 2022 Chancellor Eloy Oakley Deputy Chancellor Daisy Gonzales California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office 1102 Q Street, 6th Floor Sacramento, CA 95811 RE: Concerns Regarding the MOU Signed Between the CCCCO and APUS Dear [...]
DoD Response Letter to our Executive Order Suggestions
JAN 10, 2022 Ms. Carrie Wofford President Veterans Education Success 1501 K Street NW Washington, D.C. 20005 Dear Ms. Wofford: Thank you for your recent communication dated October 5, 2021, to the Honorable Gilbert Cisneros, [...]
Our Comment on Record Keeping at Flight Schools
January 7, 2022 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Education Service 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20420 Via electronic submission Re: Agency Information Collection Activity: Record Keeping at Flight Schools, 86 FR 61855 Dear Sir [...]
Brookings Institute: Where have all the GI Bill dollars gone? Veteran usage and expenditure of the Post-9/11 GI Bill
The Post 9/11 GI Bill (PGIB) was one of the largest expansions of financial aid for veterans and their families. However, how veterans use these benefits and the institutions they attend are not well documented. [...]
Our Statement Honoring Senator Johnny Isakson
Honoring Senator Johnny Isakson (1944-2021) Veterans owe a debt of gratitude to Sen. Isakson for his many years of leadership -- frequently reaching beyond the politics of the day -- to improve the way in [...]
Statement of Will Hubbard on Congressional passage of the REMOTE Act
Statement of Will Hubbard Vice President for Veterans & Military Policy, Veterans Education Success on Congressional passage of the REMOTE Act For Immediate Release Contact: Will Hubbard, Vice President for Veterans & Military Policy: [email protected] [...]
Our Student Advice Column in Military.com: What Vets and Service Members Need to Know About Public Student Loan Forgiveness
By Jennifer Esparza The following blog was published by Military.com. Service members and veterans may be able to get their school debt forgiven because of temporary changes to a program designed to forgive student loans [...]
Our Nomination Letter to the Education Department for the Negotiated Rulemaking Committee on Institutional and Programmatic Eligibility
Vanessa Gomez U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave. SW, Room 2C179 Washington, DC 20202 Docket ID ED-2021-OPE-0077 Dear Ms. Gomez, The undersigned veterans and military service organizations write to make the following nominations for [...]
WCJT News (Jacksonville): Despite promises of relief, one Jax veteran still struggles to receive an education
According to Chistopher Madaio, vice president for legal affairs at Veterans Education Success, for-profit colleges often seek out veterans because of their GI money — federal dollars from the Post 9/11 GI Bill that funds [...]
Our Letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs on the SAA Rule, RIN 2900-AQ89
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Education Service 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20420 Via electronic submission Re: State Approving Agency Jurisdiction Rule, RIN 2900-AQ89 Dear Sir or Madam, Thank you for the opportunity to [...]
Statement from Barmak Nassirian on President Biden’s Executive Order on PSLF and Student Loans
Statement from Barmak Nassirian Vice President for Higher Education Policy, Veterans Education Success on President Biden’s Executive Order Transforming Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in Government December 13, 2021 "We appreciate [...]
Diverse Issues in Higher Ed: Tense Negotiations of Income-Drive Repayment Plans for Student Loans Continue
"They’re making every effort on every other front,” said Barmak Nassirian, vice president for higher education policy at Veterans Education Success, a bipartisan advocacy and research group focused on improving higher education quality for veterans [...]
Student Veteran Submission: David Apperson Testimony to the Department of Education
Testimony of David Apperson U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel December 2021 Good afternoon. My name is David Apperson, and I’m a former firefighter, law enforcement officer, and U.S. Army veteran from Lindale, Texas. [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Dylan Contrino Testimony to the Department of Education
Testimony of Veteran Dylan Contrino U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel December 2021 My name is Dylan Contrino and I’m here to tell you about my experience at Lincoln Technical as a student veteran. [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Dru Macasieb Testimony to the Department of Education
Testimony of Veteran Dru Macasieb U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel December 2021 Good afternoon. My name is Dru Macasieb and I’m a veteran from San Diego, CA. I’m here to tell you about [...]
Veterans Scammed By For-Profit Colleges to Testify at Federal Hearings About Student Loan Forgiveness
December 8, 2021 VETERANS SCAMMED BY FOR-PROFIT COLLEGES TO TESTIFY AT FEDERAL HEARINGS ABOUT STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR VETS RIPPED OFF BY DECEPTIVE PRACTICES SAN DIEGO VET TO TESTIFY - WEDNESDAY Given the number of [...]
KGTV News (San Diego): San Diego vets set to lose thousands of dollars in GI bill housing benefits
“I spent one entire year in Afghanistan,” student and Army veteran Dru Macasieb told ABC 10News. Macasieb added, “I don't like how veterans are being treated or the stigma of this is 'free money,' because [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Jesus Abarca Testimony to the Department of Education
Testimony of Veteran Jesus Abarca U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel December 2021 Good afternoon. My name is Jesus Abarca and I’m here today to tell you about my experience at Lincoln Technical as [...]
The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS): Accountability That Works: Restoring Gainful Employment and Strengthening Higher Education Accountability Measures
Across higher education sectors, too many students experience inconsistent programmatic quality and varying graduation rates, all while taking on loan debt that burdens them for years to come. These challenges grow as more institutions increase [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Jodie Parks Testimony to the Department of Education
Testimony of Veteran Jodie Parks U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel December 2021 Good afternoon, my name is Jodie Parks and I’m a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. I’m here today to respectfully [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Mikeal Swenson Testimony to the Department of Education
Mikeal Swenson, Army Veteran Testimony U.S. Education Department December 6, 2021 Good afternoon. My name is Mikeal Swenson. I served in the U.S. Army for 6 and a half years, and I was deployed twice [...]
Two Veterans Scammed By For-Profit Colleges To Testify At Federal Hearings About Unfair Student Loan Debts For Vets Ripped Off By Deceptive Practices
December 6, 2021 TWO VETERANS SCAMMED BY FOR-PROFIT COLLEGES TO TESTIFY AT FEDERAL HEARINGS ABOUT UNFAIR STUDENT LOAN DEBTS FOR VETS RIPPED OFF BY DECEPTIVE PRACTICES ORLANDO-BASED FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY INCLUDED IN GOV’T HEARINGS, PALM [...]
Center for Responsible Lending Report: The State of For-Profit Colleges
Data in this research provides a snapshot of the for-profit sector at a critical moment, as federal student loan payments have been paused during the pandemic. Because of the payment pause, sector-by-sector comparisons related to [...]
Military.com: Student Veterans Battle for GI Bill Benefits at MIT, Another School Fighting the VA
Will Hubbard, vice president for veterans and military policy for Veterans Education Success, a GI Bill advocacy group in Washington, D.C., told Military.com that the MIT and Howard situations are a bad combination of the [...]
Our Letter Support The Build Back Better Bill’s Investments In Higher Education
November 17, 2021 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi Speaker United States House of Representatives S-221, The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable Chuck Schumer Majority Leader United States Senate S-221, The Capitol Washington, DC 20510 Dear [...]
Our Statement for the Record: Committee Hearing To Consider Pending Legislation Submitted To The Committee On Veterans’ Affairs U.S. Senate
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD COMMITTEE HEARING TO CONSIDER PENDING LEGISLATION SUBMITTED TO THE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS U.S. SENATE November 17, 2021 Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Moran, and Members of the Committee: We appreciate the [...]
Department of Veterans Affairs: GI Bill Procedural Update – Prohibitions on Advertising, Sales, and Enrollment Practices
Greetings Educational Institutions, Section 1020 of P.L. 116-315, Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, and section 7(a)(5) of P.L. 117-16, Training in High-demand Roles to Improve Veteran [...]
Republic Report: California Opens Fraud Trial Against College Now Owned by Arizona
The advocacy group Veterans Education Success has received more than 100 complaints from Ashford students, with concerns covering recruiting, the quality of education, tuition costs, transferability of credits, and job placement. Read the full story at [...]
Lee Daily: Student Loan Forgiveness Education Department Erased $2 Billion in Debt for 30,000 Borrowers
The former director of military and consumer protection at Veterans Education Success, Mike Saunders said “As the burden of student loan debt has impacted ever-larger swathes of American society, the U.S. military has seen more [...]
CBS News: Lender charged 200% interest to military families for pawn loans, CFPB says
U.S. military families are being socked with annual interest rates sometimes exceeding 200% on pawn loans they've taken out from a Texas company, a violation of a federal law that caps how much lenders can [...]
The Los Angeles Times Editorial: USC tarnishes its reputation again, this time with for-profit recruitment tactics
Editorial: USC tarnishes its reputation again, this time with for-profit recruitment tactics BY THE TIMES EDITORIAL BOARD NOV. 12, 2021 It can be hard to keep up with the scandals and missteps at USC. In just the [...]
CNBC: Struggles for veterans with student debt continue under Biden administration
“We want them to get through the borrower defense backlog,” said Christopher Madaio, vice president for legal affairs at the nonprofit Veterans Education Success. Many other defrauded veterans need more guidance and support just applying [...]
The New York Times: Democrats’ Bill Would Deny For-Profit College Students Extra Aid
The problem of high debt and low wages is by no means limited to proprietary schools. But unlike other sectors, for-profit colleges are beholden to shareholders and have been found to hike up tuition to match [...]
Stories of How New Solutions Are Being Developed To Help Veterans Scammed By For-Profit Colleges
November 10, 2021 STORIES OF HOW NEW SOLUTIONS ARE BEING DEVELOPED TO HELP VETERANS SCAMMED BY FOR-PROFIT COLLEGES Following veteran Greg Engle’s forceful testimony, I’m writing to share elements of a compelling story I hope [...]
Background on the Protect the GI Bill Act: Understanding Section 1016 In 2016, a unanimous Congress enacted the Career Ready Student Veterans Act, preventing GI Bill funding to be wasted at education programs which leave [...]
Press Release: AG Healey Secures Over $1 Million In Relief For Students Under Settlement With For- Profit School In Pittsfield
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 8, 2021 AG HEALEY SECURES OVER $1 MILLION IN RELIEF FOR STUDENTS UNDER SETTLEMENT WITH FOR- PROFIT SCHOOL IN PITTSFIELD The Mildred Elley School Resolves Allegations that it Failed to Follow [...]
Wall Street Journal: USC Pushed a $115,000 Online Degree. Graduates Got Low Salaries, Huge Debts
The nonprofit school used its status-symbol image to attract students across the country, including low-income minority students it targeted for recruitment, often with aggressive tactics. Most students piled on debt to afford the tuition, which [...]
Our Press Release: Local Veterans Testify to Education Department to Call for New Solutions to Help Veterans Scammed by For-Profit Colleges
STORIES OF HOW NEW SOLUTIONS ARE BEING DEVELOPED TO HELP VETERANS SCAMMED BY FOR-PROFIT COLLEGES I’m writing to share elements of a compelling story I hope you’ll consider doing on the issue of veterans’ being [...]
The Arizona Daily Star: Accreditor: UA Global Campus’ Academic Improvement Plan ‘Seriously Inadequate’
Chris Madaio is vice president of legal affairs for Veterans Education Success, a national advocacy group for student veterans. He said the organization has received more than 100 complaints from veterans about Ashford and warned [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Greg Engle Testimony to the Department of Education
Testimony of Greg Engle U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel November 2021 Good afternoon. My name is Greg Engle and I’m a veteran from Orlando, Florida. I spent 10 years active Air force and [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Joshua Queen Testimony to the Department of Education
Testimony of Joshua Queen U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel November 2021 My name is Joshua Queen, and I am an Air Force veteran. I grew up poor and in an environment surrounded by [...]
Our Media Advisory: CA Attorney General Trial Starts Monday 11/8 Against For-Profit College Ashford U For Defrauding Students – Especially Veterans
Media Advisory & Backgrounder: Higher Ed & Veterans Story Contacts: Carrie Wofford, President, [email protected] Christopher Madaio, VP for Legal Affairs, [email protected] CA ATTORNEY GENERAL TRIAL STARTS MONDAY 11/8 AGAINST FOR-PROFIT COLLEGE ASHFORD U FOR [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Christopher Glock Testimony to the Department of Education
Testimony of Christopher Glock U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel November 2021 Good afternoon. My name is Chris Glock and I am a veteran from Colorado. I joined the Marine Corps following 9/11 and [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Jarrod Thoma Testimony to the Department of Education
Jarrod Thoma Testimony U.S Education Department November 2021 Good afternoon, my name is Jarrod Thoma, I am a Veteran of the U.S. Army, from Colorado Springs, Colorado. Thank you for the opportunity to offer my [...]
Our Letter to the Education Department on Keeping the 90/10 Loophole Closed
November 3, 2021 U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave. SW, Room 2C188, Washington, DC 20202 Submitted via electronic portal Re: Negotiated Rulemaking Committee; Public Hearings (Docket ID ED-2021-OPE-0077) To Whom It May Concern: In [...]
NowThis News: What the Student Loan Forgiveness Reboot Means For You
"My total principle balance was about, I think, $76,000 to get through my undergraduate degree. After all the payments and all of the time, I owe $104,000," says veteran Jeffrey Spencer. "Congress made a promise, [...]
Letter from Rep. Takano to the Department of Education About Closing the 90/10 Loophole
November 3, 2021 RE: Docket ID: ED-2021-OPE-0077 Dear Secretary Cardona, We write to submit comments on the U.S. Department of Education’s (Department) regulatory agenda to close the 90/10 loophole. Following Congressional action to close the [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Kolin Wilkins Testimony to the Department of Education
Testimony of Veteran Kolin Wilkins U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel October 2021 My name is Kolin Wilkins. I medically retired from the US Army in 2015 and currently live in Texas. I enrolled [...]
Swords to Plowshares Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Good afternoon, to the officials and staff of the Department of Education. My name is Victor Inzunza. I'm a Marine Corps veteran and I serve as a Policy Analyst at Swords to Plowshares. Our agency was [...]
Blue Star Families Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Good morning, officials and staff of the Department of Education. My name is Nick Wooldridge, and I am the Policy and Outreach Fellow at Blue Star Families. I am speaking on behalf of the families [...]
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Of America (IAVA) Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Statement of Kaitlynne Hetrick, Executive Vice President, Government Affairs of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Of America before the Department of Education October 27, 2021 Good Morning, on behalf of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America’s [...]
The American Legion Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Remarks from David Proferes Policy Coordinator, Veterans Employment & Education Division The American Legion Before the Public Hearing “Negotiated Rulemaking for Higher Education 2021-22” October 26th, 2021 On behalf of National Commander Paul Dillard and the [...]
Children’s Advocacy Institute Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
TESTIMONY OF CHILDREN’S ADVOCACY INSTITUTE URGING STRONG REGULATIONS FROM U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO PROTECT FOSTER YOUTH FROM PREDATORY USE OF CHAFEE/ETV BENEFITS October 26, 2021 Thank you for your diligent work to promulgate strong [...]
Travis Manion Foundation Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Hugo Lentze, Travis Manion Foundation October 27, 10:06 AM Good morning, and thank you for the chance to be here today. My name is Hugo Lentze, and I have the honor of serving as the [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Carlette Satterwhite Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Testimony of Carlette Satterwhite U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel October 2021 Good afternoon, my name is Dr. Carlette Satterwhite, and I’m a veteran from Austin, Texas. I’m here today to tell you about [...]
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Ashlynne Haycock, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) October 27, 10:15 AM Good Morning, my name is Ashlynne Haycock and I serve as the Deputy Director of Policy at the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors [...]
Military Officers Association of America Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Cory Titus, Military Officers Association of America October 27, 10:18 AM Good morning to the Department of Education officials and staff. My name is Cory Titus, and I am the Military Officers Association of America’s [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Jonathan Banasihan Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Jonathan Banasihan, Veteran Good afternoon, my name is Jonathan Banasihan. I am a Navy veteran with deployments in operations supporting Iraq and Afghanistan. I am here to express my support for the closure of the [...]
American G.I. Forum Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Luis Vasquez-Contes, American G.I. Forum October 26, 2:36 PM Good afternoon, to the leaders and staff members of the Department of Education. My name is Luis Vasquez-Contes, and I’ve had the honor of serving in [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Jesse Cruz Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Testimony of Jesse Cruz U.S. Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel October 2021 Good afternoon. My name is Jesse Cruz and I’m a U.S. Army veteran from Atascosa, Texas. I decided to use my GI [...]
Jewish War Veterans Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
Ken Greenberg, Jewish War Veterans October 26, 2:36 PM Thank you to the officials and staff of the Department of Education. My name is Ken Greenberg and I am the National Executive Director of the [...]
Our Testimony on the 90/10 Loophole at the Department of Education Hearings
William Hubbard, Veterans Education Success October 26 2:26 PM Hello, and thank you for the time to present here today. I’m grateful for the opportunity to speak with the hard-working staff and leadership of the [...]
Our Media Advisory: Veterans Organizations To Push Back Against For-Profit Colleges As Dept Of Ed Implements Closing Of Loophole That Incentivizes For-Profit Colleges To Prey On Veterans
VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS TO PUSH BACK AGAINST FOR-PROFIT COLLEGES AS DEPT OF ED IMPLEMENTS CLOSING OF LOOPHOLE THAT INCENTIVIZES FOR-PROFIT COLLEGES TO PREY ON VETERANS INDIVIDUAL VETERANS WHO WERE SCAMMED OUT OF GI BILL BENEFITS BY FOR-PROFIT [...]
Our Blog in Military.com: What to Do About Your GI Bill or Veterans Education Benefits If Your School Closes
By William Hubbard The following blog was published by Military.com. If you're a veteran and you just found out your school (or program) is closing, or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has disapproved [...]
Inside Higher Ed: New Law Threatens International Recruiting Model
“Engaging in processes that we view as unacceptable or corrupt here in the U.S. just because those practices are taking place overseas will change the nature of the university itself,” said Barmak Nassirian, a longtime [...]
Our Interview on the Policy Vets Podcast with Former Secretary Shulkin
Our Vice Presidents, Chris Madaio and Will Hubbard, joined former VA Secretary David Shulkin and Policy Vets Executive Director Lou Celli on their podcast to talk about our work standing up for the GI Bill and [...]
Our Letter to the VA Advisory Committee on Education
October 18, 2021 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Education Service 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20420 Via electronic submission to [email protected] Re: Advisory Committee on Education Meeting October 19-20 Dear Members of [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Victoria Torres Testimony to the Department of Education
My name is Victoria Torres and I live in Miami. I always wanted to be a midwife but those dreams were ruined for me by a for-profit school called Med Academy. When I asked the [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Kendrick Harrison Testimony to the Department of Education
Kendrick Harrison, Veteran Veteran Testimony U.S. Education Department October 8, 2021 Good afternoon, my name is Kendrick Harrison and I am a military veteran, entrepreneur, and a father of four. I am also a former [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Brian Whitehead Testimony to the Department of Education
Brian Whitehead, Veteran Veteran Testimony U.S. Education Department October 7, 2021 Good afternoon. My name is Brian Whitehead and I am from Loganville, GA. I served in the U.S. Army from 2000-2005. After I left [...]
Military Times: Feds Threaten Big Fines Against For-Profits Schools That Dupe Troops, Veterans
“Up until today, veterans and service members have been seen as a gravy train for some of the worst schools in America, exploiting grandiose marketing schemes and even outright lies to keep investors happy,” said [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Joshua Blumm Testimony to the Department of Education
Joshua Blumm, Veteran Veteran Testimony U.S. Education Department October 6, 2021 My name is Joshua Blumm, I’m from Chico, California, and I am the son of a U.S. Marine veteran. I decided I wanted to [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Nicole Wilson Testimony to the Department of Education
Nicole Wilson, Veteran Testimony U.S. Education Department October 6, 2021 Good afternoon. My name is Nicole Wilson and I’m from Akron, Ohio. I have served off and on from 2002 through 2020, serving active duty [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Tasha Berkhalter Testimony to the Department of Education
Tasha Berkhalter, Veteran Testimony U.S. Education Department October 6, 2021 Good afternoon. My name is Tasha Berkhalter and I am an Army veteran from Lima, Ohio. After serving in the Army for more than 5 [...]
Diverse Issues in Higher Education: Student Loan Reforms Stand on Horizon
“Every one of the issues on the table is critically important and quite consequential for specific segments of the borrower population,” said Barmak Nassirian, vice president for higher education policy at Veterans Education Success, a [...]
News Nation USA: Student Loan Reforms Stand on Horizon in Negotiated Rulemaking
“Every one of the issues on the table is critically important and quite consequential for specific segments of the borrower population,” said Barmak Nassirian, vice president for higher education policy at Veterans Education Success, a [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Michelle Poitier Testimony to the Department of Education
Michelle Poitier, Veteran Testimony U.S. Education Department October 5, 2021 Good afternoon, my name is Michelle Poitier and I’m a veteran who served in the U.S. Navy for 13 years. I am here today to [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Stephanie Stiefel Testimony to the Department of Education
Stephanie Stiefel, Veteran Testimony U.S. Education Department October 5, 2021 Good afternoon. My name is Stephanie Stiefel. I am here today to tell my story in the hope that what happened to me will not [...]
CNBC: Big Changes are Coming to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
Instead, hundreds of thousands of people in public service jobs believe that they’re paying their way to loan cancellation only to discover at some point in the process that they don’t qualify for one technical [...]
Our Testimony to the Department of Education on Negotiated Rulemaking October Public Hearings
Jennifer Esparza, Veterans Education Success Testimony U.S. Education Department October 4, 2021 Good afternoon. My name is Jennifer Esparza, and I am a Law Fellow with Veterans Education Success. I wanted to speak to you [...]
60 Minutes: Military Members Promised Student Debt Relief in Exchange for Ten Years of Public Service say Promise is Often Broken
The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program was meant to erase student loan debt for borrowers who spent a decade as public servants. But the program has come up woefully short for members of the military. [...]
NPR: Troubled Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program Will Get Overhaul
A troubled student debt relief program for teachers, police officers and other public service workers will soon get the makeover that borrowers have been demanding. Next week, according to a source familiar with the plans [...]
The Century Foundation Report: Invasion Of The College Snatchers
"New data obtained by TCF reveal some colleges rely on OPMs to bring in up to one-half or more of their total enrollment." Read the report here.
Minnesota’s Attorney General’s Office: Former MSB/Globe Students to Finally Receive Nearly $24M in Debt Forgiveness, $16M in Restitution for Fraud
"Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced today that $23.6 million in debt relief has now finally been approved for former students of Minnesota School of Business (MSB) and Globe University (Globe) and that $15.8 million [...]
Our Statement for the Record: September 30th House Subcommittee on Education and Labor Hearing on Closed School Discharge
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING ON CLOSED SCHOOL DISCHARGE SUBMITTED TO THE HIGHER EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE INVESTMENT SUBCOMMITTEE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND LABOR U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 30, 2021 Chairwoman Wilson, Ranking Member [...]
Our Letter with Executive Order Ideas to Protect Service Members and Veterans in Higher Education
MEMORANDUM TO: The Honorable Susan Rice, Director, Domestic Policy Council The Honorable Thomas J. Murphy, Acting Under Secretary for Benefits, Department of Veterans Affairs The Honorable Gilbert Cisneros, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and [...]
Letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs on Agency Information Collection Activity and the Assurance of Compliance with 85 Percent Enrollment Ratios
September 24, 2021 Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20420 Submitted via electronic portal Re: Agency Information Collection Activity: Statement of Assurance of Compliance with 85 Percent Enrollment Ratios, 86 FR [...]
Veterans and Military Organizations’ Letter to the U.S. Department of Education Requesting Information Regarding the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
September 24, 2021 U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue SW Washington, DC 20202 Submitted via electronic portal Re: Request for Information Regarding the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, Docket ID: ED-2021-OUS-0082 To Whom It [...]
Our Public Comment Seeking Changes to the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Proposed Rule on Reporting Debts to Credit Reporting Agencies
September 21, 2021 Submitted via electronic portal Jason Hoge Director of Operations Debt Management Center Office of Management, 189 1 Federal Drive Suite 4500 Fort Snelling, MN 55111 Re: RIN 2900-AR20-Threshold for Reporting VA Debts [...]
Our Letter to The U.S. Department of Education on their Renewed Recognition of the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC)
September 20, 2021 The Honorable Miguel Cardona, Ed.D. Secretary U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202 Dear Secretary Cardona, We submit this letter on behalf of the undersigned organizations to urge [...]
Coalition Letter to California’s Governor Newsom in Support for SB 802
September 16, 2021 The Honorable Gavin Newsom, Governor Office of the Governor 1303 10th Street, Suite 1173 Sacramento CA, 95814 SB 802 (Roth) – Request for Signature Dear Governor Newsom: We represent a group of [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Judging a Degree by the Program, Not the College
Two new studies examine which degree programs at which institutions offer graduates the best chance of recouping their costs and repaying their loans. Read the full Inside Higher Ed story here.
Letter to US Department of Education on Joint Federal State Oversight
September 10, 2021 Beth Grebeldinger U.S. Department of Education Federal Student Aid 830 First Street NE Room 113F4 Washington, DC 20202 RE: Joint Federal State Oversight (Docket ID ED-2021-OS-0107) Dear Ms. Grebeldinger: Thank you for [...]
The Century Foundation: Predatory Colleges Think They Are Too Flawed to Fail. Biden’s Department of Education Should Prove Them Wrong.
For too long, however, predatory for-profit schools have enrolled students and harvested their federal aid without holding up the school’s end of the bargain, violating the terms of their PPAs; it’s time for ED to [...]
Inside Higher Education: The Debate Over Instructional Spending Policies
“The purpose of instructional expenditure policies was never to suggest that they (the authors of the report) -- either by themselves or in conjunction with outcomes -- would be adequate proxies for quality,” said Barmak [...]
Washington Post: Getting Educated While on Active Duty is Getting Harder as Military Limits Benefits
That means that many service members — including medics and others in fields in high demand — have to wait until they leave the military to go to college. Read the full Washington Post story [...]
Summary of Veteran and Servicemember Student Complaints about Perdoceo Education Corporation
I. Introduction This memo analyzes and provides representative examples of over 500 complaints from military-connected students who attended schools owned by the Perdoceo Education Corporation, formerly known as the Career Education Corporation and referred to [...]
Our Letter to Howard University Regarding the DC SAA Suspension Lift
August 31, 2021 Sent via email Dr. Glenn Phillips Howard University 2400 Sixth Street NW Washington, D.C. 20059 Dear Dr. Phillips, We are pleased that the suspension imposed by the Washington, D.C. State Approving Agency [...]
Letter From 22 Organizations to the US Department of Education On Nomination For Affordability and Student Loan Committee
Vanessa Gomez U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave. SW, Room 2C179 Washington, DC 20202 Docket ID ED-2021-OPE-0077 August 31, 2021 Dear Ms. Gomez, The undersigned veterans and military service organizations write to make the [...]
How does virtual learning impact students in higher education?
In 2020, the pandemic pushed millions of college students around the world into virtual learning. As the new academic year begins, many colleges in the U.S. are poised to bring students back to campus, but a large amount of uncertainty remains. Some institutions will undoubtedly continue to offer online or hybrid classes, even as in-person instruction resumes. At the same time, low vaccination rates, new coronavirus variants, and travel restrictions for international students may mean a return to fully online instruction for some U.S. students and many more around the world.
Yahoo! Finance: Biden Administration Forgives $1.1 Billion in Student Loans for 115,000 Borrowers
The evidence against ITT was made possible due to investigations by partners at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Iowa Office of the Attorney General, as well as Veterans Education Success. Read the full [...]
Our Statement on the Department of Education’s Announcement Regarding Automatic Total and Permanent Disability Discharges
Earlier today, the Department of Education announced a significant policy shift that will automate loan discharges for borrowers with total and permanent disability through a data match with the Social Security Administration. This move will provide [...]
Memorandum From William Hubbard to Department of Veterans Affairs on Changes to VBA Webpage
MEMORANDUM TO: James Ruhlman, Education Service, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs FROM: Veterans Education Success DATE: August 17, 2021 RE: Veterans Benefits Administration Webpage: Restoration of Benefits After School Closure or if a School is [...]
Statement from 50+ Veterans Organizations on the Situation in Afghanistan
RE: Situation in Afghanistan As events rapidly unfold in Afghanistan, the news may be distressing to many service members, Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors. You are not alone. The undersigned organizations care for, represent, [...]
Our Letter to the Office of Postsecondary Education Regarding Accrediting the Distance Education Accrediting Commission
August 15, 2021 Herman Bounds Director of Accreditation Group Office of Postsecondary education U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue SW Washington, DC 20202 Submitted via electronic portal Re: Accrediting Agencies Currently Undergoing Review for [...]
Our Letter to the Office of Postsecondary Education Regarding Accrediting SACSCOC
August 15, 2021 Herman Bounds Director of Accreditation Group Office of Postsecondary education U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue SW Washington, DC 20202 Submitted via electronic portal Re: Accrediting Agencies Currently Undergoing Review for [...]
Our Press Release: Veterans Education Success Announces Christopher Madaio as Vice President for Legal Affairs
For Immediate Release Contact: Carrie Wofford | President (202) 838-5050 August 16, 2021 Veterans Education Success Announces Christopher Madaio as Vice President for Legal Affairs Washington, D.C. – Carrie Wofford, President of Veterans Education Success, [...]
Military.com: Errors Cost Student Vets GI Bill Benefits. Now, Howard University Is Scrambling to Save VA Funding
Carrie Wofford, the president of Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group that often lobbies Congress on GI Bill issues, told Military.com that Howard surely has issues with processing veteran benefits, but it's a relatively small [...]
GAO: VA Could Better Inform Veterans with Disabilities about Their Education Benefit Options
As of August 2020, approximately 4.7 million veterans had a serviceconnected disability, making up about 26 percent of the total veteran population. As these veterans transition to civilian life, many choose to pursue higher education [...]
Student Veteran Statement: Tasha Berkhalter Written Statement to Senate Judiciary Committee
Tasha Berkhalter, Army Veteran Statement for the Record United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary Student Loan Bankruptcy Reform Full Committee Hearing August 3, 2021 My name is Tasha Berkhalter, and I am an Army [...]
Student Veteran Statement: Joshua Queen Written Statement to Senate Judiciary Committee
Joshua Queen, Air Force Veteran Statement for the Record United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary Student Loan Bankruptcy Reform Full Committee Hearing August 3, 2021 My name is Joshua Queen, and I am an [...]
Our Testimony to the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity
Barmak Nassirian, Veterans Education Success Written Testimony National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity July 27-29, 2021 My name is Barmak Nassirian and I serve as the Vice President for Higher Education Policy at [...]
Letter From 5 Higher Ed Organizations to The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements on Distance Education
National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements President/CEO and Board of Directors 3005 Center Green Drive Boulder, Colorado 80301 July 26, 2021 Re: Proposed 21st Century Guidelines for Distance Education Dear President Williams and Members [...]
Letter From 5 Higher Ed Organizations to The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements on Student Protection
National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements President/CEO and Board of Directors 3005 Center Green Drive Suite 130 Boulder, Colorado 80301 July 26, 2021 Re: Call for Policy Proposals Dear President Williams and Members of [...]
Letter From 12 Organizations to the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity
Dr. Michelle Asha Cooper National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20202 Dear Dr. Cooper: This letter is submitted on behalf of the 12 undersigned organizations to commend [...]
Letter to Education Department Regarding Adtalem Walden University Acquisition
July 21, 2021 The Honorable Miguel Cardona, Ed.D. Secretary U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave SW Washington, DC 20202 Dear Secretary Cardona: We write to express concern regarding Adtalem’s proposed acquisition of Walden University [...]
Our Letter to Congress Endorsing H.R. 2668, the Consumer Protection and Recovery Act
July 14, 2021 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Speaker The Honorable Kevin McCarthy, Minority Leader U.S. House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515 RE: Call to update Federal Trade Commission’s enforcement tools under FTC Act, Section 13(b) [...]
Our Letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs Regarding the Veteran Readiness and Employment Questionnaire
July 14, 2021 Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Ave., NW Washington, DC 20420 Via electronic submission Re: Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review: Veteran Readiness and Employment Questionnaire, OMB Control No. 2900-0092 Dear [...]
Chicago Sun-Times: FBI Agent Who Fought VA for GI Bill College Benefits Wins Appeal; Case Could Help Vets Nationwide
The case has been watched by veterans and educational organizations around the country. The nonprofit organizations National Veterans Legal Services Program and Veterans Education Success filed briefs in support of Rudisill. Read the full story [...]
Letter from 14 Organizations in Support of California Senate Bill 802
The Honorable Evan Low Assembly Business and Professions Committee Legislative Office Building, Room 379 Sacramento, California 95814 July 9, 2021 RE: SUPPORT for SB 802 Dear Chair Medina: We represent a group of student, veteran, [...]
Our Press Release: Veterans Education Success Announces Barmak Nassirian as Vice President for Higher Education Policy
For Immediate Release Contact: Carrie Wofford | President (202) 838-5050 July 7, 2021 Veterans Education Success Announces Barmak Nassirian as Vice President for Higher Education Policy Washington, D.C. – Carrie Wofford, President of Veterans Education [...]
Our Testimony to the California Senate Judiciary Committee on Assembly Joint Resolution No. 12
William Hubbard, Veterans Education Success Testimony California Senate Judiciary Committee July 2021 Good afternoon to the Honorable Members and your staff: I speak with you about Assembly Joint Resolution No. 12, and wish to register [...]
Letter from The Nation’s Leading Military and Veteran-Serving Organizations to California Legislators on Assembly Joint Resolution No. 12
Good morning, Nearly 20 veterans organizations oppose AJR-12, and for good reason. This is contrary to information shared by the California-Accredited Law Schools and their lobbyists (ref. letters attached). Despite all the arguments their lobbyists [...]
Our Press Release: Veterans Education Success Announces the Addition of Will Hubbard
June 7, 2021 For Immediate Release Contact: Carrie Wofford: [email protected]; (202) 838-5050 Veterans Education Success Announces the Addition of Will Hubbard Washington, D.C. – Carrie Wofford, President of Veterans Education Success, announced today that Will [...]
Massachusetts Attorney General Secures Nearly $300,000 for Students of Online For-profit School
For Immediate Release July 2, 2021 AG HEALEY SECURES NEARLY $300,000 FOR STUDENTS OF ONLINE FOR-PROFIT SCHOOL Settlement Provides Payments for Certain Former Ashford University Students and Resolves Allegations that School Charged Excessive Fees and [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Tasha Berkhalter Testimony to the Department of Education
Tasha Berkhalter Testimony U.S. Education Department June 2021 My name is Tasha Berkhalter and I am an Army veteran from Lima, Ohio. I would like to tell you a bit of my story. After [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Jay Hernandez Testimony to the Department of Education
Jay Hernandez Testimony U.S. Education Department June 2021 My name is Jay Hernandez, and I am a Marine veteran from Oregon City, Oregon. I became a U.S Marine because I wanted more out of my [...]
Our Formal Written Submission to the Department of Education on Negotiated Rulemaking Public Hearings
July 1, 2021 Docket ID: ED-2021-OPE-0077 Vanessa Gomez U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave., SW Room 2C179 Washington, DC 20202 Dear Ms. Gomez, On behalf of Veterans Education Success, I write to submit comments [...]
Our Testimony to the Federal Trade Commission during July Open Commission Meeting
James Haynes, Veterans Education Success FTC Testimony Federal Trade Commission July 1, 2021 Good afternoon, my name is James Haynes and I am here today on behalf of Veterans Education Success. Student veterans have long [...]
Letter to the Department of Education Regarding Accountability and Borrower Protection
July 1, 2021 Dr. Michelle Asha Cooper Acting Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Higher Education Programs United States Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Room 2C179 Washington, DC 20202 [...]
The Highland County Press: Department of Education Announces Approval of New Categories of Borrower Defense Claims Totaling $500M in Loan Relief to 18,000 Borrowers
"These findings were made possible thanks to evidence provided by partners at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Iowa Office of the Attorney General, as well as Veterans Education Success. The Department looks forward [...]
Coalition Letter: Support for California’s SB-802
The Honorable Jose Medina Assembly Higher Education Committee Legislative Office Building, Room 173 Sacramento, California 95814 RE: SUPPORT for SB 802 as Amended 5/5/2021 Dear Chair Medina: We represent a group of student, veteran, consumer, [...]
Collection of Statements to the Department of Education on Negotiated Rulemaking Public Hearings
Negotiated Rulemaking 2021 Public Hearing Statements and Testimony of Veterans of the Armed Forces
Robert F. Muth Testimony to the Department of Education on Negotiated Rulemaking Public Hearings
Robert F. Muth, University of San Diego School of Law Testimony U.S. Education Department June 2021 Good Afternoon Thank you for the opportunity to provide this public comment on potential issues for future negotiated rulemaking. [...]
Wesley Wilson Testimony to the Department of Education on Negotiated Rulemaking Public Hearings
Wesley Wilson, Higher Ground Veterans Advocacy Testimony U.S. Education Department June 2021 Good morning, thank you for allowing me to provide comment here today. I am Wesley Wilson, and I am a current student veteran [...]
Our Testimony to the Department of Education on Negotiated Rulemaking Public Hearings
William Hubbard, Veterans Education Success Testimony U.S. Education Department June 2021 Good morning, my name is Will Hubbard, and on behalf of Veterans Education Success—a non-profit focused on serving veterans seeking the transformative power of [...]
Student Veteran Submission: William Buchanan Testimony to the Department of Education
William Buchanan Testimony U.S. Department of Education June 2021 Good afternoon, I am Dr. William Buchanan (Ph.D.), a service-connected disabled Veteran and first-generation college graduate. I am here today to discuss the total and [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Nicole Wilson Testimony to the Department of Education
Nicole Wilson Testimony U.S. Education Department June 2021 Good morning. My name is Nicole Wilson and I’m from Akron, Ohio. I have served off and on from 2002 through 2020, serving on active duty [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Jarrod Thoma Testimony to the Department of Education
Jarrod Thoma Testimony U.S Education Department June 2021 Good morning, my name is Jarrod Thoma, I am a Veteran of the U.S. Army, from Colorado Springs, Colorado. Thank you for the opportunity to offer [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Chris Wolfla Testimony to the Department of Education
Chris Wolfla Testimony U.S. Education Department June 2021 Good morning/afternoon. My name is Chris Wolfla and I’m from North Vernon, Indiana. I spent six years in the Navy as a medic and completed two [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Patricia Chang Testimony to the Department of Education
Patricia Chang Testimony U.S. Education Department June 2021 My name is Patricia Chang and I’m from Coconut Creek, Florida. As a proud veteran of the U.S. Navy, I earned my GI Bill for my [...]
Student Veteran Submission: Antonio Luna Testimony to the Department of Education
Antonio Luna Testimony U.S. Education Department June 2021 Good morning/afternoon. My name is Antonio Luna and I’m from Phoenix, Arizona. After completing my active duty in the Marine Corps in 2014, I enrolled in [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Department of Education Cancels Loans for ITT Tech Students
"Carrie Wofford, the president of Veterans Education Success -- an advocacy group that provided evidence to the department to aid in its decision -- applauded its decision in a release. “'So many veterans came to [...]
Washington Post: Biden Administration Delivers Debt Relief to Some Former ITT Tech Students
“The Education Department said that evidence, along with findings from advocacy group Veterans Education Success, serves as the basis for the approvals. "'So many veterans came to us about how ITT Tech cheated them,' said [...]
Our Press Release: Veterans Education Success Applauds Department of Education’s $500 Million in Loan Relief to 18,000 Borrowers Scammed by ITT Technical Institute
For Immediate Release Contact: Carrie Wofford | President (202) 838-5050 June 16, 2021 Veterans Education Success Applauds Department of Education’s $500 Million in Loan Relief to 18,000 Borrowers Scammed by ITT Technical Institute The Department [...]
Navy Times: The 2021 Military Times Best for Vets: Colleges Rankings Are Out. Is Your School On The List?
Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success, said there had been “loud consensus” from veterans organizations that Congress “had to remove the recruiting target from the backs of veterans.” The new regulations won’t go into [...]
Letter from Congressman Takano to California Legislators on Assembly Joint Resolution No. 12
Congressman Takano sent the following letters to Members of the California State Legislature, including Mark Stone, Thomas J. Umberg, Bob Archuleta, Jacqui Irwin, Connie M. Leyva, and Jose Medina. I write in regard to Assembly [...]
NPR: Once Banned, For-Profit Medical Schools Are On The Rise Again In The U.S.
Two universities are eyeing the chance to be the first to build a medical school in one of the few states without one. The jockeying of the two schools to open campuses in Montana — [...]
FTC Sends Nearly $30 Million in Refunds to People Tricked into Enrolling by School Operator’s Lead Generators
June 9, 2021 U.S. Federal Trade Commission For Release Career Education Corporation refund distribution, averaging more than $3,700 per person, is the largest per person average in agency’s history The Federal Trade Commission is sending [...]
Our Letter to the VA Advisory Committee on Education Regarding June 9-10 Meeting
June 7, 2021 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Education Services 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20420 Via electronic submission to [email protected] Re: Advisory Committee on Education Meeting June 9-10 Dear Members of the Advisory [...]
Press Release: Veterans Education Success Announces Will Hubbard as Chief Policy Officer
June 1, 2021 For Immediate Release Contact: Carrie Wofford: [email protected]; (202) 838-5050 Veterans Education Success Announces Will Hubbard as Chief Policy Officer. Washington, D.C. – Carrie Wofford, President of Veterans Education Success, announced the [...]
NBC News: Public Colleges in 49 States Send Students’ Debts to Collection Agencies, Imperiling Financial Futures
"Brendan Mullican, a former student at Sam Houston State, served in the Navy for four years, including in the Middle East during the 2003 Iraq War. Mullican, the first in his family to go to [...]
Our Comment on the New TPD Computer Matching Agreement between the Education Department and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs
May 28, 2021 U.S. Department of Education, Office of Federal Student Aid 830 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20202-5320 Attn: Brenda Vigna, Division Chief Dear Ms. Vigna: We are providing comments on the [...]
Our Comment on the Computer Matching Agreement between the Department of Education and the Department of Veterans Affairs
We are providing comments on the May 6, 2021, Federal Register Notice (ED-2021-FSA-0005) concerning the re-establishment of the flawed computer matching agreement (CMA) between the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the U.S. Department of [...]
Veteran and Servicemember Complaints about Misconduct and Illegal Practices at Dream Center schools
Introduction This memo summarizes and analyzes complaints received by Veterans Education Success from military-connected students who attended Dream Center schools. These schools were formerly owned by Education Management Corporation (EDMC), which closed some schools [...]
Our Press Release: Analysis of How the Defense Department’s Tuition Assistance Funds are Spent
For Immediate Release Contact Walter Ochinko May 25, 2021 Veterans Education Success Releases Analysis of How the Defense Department’s Tuition Assistance [...]
Factsheet: Defense Department Tuition Assistance Program: Enrollment and Credentials Earned, by Institutional Sector, for Fiscal Year 2019
In fiscal year (FY) 2019, almost 250,000 servicemembers participated in the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DOD) Tuition Assistance (TA) program. The program allows eligible servicemembers to take postsecondary classes on a part-time basis during [...]
MSO/VSO Letter Supporting the Expansion of the MLA to All Americans in the 117th Congress
May 21, 2021 The Honorable Sherrod Brown, Chairman Senate Committee on Banking SD-534 Dirksen Senate Office Committee Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Jack Reed Senate Committee on Banking SD-534 Dirksen Senate Office Committee [...]
Important Update for MGIB-SR Students Using Tuition Assistance
By Michael Saunders On May 5, 2021, the Department of Defense (DoD) issued a memorandum to the Department of Veterans approving concurrent usage of DoD Tuition Assistance (TA) and Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve Education Benefit [...]
Filing a VA Claim is Free – Beware of Companies that Charge
Filing a VA Claim is Free – Beware of Companies that Charge Aniela Szymanski Filing a claim with VA is free and veterans should beware of companies that charge for it. In fact, VA prohibits [...]
Bloomberg Businessweek: Apollo Doubles Its Money in $1 Billion Bet on Tarnished Colleges
“We haven’t seen anything that would indicate a dramatic change in their behavior,” says Aniela Szymanski, a senior director at Veterans Education Success, a research and advocacy group. “It is kind of disappointing when we [...]
USA Today: A College Closed, Upending One Veteran’s Life. Two Years Later, He’s Still Rebuilding
"Harrison didn’t know the safeguards he’d depended on were not as solid as they appeared. For example, the Veterans Affairs Department doesn’t track how well a university prepares its students for the workforce, said Carrie [...]
Bloomberg: Senators Want More Transparency About Veterans’ Education Money
But without accountability on how the money is used, veterans have been preyed upon, especially by for-profit colleges, according to Walter Ochinko, research director at Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group. Legislation to improve the [...]
The Capitol Forum: Perdoceo Education Corporation: Data Shows that Deferral of $39M Title IV Funds in 2019 Saved Company from 90/10 Violation; Company Likely Needs to Find New Funding Sources Ahead of 2023 When New Law Closing 90/10 Loophole Takes Effect
"Perdoceo thought that its purchase of Trident University International would cure its problem with AIU’s nearly 90 percent 90/10 ratio as of 2019,” said Walter Ochinko, Research Director at Veterans Education Success. "However, Percdoceo failed [...]
Postsecondary Outcomes for Undergraduate Veterans of Color
As America grapples with systemic racial injustice, it is more important than ever to examine the outcomes of veterans of color who are using the GI Bill to earn a postsecondary credential. In a 2011 [...]
Policy Makers Need Additional Data to Better Understand Postsecondary Outcomes for Undergraduate Veterans of Color
Source: National Postsecondary Student Aid Survey, 2016. Blog Post By: Walter Ochinko May 2021 Our report, Postsecondary Outcomes for Veterans of Color, compares their outcomes to those of their white veteran counterparts using U.S. [...]
Our Letter to DoD & ED Asking Them to Improve PSLF
May 7, 2021 The Honorable Miguel Cardona Secretary of Education Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue SW Washington, DC 20202 Secretary Lloyd Austin US Department of Defense 1000 Defense Pentagon Washington, DC 20301-1000 [...]
Yahoo Finance: Student loan forgiveness: New bill aims to help active-duty military service members
The fact that only 124 active duty service members had their loans discharged via PSLF "is a major warning sign," Mike Saunders, director of military and consumer policy at Veterans Education Success told Yahoo Finance. [...]
Our Letter to Congress Asking Them to Update FTC’s 13(b) Enforcement Tools
April 26, 2021 The Honorable Maria Cantwell, Chair The Honorable Roger Wicker, Ranking Member Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation U.S. Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 The Honorable Frank Pallone, Jr. Chairman The Honorable Cathy McMorris [...]
Our Letter to Congress to Overturn the OCC’s True Lender Rule
April 29, 2021 The Honorable Sherrod Brown, Chairman, U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Room SD-534 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Patrick J. Toomey, Ranking Member, [...]
Policy Memo from the Today’s Student Coalition to Secretary of Education Cardona
April 16, 2021 Dear Secretary Cardona: The Today’s Students Coalition is a cross-cutting group of 30 policy, advocacy, and membership organizations who have joined forces to push for urgently-needed policy changes that will better serve [...]
GAO: 94% of PSLF Applicants Employed By DoD Have Been Denied; 124 Active Duty Servicemembers Have Earned Loan Forgiveness
Public Service Loan Forgiveness: DOD and Its Personnel Could Benefit from Additional Program Information The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program is intended to encourage people to enter public service. It forgives the federal student loan [...]
For-Profit Trade School Owner Guilty of Defrauding Veterans
April 19, 2021 - The U.S. Department of Justice announced that the owner of for-profit trade school Retail Ready was convicted of defrauding student veterans. Jonathan Dean Davis ran an HVAC training course and collected [...]
Bloomberg: Ex-Temple Business Dean Cheated for Prized Rank, U.S. Says
The former dean of Temple University’s business school fed false data to U.S. News & World Report for years to inflate the school’s ranking and attract students, federal prosecutors alleged, in their latest crackdown involving higher education. Read [...]
Marine Corps Times: Now is a great time for veterans to enhance their education
A recent bill, the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, was unanimously approved by U.S. House and Senate just one month ago. The non-profit group Veterans [...]
Navy Times: Some soldiers may have to pay for spring classes after tuition assistance computer glitch
“The announcement from the Army last week that tuition assistance is temporarily suspended is concerning at best,” said Tanya Ang, vice president at Veterans Education Success. “The Army relies on TA for professional advancement and, [...]
Letter from 21 Organizations in Support of James Kvaal for Under Secretary of Education
April 8, 2021 The Honorable Patty Murray Chair The Honorable Richard Burr Ranking Member U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions 428 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C., 20510 To Chair Murray and [...]
Letter from 23 Organizations to Secretary of Education Cardona about the Borrower Defense Program
April 13, 2021 Secretary Miguel Cardona U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave SW Washington, DC 20202 Dear Secretary Cardona: We, the undersigned organizations that work on higher education accountability, and advocate for students, military [...]
Battle Borne: Trade School Scams, Trucking, and the Uncertain Future of Veteran Work
"One of the few available analyses into G.I. Bill-eligible trade schools comes from the policy non-profit Veterans Education Success (VES). In a 2019 report, they found that ten years after their trade schooling, less than half of [...]
New York Times Editorial: How to Stop Schools That Prey on Veterans
How to Stop Schools That Prey on Veterans Under Betsy DeVos, the Education Department sold out to predatory for-profit colleges. It’s welcome news that Washington is taking steps to protect students. By The Editorial Board [...]
Military.com: This GI Bill Rule Change Could Cost Veterans Thousands of Dollars a Semester
"That full-time status ensures their housing allowance remains steady, consequently helping them complete their post-secondary education," said Tanya Ang, vice president of advocacy group Veterans Education Success. "VA has been able to adequately address this [...]
Letter to Education Department Regarding the Center for Excellence in Higher Education
March 26, 2021 Ms. Robin Minor Acting Chief Operating Officer, Federal Student Aid U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202 Via e-mail: [email protected] Dear Ms. Minor: As advocates for students and [...]
Our Article in the Personal Finance section of Military.com: “Service Members and Veterans: Beware of Paycheck Advance Apps and Easy ‘Credit'”
23 Mar 2021 Military.com | By Mike Saunders Service members and veterans need to be wary of new forms of credit-like products that have popped up in recent years, especially "paycheck advance" products and Income Share Agreements. [...]
Letter to the Education Department Re: Colorado Tech U and American InterContinental U
March 24, 2021 Ms. Robin Minor Acting Chief Operating Officer, Federal Student Aid U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202 Via e-mail: [email protected] Dear Ms. Minor: We write, as organizations who [...]
Joint Statement from 40+ Organizations in Support of AAPI Communities
We, the undersigned organizations committed to supporting service members, veterans, caregivers, survivors, and their families, write to express our strong condemnation of the recent wave of violence against individuals of Asian descent in our country, [...]
Forbes: Is $10,000 In Student Loan Forgiveness Next, After Biden Administration Cancels $1 Billion?
“We thank the U.S. Department of Education for rescinding its harmful borrower defense partial relief policy,” said Veterans Education Success, a veterans advocacy group, in a Tweet. “There is more work to be done... but [...]
Letter from 14 Higher Education Groups to the Department of Education regarding Transparency
Acting Secretary Philip H. Rosenfelt U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue SW Washington, DC 20202 Dear Secretary Cardona: We represent organizations advocating for students, veterans, consumers, educators, college administrators, civil rights, and education policy [...]
Our Statement for the Record: Legislative Priorities for 2021
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES SUBMITTED TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE COMMITTEES ON VETERANS AFFAIRS FIRST SESSION 117TH CONGRESS March 18, 2021 Chairmen Tester and Takano, Ranking Members Moran and Bost, and Members of [...]
Diverse Issues in Higher Education: Veterans’ Education Advocates Celebrate Closure of the 90/10 Loophole
“The schools have now been put on notice,” said Veterans Education Success Vice President Tanya Ang. “… The hope is that the schools [will] actually really use this time to change and address and fix [...]
Ed Source: California Agency that Oversees For-Profit Colleges to Face Critics
"It's protections like that that make robust oversight of for-profit schools a benefit to the state and a strong oversight agency vital, said Ramond Curtis, the state policy manager of the Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group [...]
Seattle Times: Big aid bill also aids students: making debt forgiveness tax-free, curbing for-profit schools
Military organizations and veterans groups voiced concerns that predatory schools will continue to target veterans, but they hailed the compromise.“ A bipartisan solution is always a stronger solution,” said Tanya Ang, vice president of the [...]
NPR: The Latest Coronavirus Relief Bill Includes A Provision That Will Help Veterans
"We have helped thousands of veterans apply for what's called borrower defense to repayment.' Carrie Wofford is with Veterans Education Success, a nonprofit. 'Which means a student who was defrauded should have his student loans [...]
New York Times: Congress Closes Loophole That Made Veterans a Target of For-Profit Schools
"The change won’t be effective until 2023, a delay that Carrie Wofford, the president of Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group, called 'a bitter pill to swallow.' But the delay was necessary to reach a [...]
MarketWatch: COVID-19 relief bill will close loophole that critics say created ‘a perverse incentive’ for for-profit colleges
Tanya Ang, vice president at Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group, said that the economic devastation created by COVID risks a repetition of that history. Others have worried that the proliferation of online schooling during the pandemic [...]
U.S. News & World Report: Democrats Nix For-Profit Loophole That Targeted Veterans and Servicemembers
"After nearly a decade of requests from veterans and military organizations, we are grateful Congress is moving to finally remove the target from the backs of veterans and servicemembers by closing the 90/10 loophole," Carrie [...]
Washington Post: Congress Makes Student Debt Forgiveness Tax-Free, Limits Revenue that For-Profit Colleges Get from Enrolling Veterans
"Military organizations and veterans groups voiced concerns that predatory schools will continue to target veterans, but they hailed the compromise. 'A bipartisan solution is always a stronger solution,' said Tanya Ang, vice president of the [...]
90/10 Loophole Closure Is On its Way to the President’s Desk!
Congress’ Reconciliation Package Includes Provision to Close Loophole Long-Sought by Veterans Organizations March 10, 2021 3:00 p.m. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C. Veterans Education Success hails the House of Representative's approval this afternoon of a [...]
Coalition Letter: California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education Sunset Review Hearing
We represent a group of student, veteran, consumer, civil rights, and higher education advocates focused on ensuring that higher education students in California are protected from predatory schools and have access to a high-quality education that does not leave them with unmanageable debt.
Military.Com: New Law Finally Closes GI Bill Loophole Allegedly Used to Scam Veterans
"'After nearly a decade of requests from veterans and military organizations, we are grateful Congress is moving to finally remove the target from the backs of veterans and service members by closing the 90/10 loophole,' [...]
Military Times: GI Bill Vets May Be Less Attractive to For-Profit Schools Under New Law
"'After nearly a decade of requests from veterans and military organizations, we are grateful Congress is moving to finally remove the target from the backs of veterans and servicemembers by closing this loophole,' said Carrie [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Senate Approves $40 Billion for Colleges; Measure Also Would Tighten Up the 90/10 Rule on For-Profit Colleges
“'This is a game changer. Finally, after a decade of our asking, Congress is going to stop the ugly harassment of veterans by for-profit colleges,' said Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success. 'Of course, [...]
Military.com: Vet Groups Make Final Effort to Kill GI Bill Loophole Through COVID Relief Package
"On Friday, 31 veterans advocate groups and military organizations penned a letter to the Senators stressing the need to close the so-called 90/10 loophole. Currently, for-profit schools must collect at least 10% of their revenue [...]
Bipartisan amendment to delay implementation of 90/10 loophole closure in the COVID relief reconciliation package
Below is the text of the bipartisan amendment to delay implementation of the 90/10 loophole closure in the American Recovery Act (COVID relief reconciliation plan). This deal was brokered between Senators Tom Carper (D-DE), Bill [...]
Republic Report: Independence University Operator Seeks To Conceal Record of Trial It Lost
"An additional brief supporting the AG office position was filed last week by lawyers representing Debbi Potts, a former CEHE employee who blew the whistle on the company to Colorado authorities; Nannette Wride and Katie [...]
U.S. Senate Closes 90/10 Loophole in Bipartisan Amendment to COVID Relief Reconciliation Package
On Saturday, March 6, 2021, at approximately 7 a.m., the Senate approved, by voice vote, a bipartisan amendment to delay the implementation of -- and thereby secure bipartisan agreement to support -- the 90/10 loophole [...]
Veterans Education Success Hails Closure of 90/10 Loophole
Congress’ Reconciliation Package Includes Provision to Close Loophole Long-Sought by Veterans Organizations March 6, 2021 7:00 a.m. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C. Veterans Education Success hails the Senate's approval, by voice vote, at 7 [...]
More than 30 Veterans and Military Organizations Urge Congress to Close the 90/10 Loophole in Reconciliation
March 5, 2021 The Honorable Patty Murray, Chairwoman The Honorable Richard Burr, Ranking Member US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Washington, DC 20510 Dear Chairwoman Murray and Ranking Member Burr: [...]
Our Testimony to the Education Department (NACIQI) on the Accreditor ACICS
Testimony of James Haynes Federal Policy Manager, Veterans Education Success U.S. Department of Education National Advisory Council on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) Review of the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) [...]
Diverse Issues in Higher Education: NACAC Creates Committee to Improve Financial Aid and College Admissions Systems for Racial Equity
"The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) has announced a committee to reimagine financial aid and college admissions in the pursuit of racial equity in postsecondary education. Members include... Kendra Allen, associate director of [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Tightening the 90-10 Rule; Provision in COVID-19 Relief Bill Would Ease Incentives for For-Profit Colleges to Target Veterans
"Instead, the GI Bill dollars count toward helping for-profits meet the 10 percent minimum requirement. To advocacy groups like Veterans Education Success, that incentivizes for-profit institutions to aggressively try to get service members and veterans [...]
Statement on the Senate’s Move to Close the 90/10 Loophole in the Reconciliation Package
STATEMENT FROM CARRIE WOFFORD, PRESIDENT OF VETERANS EDUCATION SUCCESS, ON CONGRESS' MOVE TO (FINALLY) CLOSE THE 90/10 LOOPHOLE "We are grateful Congress is moving to finally remove the target from the backs of veterans and servicemembers [...]
Our Analysis: Project’s Findings on the Effect of Closing the 90/10 Loophole Have Serious Shortcomings
In February 2021, the Veterans Education Project (the Project) released a report on the impact of closing the 90/10 loophole. The report’s authors were Jason Delisle, a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), [...]
Our Black History Month Blog: Black Veterans and the GI Bill
Black History Month compels us to explore the experiences of Black WWII veterans with the G.I. Bill and the historical forces that, today, present obstacles to current Black college students. I. Economic Impact of the [...]
Military.com: VA is Asking DOJ for Help Getting Back GIBill.com After Losing Domain Rights
"Veterans Education Success, a nonpartisan veteran advocacy group, sent a letter to Biden last week urging him to take steps to expand GI Bill protections, including reclaiming the lost domain GIBill.com, which has in the [...]
Republic Report: The Monitor Insists Perdoceo is Doing OK. Whistleblowers’ Evidence Shows Otherwise
"Also not satisfied is Carrie Wofford, president of the group Veterans Education Success, which has carefully monitored abuses at and law enforcement probes of Perdoceo. After I shared the findings of McKenna’s report, Wofford said, [...]
Our Letter to President Biden – Ideas for an Executive Order
February 17, 2021 President Joseph R. Biden The White House Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Biden: Thank you for committing to protect veterans, servicemembers, and military families from predatory colleges that deceive them [...]
Military Times: COVID Relief Package Includes Major Change in For-Profit Colleges’ Rules on GI Bill Benefits
“We are relieved and hopeful that this will finally remove the target from the backs of servicemembers, veterans, and military families,” said Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success, in a statement. Read the full [...]
Our Letter to the VA regarding the Center for Excellence in Higher Education
February 12, 2021 Thomas J. Murphy Acting Under Secretary for Benefits U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20571 Re: VA Compliance with 38 U.S.C. § 3696(a) regarding the Center for [...]
Letter of Support from Veterans Groups for Rohit Chopra to Head Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
February 10, 2021 The Honorable Sherrod Brown, Chairman, U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Room SD-534 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Patrick J. Toomey, Ranking Member, [...]
Massachusetts AG Settles with PHEAA Following Allegations of Unfair and Deceptive Practices
February 10, 2021 AG HEALEY SECURES FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND RELIEF IN SETTLEMENT WITH MAJOR STUDENT LOAN SERVICER Resolves Claims that PHEAA Made Errors and Misrepresentations in Administering Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program; More than 200,000 Massachusetts Borrowers [...]
Stars & Stripes: House Democrats aim to use coronavirus relief package to end GI Bill loophole
“Closing the 90/10 loophole has been the top higher education priority for nearly all veterans and military organizations for many years, and we are relieved and hopeful that this will finally remove the target from [...]
Purdue Global/Kaplan – Recent Actions and Concerns
Purdue Global (Kaplan) Recent Actions and Concerns In March 2018, Purdue University finalized the acquisition of Kaplan University, a for-profit institution offering primarily online education. Kaplan University transferred 14 campuses, 30,000 students, and 2,100 faculty [...]
DeVry University – Recent Actions and Concerns
DeVry University Recent Actions and Concerns DeVry University is currently owned by Cogswell Education LLC, after changing ownership several times in the past from DeVry Educational Group to Adtalem Global Education. Cogswell Education is controlled [...]
Colorado Technical University, American InterContinental University, & Trident University – Recent Actions and Concerns
Colorado Technical University, American InterContinental University, & Trident University Recent Actions and Concerns Colorado Technical University (CTU), American InterContinental University (AIU), and Trident University are owned by the for-profit company Perdoceo Education Corporation, publicly traded on the [...]
University of Phoenix – Recent Actions and Concerns
University of Phoenix Recent Actions and Concerns University of Phoenix is a for-profit college owned by Apollo Global Management, previously publicly-traded on the U.S. stock market. The company’s stock suffered after numerous government investigations revealed [...]
Grand Canyon University – Recent Actions and Concerns
Grand Canyon University Recent Actions and Concerns Grand Canyon University (GCU) is owned and operated by the for-profit company Grand Canyon Education, Inc., traded on the NASDAQ under “LOPE.” In 2018, the for-profit company sold [...]
Ashford University/University of Arizona Global Campus – Recent Actions and Concerns
Ashford University/University of Arizona Global Campus Recent Actions and Concerns In August 2020, Zovio, Ashford University’s owner, announced that the University of Arizona would acquire Ashford for $1 and turn it into the University of [...]
Diverse Issues in Higher Education: A GAO Report Prompts Scrutiny of For-Profit College Conversions
"On Sept. 28, the nonprofit Veterans Education Success sent a petition to the Federal Trade Commission asking them to investigate Ashford University, a for-profit college. For-profit colleges, like Ashford, often pursue GI Bill funds because [...]
Our op-ed in Stars & Stripes: VA Should Rein in Predatory For-Profit Schools
McDonough Should Prioritize Putting An End to the Fleecing of America’s Veterans by Predatory For-Profit Colleges By Carrie Wofford As Denis McDonough prepares to take the helm as the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs, he [...]
Issue Brief from Student Borrower Protection Center: “Withholding Dreams”
Link to the Student Borrower Protection Center Issue Brief here.
MSO/VSO Letter Supporting the Reinstatement of Supervisory Exams for Military Lending Act Compliance
January 27, 2021 President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear President Biden: The undersigned military and veterans service organizations represent millions of current and former servicemembers, [...]
Senators raise GI Bill questions at nomination hearing for VA Nominee Denis McDonough
In case you missed our live-tweeting, Senators asked important GI Bill questions of VA Secretary Nominee Denis McDonough at his confirmation hearing on January 27, 2021. We are grateful that Senators on both sides of [...]
Our Letter To Congress Supporting the Promoting Advancement for Transit Help (PATH) to College Act
The Honorable Peter DeFazio Chairman U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 The Honorable Sam Graves Ranking Member U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure United States Senate Washington, [...]
Be Careful of Income Sharing Agreements
By Alex Kish At this point in the game, it might seem cliché to talk about the impact COVID-19 has had on higher education and how students have been forced online. But that doesn’t [...]
Public News Service: Sweeping Legislation Boosts Protections for Student Veterans
Listen to the audio here Public News Service January 11, 2021 RICHMOND, Va. -- Thousands of veterans in Virginia and across the nation now have additional educational support with the signing of landmark legislation that [...]
NBC-9 KTSM: U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar’s Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative Act approved
The bill passed through Congress, gaining bipartisan support and endorsement from Paralyzed Veterans of America, Veterans Education Success and Student Veterans of America. It passed through the House of Representatives with a 400-1 vote. See [...]
Military Times: Women Veterans, Students Would See Expanded Services and Benefits Under New Law
After a lengthy wait, President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed into law a sweeping veterans policy measure that includes new protections for women veterans, student veterans and individuals struggling with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.... The [...]
Veterans Education Success Celebrates Landmark Law Protecting the GI Bill
Veterans Education Success Celebrates Landmark Law to Protect Student Veterans and Ensure Better Oversight of GI Bill Colleges January 5, 2021 For Immediate Release Contact: Carrie Wofford: [email protected] Veterans Education Success celebrates landmark legislation to [...]
Our Public Comment to the OCC about “Fair Access to Financial Services”
January 4, 2021 Chief Counsel’s Office Comment Processing Office of the Comptroller of the Currency 400 7th Street SW, Suite 3E-218 Washington, DC 20219 Re: Proposed “Fair Access to Financial Services,” Docket ID [...]
Our Public Comment About the Role of Supervisory Guidance to CFPB
January 4, 2021 Director Kathleen Kraninger Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 1700 G Street NW Washington, DC 20552 Re: Role of Supervisory Guidance, Docket No. CFPB-2020-0033 or RIN 3170-AB02 Dear Director Kraninger: [...]
Blog: We Must Increase Higher Education Attainment for Veterans of Color
As America confronts systemic racial injustice, it is more important than ever to look at how students of color are faring in their college education. Postsecondary education can be the “great equalizer” (as the Secretary [...]
New York Times: Clearing the Wreckage at the Education Department
Clearing the Wreckage at the Education Department The institution lies in ruins right when it’s needed most. By The New York Times Editorial Board Jan. 2, 2021, 3:00 p.m. ET The departing education secretary, Betsy [...]
Stars & Stripes: Sweeping veterans bill boosts protections for GI Bill recipients and cracks down on predatory schools
Veterans Education Success has accused the VA of not abiding by a section of The Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, which prohibits schools from participating in the GI Bill if they [...]
Marine Times: Congress finalizes sweeping veterans policy bill with new protections for women, students
“This landmark legislation will significantly weed out predatory colleges that seek to take advantage of veterans,” said Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success. She praised lawmakers for “stepping up to protect veterans and their [...]
Veterans Education Success Hails Unanimous Passage of Landmark Legislation to Protect Student Veterans and Ensure Better Oversight of GI Bill Colleges
December 16, 2020 For Immediate Release Contact: Carrie Wofford: [email protected] Veterans Education Success hails unanimous passage of landmark legislation to protect student veterans and ensure better oversight of GI Bill colleges Veterans Education Success proposed, [...]
Stars & Stripes: Congress passes sweeping end-of-year bill impacting ‘every corner’ of the veteran community
WASHINGTON — Congress approved a bill Wednesday that increases resources for homeless veterans, creates a Department of Veterans Affairs advisory committee for Native American veterans and mandates that every VA hospital hire a dedicated women’s [...]
Letter to VA and Louisiana State Approving Agency about US K9 Unlimited
We alerted VA and state authorities about a K9 training school that allegedly mistreated and threatened student veterans, purposefully structured programs to get as much money out of veterans' GI Bill benefits as it could, [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Veterans Group Hails Passage of Bill Protecting Students
“This landmark legislation will significantly weed out predatory colleges that seek to take advantage of veterans,” Carrie Wofford, president of the advocacy group Veterans Education Success, said in a statement. Read the full story at [...]
Our Letter to the VA Advisory Committee on Education
December 7, 2020 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Education Services 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington DC 20420 Via electronic submission to [email protected] Re: Advisory Committee on Education Dear Members of the Advisory Committee, [...]
Military.com: Act Now So You Don’t Fall Off the Student Loan Cliff on September 30, 2021
On January 21, 2021 President Biden directed the Education Department to pause payments and interest on all federally-held student loans until September 30, 2021. Read more about it here. This blog was originally posted [...]
Veterans Education Success Hails Senate Passage of Landmark Legislation to Protect Student Veterans and Ensure Better Oversight of GI Bill Colleges
December 9, 2020 For Immediate Release Contact: Carrie Wofford ([email protected]) and Tanya Ang ([email protected]) Veterans Education Success hails Senate passage of landmark legislation to protect student veterans and ensure better oversight of GI Bill colleges [...]
Our Written Testimony for the House Veterans Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee Hearing on 2021 Legislative Priorities
TESTIMONY OF TANYA ANG, VICE PRESIDENT CONGRESSIONAL AND ADMINISTRATION PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT CONGRESS SUBMITTED TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES December 8, 2020 Chairman Levin, Ranking [...]
Coalition letter to the Biden Transition Team regarding for-profit college influence
December 1, 2020 Ted Kaufman 1401 Constitution Ave., NW Washington, DC 20230 Cathy Russell 1401 Constitution Ave., NW Washington, DC 20230 Dear Mr. Kaufman and Ms. Russell, As organizations working on behalf of students, veterans, [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Veterans and COVID-19
"What you’re seeing within this population is similar to what you’re seeing in other student populations, especially for post-traditional students," said Tanya Ang, vice president of Veterans Education Success. Read the full story by Inside [...]
Our letter to NC-SARA re: state reciprocity rules to protect student veterans
Our letter, with our higher education allies, to the NC-SARA leadership regarding state reciprocity rules to protect student veterans.
Chicago Sun Times: He’s fought for his country in the Army and FBI. Now, he’s fighting for himself, other vets.
Aniela Szymanski, senior director for legal affairs and military policy with Veterans Education Success, says vets should be able to use benefits from both GI Bills if their service qualifies them. “I don’t understand, from [...]
Maryland Wins $2.6 Million in Loan Forgiveness for Brightwood College Students
November 16, 2020 - The Maryland Attorney General reached a settlement with Brightwood College to provide loan relief to Maryland students. Any loans owed directly to the school by Maryland students will be cancelled and, [...]
Great News for Veterans Cheated By Their School! “Borrower Defense” Applicants Get a Win in Court
November 23, 2020 For information: Call (202) 838-5050 Great news for veterans who were cheated or misled by their school! The U.S. Education Department has voluntarily agreed to stop denying "borrower defense" applications from students [...]
Coalition letter to the Education Department re: ACICS accreditor
November 20, 2020 Herman Bounds, Director, Accreditation Group Office of Postsecondary Education U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave., SW Washington, D.C. 20202 Re: Petition for Renewal of Recognition, Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and [...]
Why Are So Many of Our Military Members Missing Out on Student Loan Forgiveness?
Originally posted here By Mike Saunders and Seth Frotman | November 11, 2020 In 2017, the CFPB reported that 200,000 servicemembers owe nearly $3 billion in federal student loan debt. As this debt looms over the lives [...]
Five Policies the Biden-Harris Administration Must Tackle to Protect College Students
Jointly authored by Carrie Wofford, Debbie Cochrane, Lanae Erickson, Antoinette Flores, Amy Laitinen, and Robert Shireman With the nation deep in a global pandemic that has forced an economic recession, the newly elected Biden-Harris Administration [...]
Chicago Sun Times: “GI Bill snafus still keeping veterans from tapping benefits to pay for their kids’ college.”
But for veterans’ families, “The consequences are huge,” says Aniela Szymanski, senior director for legal affairs and military policy for Veterans Education Success, a not-for-profit that helps vets. For some vets, serving longer so they [...]
Report: Protecting Military Borrowers: How the Department of Education Can Restore the Promise of Public Service Loan Forgiveness for American Servicemembers
Introduction Policymakers have long acknowledged that financial readiness is intrinsic to military readiness and that the unique financial stress imposed by military life can impede America’s national security. In fact, Congress has repeatedly taken steps [...]
Our Remarks at Veterans Day Press Conference with California Attorney General Becerra
November 11, 2020 Press Conference with Attorney General Becerra Remarks of Carrie Wofford, President, Veterans Education Success Good day. We are pleased to join you today. Thank you, Attorney General Becerra. We are grateful [...]
Our Response to the California Proposition 16 Loss
By Isaac McMahan We were disappointed that Californians did not vote in favor of Proposition 16 on Tuesday. We had hoped for a different outcome because Proposition 16 would have repealed Proposition 209, which banned [...]
The Stakes are High for Military-Connected Students in this Election
By Tanya Ang Elisabeth is an Air Force veteran who attended Brown Mackie college using the GI Bill. As a first generation student, she believed all colleges were created equal. She chose Brown Mackie because [...]
How California’s Proposition 16 Will Ensure Veterans of Color Have Greater Access to High-Quality Public Education
By Isaac McMahan Approximately 45 percent of America’s enlisted Armed Forces identify as a person of color. We urge Californians to support Proposition 16. It will ensure that veterans of color and their families have [...]
Comment from 15 Groups on Federal Student Aid’s Strategic Plan FY 2020-24
October 23, 2020 Major General Mark A. Brown, USAF (Ret.) Chief Operating Officer Office of Federal Student Aid 830 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20202 Re: Comments on FSA’s Approach to Financial [...]
Letter from 77 Organizations Asking for the Extension of the Suspension of Student of Loan Payments
October 28, 2020 The Honorable Betsy DeVos Secretary of Education U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave., SW Washington, DC 20202 Dear Secretary DeVos: We, the 77 undersigned community, civil rights, consumer, [...]
Our Comment on Federal Student Aid’s Draft Strategic Plan FY 2020-24
Affiliation: Other Name and Name of Organization: This comment is submitted by James Haynes on behalf of Veterans Education Success. Part 2: Strategic Goals and Objectives X Strategic Goal 1 X Strategic Goal 3 X [...]
FOIA response from VA regarding GI Bill payments to the Art Institute of Colorado
Veterans Education Success sent a FOIA request to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), seeking the number of students using VA funding and enrolled at the Art Institute of Colorado between November 2017 and [...]
Letter from 20 groups to the Department of Education regarding the Center for Excellence in Higher Education
October 14, 2020 Secretary Betsy DeVos U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave., SW Washington, D.C. 20202 Dear Secretary DeVos: We urge the U.S. Department of Education to promptly address issues raised by [...]
Race-Conscious Admission Policies are Important to Closing the Opportunity Gap for Veterans but are Under Assault
By Isaac McMahaon Race-conscious admissions policies are essential to closing the opportunity gaps in higher education and are under assault. Now, more than ever, America must ensure equity and access to higher education for students [...]
Stars & Stripes: VA has lost GIBill.com rights, and some worry it could prompt scammers to target student vets
Some lawmakers and advocates are urging the VA to get the website back because they are worried the status of the site could prompt a group to try again to take advantage of student veterans. [...]
National Organization Joint Statement Endorsing California Proposition 16
Visit The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights to learn more and click here to view a PDF of the letter. September 29, 2020 National Organization Joint Statement Endorsing California Proposition 16 On behalf [...]
Stars & Stripes: Dozens of military families have had to repay VA for GI Bill benefits
“VA is paying out these benefits expecting that DOD is going to hold the service member to the extent of the contract,” said Aniela Szymanski, senior director for legal affairs and military policy at Veterans [...]
Our Memorandum to the Federal Trade Commission regarding Ashford University
MEMORANDUM REGARDING ASHFORD UNIVERSITY TO THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION Veterans Education Success presents the following information for consideration by the Federal Trade Commission. Veterans Education Success is a non-profit organization that works [...]
Our Comment to the Department of Education about the New Universal Borrower Defense Form
September 28, 2020 U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue SW Washington, DC 20202 Via electronic submission Re: Borrower Defense to Loan Repayment Universal Form, Docket Number: ED-2020-SCC-0043 Dear Sir/Ma’am: Thank you for the [...]
Letter from Ten Higher Education Organizations to the Department of Education about ACICS
September 11, 2020 Herman Bounds, Director, Accreditation Group Office of Postsecondary Education U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave., SW Washington, D.C. 20202 Re: Petition for Renewal of Recognition, Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Focusing on Student Veterans’ Strengths
A new research article identifies the strengths that students who are military veterans bring with them to higher education. Katie Sullivan and Kay Yoon, both associate professors of communication at the University of Colorado at [...]
Letter to Congress from 44 Organizations on Supporting Student Parents in the next COVID-19 Relief Package
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the House U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable Mitch McConnell Majority Leader U.S. Senate Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Kevin McCarthy Minority Leader U.S. House of [...]
Letter to Congress: Stars and Stripes Funding for Fiscal Year 2021
September 16, 2020 The Honorable Richard Shelby The Honorable Patrick Leahy Senate Committee on Appropriations Room S-128, The Capitol Washington, D.C. 20510 Stars and Stripes Funding for Fiscal Year 2021 Dear Chairman Shelby and Vice [...]
Press Release: 14 Military and Veterans Organizations Urge Congress to Fund the Iconic “Stars & Stripes” Newspaper
For Immediate Release Contact: Tanya Ang - (202) 838-5050 14 Military and Veterans Organizations Urge Congress to Fund the Iconic “Stars & Stripes” Newspaper Organizations say fast action is necessary to guarantee the 159-year-old newspaper’s [...]
Vets deserve proper info from DOD to avoid GI Bill debt
This article was originally published by Stars & Stripes on September 16, 2020. Vets deserve proper info from DOD to avoid GI Bill debt Aniela Szymanski is senior director for Legal Affairs and Military Policy [...]
Our Statement for the Record: September 16 House Veterans Affairs Joint Subcommittee Hearing on Modernizing VA’s Education Services IT
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING ON MOVING BEYOND PATCHWORK SYSTEMS: THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION SERVICES IT SUBMITTED TO THE SUBCOMMITTEES ON TECHNOLOGY MODERNIZATION AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES [...]
The Tennessean: How Tennessee’s leaders can protect vulnerable veterans in higher education
America is navigating an era of uncertainty as we address COVID-19 and prepare for what will likely be the worst recession in generations. The COVID-19 pandemic will impact every sector of our economy, including higher [...]
Our Comment on Proposed NC-SARA Manual Modifications
Attn: Board of NC-SARA re: Proposed Clarification Modification E - Discontinued Programs To Whom It May Concern: My name is Ramond Curtis, I am the State Policy Manager for Veterans Education Success. We work on [...]
Letter from Us and Three Higher Education Groups on Proposed NC-SARA Manual Modifications
National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements President/CEO and Board of Directors 3005 Center Green Drive Suite 130 Boulder, Colorado 80301 September 11, 2020 Re: Proposed NC-SARA Manual Modification Comments Dear President Williams and Members [...]
Report: Protection and the Unseen: How the U.S. Department of Education’s Undeveloped Authorities Can Protect Students and Promote Equity in Higher Education
Abstract Higher Education is changing and demands enhanced oversight by the U.S. Department of Education. This paper identifies underused authorities in the Higher Education Act of 1965 that can promote equity and protect students and [...]
Brookings Institution: Where Have All the GI Bill Dollars Gone?: Veteran Usage and Expenditure of the Post 9/11 GI Bill
Kofoed, Michael S., U.S. Military Academy and Brookings Institution, “Where have all the GI Bill dollars gone? Veteran usage and expenditure of the Post-9/11 GI Bill,” (Oct. 2020), This report is available at Brookings: https://www.brookings.edu/research/where-have-all-the-gi-bill-dollars-gone/ [...]
Diverse Issues in Higher Education: Truth in Advertising? Education Stakeholders Seek to Hold For-Profit Institutions Accountable
COVID-19 “will definitely be an opportunity for for-profit schools to capitalize on high unemployment, on people who may have delayed their educations in order to take job opportunities that might not exist anymore and see [...]
Press Release: Veterans Education Success Announces New Team Member
For Immediate Release: Contact: Tanya Ang - (202) 838-5050 September 1, 2020 VETERANS EDUCATION SUCCESS ANNOUNCES NEW TEAM MEMBER Washington, D.C. – Veterans Education Success, announced a new addition to their team today to [...]
Our Statement for the Record: August 28 House Veterans Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee Hearing on Coordinating Transition Resources
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING ON COORDINATING TRANSITION RESOURCES SUBMITTED TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES August 28, 2020 Chairman Levin, Ranking Member Bilirakis, and Members [...]
Forbes: 50 Organizations Call For Student Loan “Bill Of Rights”
Signatories on the letter to the Massachusetts legislature in support of the bill include the Student Loan Borrower Protection Center, the Massachusetts Teacher’s Association, Veterans Education Success, and Consumer Reports, as well as the heads [...]
Fox 13 Memphis: Report: Many for-profit colleges ramping up social media ads during coronavirus pandemic
Many for-profit colleges have ramped up their social media ads during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new report. The nonprofit group, Veterans Education Success, released the report that looked at the use of social [...]
Comment to VA on Its Employees’ Conflicts of Interest in For-Profit Schools
August 21, 2020 Dr. Paul Lawrence, Undersecretary for Benefits Veterans Benefits Administration Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20420 Via electronic submission Re: VBA’s Collection of Conflicting Interests Certification for Proprietary [...]
Military.com: Here’s Why Vets Need to Avoid Predatory Lenders More Than Ever
This article was originally published by Military.com on August 21, 2020. Here's Why Vets Need to Avoid Predatory Lenders More Than Ever Mike Saunders is a U.S. Army veteran and director of military and consumer [...]
Military Times: Advocates warn GI Bill students of shady college recruiting amid coronavirus pandemic
A new report released Wednesday from Veterans Education Success found a significant increase in college advertising related to the coronavirus pandemic, encouraging students to reconsider their short-term learning plans given many school’s decisions to shift to online-only [...]
Diverse Issues in Higher Education: Report: Colleges Ramp Up Advertising During COVID-19, Especially For-Profits
Aggressive marketing by for-profit colleges is of particular concern for veterans and their advocates. Another recent report by the nonprofit Veterans Education Success analyzed marketing by 27 for-profit schools between February and April, all of [...]
Press Release: New Analysis Finds Proprietary Colleges, Including Some with a History of Misleading Marketing, Are Using the COVID-19 Pandemic in Facebook Advertising Campaigns
For Immediate Release Contact: Tanya Ang - (202) 838-5050 Walter Ochinko – (202) 838-5050 [...]
Issue Brief: Investigative Analysis: Advertising Trends for Selected Postsecondary Institutions during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Click here to download a PDF copy of the report. Click here to download the Appendix including screen-captured ads as part of the analysis. Highlights Our investigation examined how a [...]
Testimony of Ramond Curtis Before the New Jersey Senate Higher Education Committee on S1852
On behalf of the student servicemembers, veterans, their family members, and survivors that we represent, we thank you for the opportunity to testify in favor of S1851. This bill will limit the distribution of state-funded [...]
What’s the Status of Reserve Component Duty Status Reform?
This article was originally published by Military Officers Association of America. By Aniela Szymanski and Cory Titus Since the spring, a number of news stories have looked at the pay and benefits of National [...]
Our Comment on Time-Barred (“Zombie”) Debt Collection
August 4, 2020 Director Kathleen Kraninger Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 1700 G Street NW Washington, DC 20552 Re: Proposed Time-Barred Debt Disclosures, Docket No. CFPB-2020-0010 or RIN 3170-AA41 Dear Director Kraninger: [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Arizona-Ashford Backlash Begins
Consumer advocates and critics of for-profit education echoed many reservations expressed by Arizona faculty members about Ashford's reputation. "We have serious concerns about this deal," said Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success. "Just last [...]
Press Conference with Virginia Governor to announce new law for disabled veterans
We were pleased to join the Virginia Governor at his bill signing ceremony for SB 745, which ensures disabled veterans do not have to pay Virginia state income tax when their student loans are forgiven [...]
Press Release: Veterans Education Success Announces New Director of Racial Justice
For Immediate Release Contacts: Carrie Wofford, President | [email protected] (202) 838-5050 August 3, 2020 Veterans Education Success Announces New Director of Racial Justice New position will ensure equity and civil rights for veterans [...]
Our Letter to VA and Georgia SAA Regarding House of Prayer Christian Church
In August 2020, we asked the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Georgia State Approving Agency to investigate alleged abuses of the GI Bill program by House of Prayer Christian Church's bible seminaries. To protect [...]
Our Testimony to the Education Dept. NACIQI Hearing on Accreditors
Testimony of Walter Ochinko Research Director, Veterans Education Success U.S. Department of Education National Advisory Council on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) Review of the Higher Learning Commission July 29, 2020 Thank you for the [...]
Our Letter to VA and CSAAVE Requesting a Risk-Based Review of Ashford University
July 27, 2020 The Honorable Keith Boylan Deputy Secretary Veterans Services California Department of Veterans Affairs California State Approving Agency for Veterans Education 1227 O Street, Suite 625 Sacramento, CA 95814 Patrick Dworakowski, [...]
Military Times: Ruling on major GI Bill benefits case won’t come in time for fall classes
In recent weeks, a pair of veterans advocates — National Veterans Legal Services Program and Veterans Education Success — filed briefs of support in the case, arguing the more generous interpretation of GI Bill payouts [...]
Our Amicus Brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit re GI Bill Benefits for Multiple Periods of Service
Veterans Education Success filed an amicus brief supporting that where a veteran has multiple periods of service, the veteran may qualify for both the Montgomery GI Bill and the Post 9/11 GI Bill. The case [...]
Our Statement for the Record: July 23 House Veterans Affairs Committee Hearing on Legislation
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD COMMITTEE HEARING ON LEGISLATION SUBMITTED TO THE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 23, 2020 Chairman Takano, Ranking Member Roe, and Members of the Committee: Veterans Education Success [...]
Our Statement for the Record for House Veterans Economic Opportunity Subcommittee Hearing: “Getting Veterans to Work after COVID-19”
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING ON GETTING VETERANS TO WORK AFTER COVID-19 SUBMITTED TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 21, 2020 Chairman Levin, Ranking Member [...]
Press Release: Veterans Education Success Releases Policy Memo for Candidates Running for Public Office ahead of November’s Election
For Immediate Release Contact: Carrie Wofford | President, Veterans Education Success (202) 838 - 5050 July 15, 2020 Veterans Education Success Releases Policy Memo for Candidates Running for Public Office ahead of November’s Election New [...]
NPR: Trump Administration Clears For-Profit Colleges To Register Veterans Again
"The law says the secretary shall not approve GI bill enrollment at schools that use deceptive recruiting," says Carrie Wofford with Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group. "It feels like yet another blow to veterans [...]
Our Comment on the Department of Education’s Interim Final Rule regarding the Emergency Grant Program in the CARES Act
July 14, 2020 Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education 400 Maryland Ave., SW Washington, DC 20202 Via electronic submission Re: Interim Final Rule on CARES Act Eligibility for Emergency Grants, Docket ID ED-2020-OPE-0078 [...]
Inside Higher Ed: House Panel Advances Dems’ Education Spending Plan
"Veterans and military service organizations have named closing the 90-10 loophole as their top priority in higher education. We are pleased to see House Appropriators heeding the call of veterans and military service organizations. We [...]
Public Service Loan Forgiveness – Montana Supreme Court Decision
We filed an amicus brief about the importance to veterans of Public Service Loan Forgiveness, in a case about whether students can use state law to sue student loan servicing companies that fail to comply [...]
Public News Service: VA Says Predatory Colleges Can Accept GI Bill Students
Ang says lawmakers have been active in their support of more oversight of for-profit colleges. "We have worked really hard with both sides of the aisle to find a bipartisan bill that would protect military-connected [...]
FTC Online Tool on Consumer Complaint Data by Military and Veterans
July 13, 2020 U.S. Federal Trade Commission For Release The Federal Trade Commission launched a new tool that explores data about problems military consumers may experience in the marketplace. For the first time, data about [...]
Video: Tasha Berkhalter’s Story
Hometown Stations TV Interview: "Tasha Berkhalter has traveled to Washington D.C. and been interviewed by big-city media in her mission to get veterans education that they need at no cost."
Public News Service: V.A. Green-lights Use of G.I. Bill Funds for Predatory Colleges
The move comes just a few months after the agency warned the schools they would be cut off from access to GI Bill benefits if they continued to use false data and predatory tactics aimed [...]
New York Times: The Students Are Victims of Fraud, but the Government Won’t Help
But the response received by David Boyer, a former ITT student, is more typical. It included a long list of evidence the agency said it had considered, including submissions by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, [...]
Our Press Release: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Rescission of Ability to Repay Puts Servicemembers and Veterans at Greater Risk of Being Preyed on by Lenders
For Immediate Release Contact: Mike Saunders | Director of Military & Consumer Policy (202) 838-5050 July 9, 2020 Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Rescission of Ability to Repay Puts Servicemembers and Veterans at Greater Risk of [...]
Marine Corps Times: VA clears 5 schools to keep enrolling GI Bill students
But a veterans’ advocacy group says the VA’s decision amounts to an attempt to “ignore federal law in order to protect predatory colleges.” “The only winners today are the schools that used their money and [...]
Forbes: Veterans’ Group Slams Trump For Giving Predatory Schools A Pass
Veterans’ groups immediately slammed the decision. “The only winners today are the schools that used their money and political influence to evade the law and harm veterans,” said Carrie Wofford, President of Veterans Education Success, a veteran advocacy organization. “The GI Bill statute specifically [...]
Politico’s Morning Ed: Trump Administration: Reopen your Campuses or Lose Your International students
“The only winners today are the schools that used their money and political influence to evade the law and harm veterans,” said Veterans Education Success President Carrie Wofford. “We appreciate the staff at Veterans Benefits [...]
Inside Higher Ed: VA Drops Allegations Against Temple, Phoenix and Others
But Tanya Ang, vice president of the advocacy group Veterans Education Success, called the decision “disappointing at best, but not surprising given how much money and political power these schools have. Yet again, those who [...]
Connecting Vets: VA lifts GI Bill suspensions for colleges accused of ‘deceptive’ enrollment practices
As VA moves to lift those restrictions, advocates are arguing it could be entering murky legal waters. New students can again use GI Bill benefits to enroll at the five schools -- worth a potential [...]
Our Press Release Condemning the Trump Administration’s Decision to Give Deceptive Colleges a Free Pass
July 2, 2020 WASHINGTON, DC – Veterans Education Success condemns the Trump Administration’s decision today to ignore federal law in order to protect predatory colleges, when it notified 5 schools at risk of losing eligibility [...]
VA’s Resolution of 3696 Violations by 5 schools
On July 2, 2020, VA notified 5 schools at risk of losing eligibility to enroll GI Bill students over deceptive recruiting that their prior resolutions with federal and state law enforcement would suffice, rendering 38 [...]
Washington Post: VA backs down from plan to suspend University of Phoenix and other colleges from accessing GI Bill benefits
VA backs down from plan to suspend University of Phoenix and other colleges from accessing GI Bill benefits “The only winners today are the schools that used their money and political influence to evade the [...]
Stars & Stripes: VA Allows Penalized For-Profit Schools to Enroll GI Bill Students; Advocates Say Move Breaks the Law
VA Allows Penalized For-Profit Schools to Enroll GI Bill Students; Advocates Say Move Breaks the Law Veterans Education Success, a veterans’ advocacy group in Washington, says the VA move violates a federal law that forbids [...]
Our Amicus Brief in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York re Student Loans Discharged in Bankruptcy
Veterans Education Success filed an amicus brief regarding when student loans can be discharged in bankruptcy. The case is Rosenberg v. Educational Credit Management Corporation, before the United States District Court for the Southern District [...]
New York Times: House Fails to Override Trump’s Veto Limiting Student Loan Debt Relief
Outraged by the changes, several groups, led by Veterans Education Success, began running advertisements on Fox News hoping to persuade Mr. Trump to reconsider. They argued the new rules did not protect military service members [...]
Our Letter to VA’s Veterans Advisory Committee on Education
Click here to download a PDF of the letter. Department of Veterans Affairs Education Services 810 Vermont Avenue Washington DC 20420 Via electronic submission to [email protected] Re: Advisory Committee on Education Dear Members of the [...]
Investigative Analysis: Advertising by For-Profit and Other Schools in Response to COVID-19
Statement by Veterans Education Success (August 5, 2020) - "Veterans Education Success regrets to inform you that this report has been removed. Although we are confident in our findings about the number of ads that [...]
Press Release: Veterans Education Success Announces New Team Member to Better Serve Veterans and Military-Connected Students
For Immediate Release Contacts: Tanya Ang, Vice President | [email protected] Veterans Education Success Announces New Team Member to Better Serve Veterans and Military-Connected Students New law fellow will provide important legal assistance to defrauded [...]
Press Release: Veterans Education Success Petitions the Federal Trade Commission to Investigate For-Profit Colleges and Controversial Lead Generators
For Immediate Release Contact: Aniela Szymanski, Senior Director of Legal Affairs and Military Policy | [email protected] June 24, 2020 Veterans Education Success Petitions the Federal Trade Commission to Investigate For-Profit Colleges and Controversial Lead [...]
Letter from Education Department to Devry University on Borrower Defense Applications
June 23, 2020 Mr. F. Willis Caruso, Jr., Interim President and CEO Mr. John Lorenz, Chief Financial Officer Ms. Barbara Bickett, Chief Financial Aid Director Cogswell Education LLC DeVry University 1200 East Diehl Road Naperville, [...]
For-Profit K12 Online Schools Are Doubling Down on Their Sales Pitches to Districts. Beware of Pandemic Predators
This op-ed was published by The 74 Million on June 22, 2020, here. Wofford & Boulay: For-Profit Online Schools Are Doubling Down on Their Sales Pitches to Districts. Beware of Pandemic Predators Since the coronavirus [...]
Forbes: Trump Vetoed A Student Loan Forgiveness Bill, Now Congress Should Override Him
After the bill passed, advocates waited anxiously to see what President Trump might do. One veterans’ group even ran an ad on Fox News urging the president to sign the law. Thirty-four military and veteran service organizations supported the [...]
Our Comment to VA on the Collection of Reports and Notices from State Approving Agencies
June 22, 2020 Nancy J. Kessinger Veterans Benefits Administration Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Ave. N.W. Washington, D.C., 20420 Dear Ms. Kessinger: I am writing to provide comments on the Department of Veterans [...]
Our FTC Petition: Lead Generators
Complaint, Request for Investigation, Injunction, and Other Relief Submitted by Veterans Education Success Pursuant to the Commission’s Rules, 16 C.F.R. § 2.2, Veterans Education Success respectfully requests that the Commission institute an investigation of businesses [...]
Our FTC Petition: Army.com and Partner Schools
Complaint, Request for Investigation, Injunction, and Other Relief Submitted by Veterans Education Success Pursuant to the Commission’s Rules, 16 C.F.R. § 2.2, Veterans Education Success respectfully requests that the Commission institute an investigation of schools [...]
COVID-19 and Postsecondary Enrollment: Lessons from the Last Recession
Click here to download a PDF of the report. On June 8, 2020, the National Bureau of Economic Research announced that the U.S. economy had peaked in February 2020 and officially [...]
Election 2020: Policy Memo for Candidates: Supporting Military-Connected Students in Higher Education
Election 2020: Policy Memo for Candidates: Supporting Military-Connected Students in Higher Education Read the report and visit our webpage here: https://vetsedsuccess.org/election-2020-policy-memo-for-candidates-supporting-military-connected-students-in-higher-education/
Our Letter to the VA Advisory Committee on Veterans’ Readjustment
Our letter to the VA Advisory Committee on the Readjustment of Veterans June 11, 2020 Department of Veterans Affairs Readjustment Counseling Service (10RCS) 810 Vermont Avenue Washington DC 20420 Via electronic submission to [...]
Schools with Repeat Law Enforcement Settlements
Many Corporate School Chains Repeatedly Settled Lawsuits for Misleading Advertising, High-Pressure Recruiting, and False Certifications On March 9, 2020, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) notified five institutions of higher education that it possessed evidence [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Democrats Call for Safeguards If Campuses Reopen
In a report, Third Way, New America, the Center for American Progress, the Century Foundation, the Institute for College Access and Success and Veterans Education Success said, “The decision of whether to operate in person [...]
Campus Reform: Veteran students could be denied coronavirus aid
Thanks to the GI Bill, veterans receive free tuition at public universities, which supplies the most likely explanation as to why so many do not file a FAFSA. But campus-based student veterans can still suffer [...]
VSO-MSO Letter to Congress About COVID Legislation and Veterans Issues
June 3, 2020 The Honorable Jerry Moran, Chairman The Honorable Jon Tester, Ranking Member [...]
Connecting Vets: Bill would provide new education benefits to veterans who lost their job over the pandemic
The legislation has the support of veteran service organizations including the VFW, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America, AMVETS, IAVA, WWP, Student Veterans, Blinded Veterans Association, TAPS, Veterans Education Success, National Guard [...]
Comment on the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Principles of Excellence Complaint System Intake
June 2, 2020 Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Benefits Administration 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20420 Via electronic submission Re: Principles of Excellence Complaint System Intake, OMB Control No. 2900-0797 Dear Sir/Madam: [...]
Politico Morning Ed: Meet ACT’s new interim top executive
Veterans Education Success and the Century Foundation released a new tool kit, “2020 Toolkit for State Policymakers: What States Can Do to Protect Students from Predatory For-Profit Colleges.” It outlines steps state leaders can take to help [...]
Statement by the American Legion: Calls for White House to protect vets ‘borrower defense’
The American Legion calls for White House to protect vets ‘borrower defense’ (WASHINGTON—May 29, 2020) - The head of the nation’s largest veterans organization is imploring President Trump to sign legislation which would relieve students [...]
The Capital Forum: VA Letter Gives Company Additional 30 Days to Provide Information Before Making a Determination Whether to Disapprove Enrollment of GI Bill Beneficiaries
"Walter Ochinko, Research Director at Veterans Education Success, was skeptical of the company's claims. 'In court documents, Perdoceo promised that it would cease deceptive recruiting and false certifications yet it was caught again and again, [...]
Press Release: Veterans Education Success and The Century Foundation Release Toolkit for State Policymakers to Better Protect Veterans & Military-Connected Students in Higher Education
For Immediate Release Contact: Carrie Wofford, President, and Ramond Curtis, State Policy Manager, Veterans Education Success (202) 838-5050 Alex Edwards, Director of Communications, The Century Foundation, [email protected], (810) 986-0880 May 29, 2020 Veterans Education [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Will Trump Let Congress Undo DeVos’s Borrower-Defense Rule?
Trump hasn’t taken action, and the White House has not responded when asked if he intends to, increasing the hopes of the rule’s critics, like Carrie Wofford, president of the advocacy group Veterans Education Success. [...]
New York Times: Over Veterans’ Protests, Trump Vetoes Measure to Block Student Loan Rules
Several groups, led by Veterans Education Success, began running advertisements on Fox News programs urging Mr. Trump to sign the resolution, which Speaker Nancy Pelosi sent to the White House last week. Read the full [...]
Forbes: Trump Vetoes Congressional Override Of DeVos Rule
Many veterans have been the target of predatory colleges seeking to profit off of military and veteran education benefits. Veterans Education Success even ran an ad on Fox News targeting the president in hopes that [...]
Forbes: Veterans’ And Consumer Groups “Heartbroken” After Trump Vetoes Student Loan Relief Bill
Following President Trump’s veto, veterans’ organizations and consumer groups voiced their disappointment. Veterans Education Success said in a tweet that they were “heartbroken” over the President’s veto, noting that the action went against the recommendations [...]
Comment from Nine Higher Education Groups on the Higher Learning Commission’s Proposed Standards and Policy Revisions
Dr. Barbara Gellman-Danley President Higher Learning Commission 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604 May 25, 2020 Dear Dr. Gellman-Danley and the Higher Learning Commission, Thank you for the opportunity to provide comment [...]
VA’s Revised Guidance to Schools on Correcting Violations of 38 USC 3696
On May 26, 2020, VA sent revised guidance to schools at risk of losing eligibility to enroll GI Bill students due to deceptive and misleading advertising and recruiting, in violation of 38 USC 3696. This [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Group Says Veterans Could Be Excluded From CARES Act Grants
College students who are veterans of the U.S. military could be disproportionately denied emergency aid grants under the CARES Act because of the way the Education Department is interpreting congressional intent in passing the coronavirus [...]
Federal Student Aid Annual Report FY 2019
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid FY 2019 report detailing the organization’s fiscal year financial and program performance.
New York Times: Trump’s Dilemma: Reject DeVos Debt Forgiveness Rollback or Anger Veterans
“With a bipartisan vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, it is clear the support of Congress for veterans, service members, and their families and survivors stands above partisan politics,” 34 groups wrote [...]
2020 Toolkit for State Policymakers
Visit the website page here: https://vetsedsuccess.org/2020-toolkit-state-policymakers/
New York City Department of Consumer Affairs Report, Ill-Served: Why NYC Veterans Should Use Extra Caution When Choosing a For-Profit School
"Unfortunately, all too often, veterans’ tuition benefits go to for-profit programs and schools with poor graduation and employment outcomes4 that, in the words of Hollister K. Petraeus, the former head of the Office of Servicemember [...]
Letter from Student Veterans of America and Veterans Education Success to Secretary DeVos on CARES Act Guidance
May 19, 2020 The Honorable Betsy DeVos Secretary of Education Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue SW Washington, DC 20202 Re: CARES Act Guidance and Military-Connected Students Dear Secretary DeVos: On behalf of veterans, service [...]
Politico: Congress sends rebuke of DeVos ‘borrower defense’ rule to Trump’s desk
Several dozen veterans organizations are ramping up their efforts to win over the White House on the issue. They’ll be running an ad on Fox News, starting Wednesday, urging Trump the sign the legislation. The groups include Veterans Education [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Coronavirus News Roundup for May 19
A report from the advocacy group Veterans Education Success found that veteran college students could be disproportionately denied emergency aid grants under the CARES Act because of how the Education Department is interpreting the intent [...]
Politico Morning Education: It’s just not going to look like any other school year
COULD VETERANS BE BLOCKED FROM CARES ACT GRANTS? Veterans Education Success says it’s possible. — “At issue is which students are eligible for the cash grants,” the group, which focuses on student veterans, argues in a new brief. Education [...]
Are Student Veterans Going to be Denied Access to CARES Act Emergency Relief Funds?
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act authorized more than $6 billion in emergency cash grants “to students” enrolled in campus-based postsecondary education, to be distributed by their colleges. On April 9, 2020, [...]
Baltimore Sun: Maryland First to Protect Veterans from For-profit Colleges
"Gov. Larry Hogan and the Maryland General Assembly have made the state the first in the nation to pass important protections for veterans who often fall prey to deceptive marketing practices of failing for-profit colleges. [...]
Military.com: What Veterans Need to Know About Federal Debts During the Coronavirus Pandemic
This article was originally published by Military.com on May 14, 2020. What Veterans Need to Know About Federal Debts During the Coronavirus Pandemic Mike Saunders is a U.S. Army veteran and director of military and [...]
Letter to VA Requesting that it Reevaluate Galvanize, Inc.’s Status as a “Preferred” VET TEC Provider
We submitted a letter to the US Department of Veterans Affairs requesting that it reevaluate Galvanize, Inc.'s status as a "preferred" VET TEC provider and its eligibility for VET TEC funding.
Veterans’ Use of Private Student Loans: A Primer
Click here to download a PDF copy of the report. Highlights Based on our analysis of ED survey data from academic year 2007-08 to 2015-16: The proportion of undergraduate student veterans at for-profit schools taking [...]
Our Comment on the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Collection of Education and Licensing Records
May 11, 2020 Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Benefits Administration 810 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20420 Via electronic submission Re: Availability of Education, Licensing, and Certification Records, OMB Control No. 2900-0696 Dear Sir/Madam: Thank [...]
Supporting Veterans with Disabilities Pursuing a Postsecondary Education
Supporting Veterans with Disabilities Pursuing a Postsecondary Education By: Walter Ochinko May 2020 This week we published a new report on the impact of disability on first-time student veterans’ pursuit of a postsecondary credential. Our [...]
Impact of Disability on First-Time Student Veterans’ Persistence and Attainment
Click here to download a PDF copy of this Issue Brief Highlights Among undergraduate veterans who enrolled in postsecondary education for the first time in 2011-12, 33% reported a disability, compared to 15% of non-veterans [...]
Advocates and Veterans Groups Urge Financial Institutions to Follow Military Consumer Protection Law During Covid-19 Mobilizations
On Friday, May 1 the Student Borrower Protection Center, Student Veterans of America, Veterans Education Success, and over a dozen national military and veteran service organizations sent letters to the nation’s major financial institutions urging [...]
VA’s Guidance to Schools on Correcting Violations of 38 USC 3696
On May 8, 2020, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs sent guidance to 5 schools at risk of losing eligibility to enroll GI Bill students because of 38 USC 3696, which prohibits VA from approving [...]
Press Release: Veterans Education Success Commends Maryland as the First State to Close the 90/10 Loophole
May 7, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Ramond Curtis, State Policy Manager Veterans Education Success Commends Maryland as the First State to Close the 90/10 Loophole Advocates and veterans defrauded by for-profit schools react [...]
Letter to California’s Attorney General about Lambda School
We alerted the California Attorney General about Lambda School, an online tech school that relies on income sharing agreements (ISAs) to operate. Lambda promised that its ISAs were an "investment" in students and that it [...]
Comment from 50 Groups on Proposed Distance Education and Innovation Regulations
May 4, 2020 Mr. Gregory Martin U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave. SW, Mail Stop 294-42 Washington, DC 20202. Re: Distance Education and Innovation, Docket ID number ED-2018-OPE-0076-0845 Submitted electronically via: http://regulations.gov Dear Mr. [...]
Comment from Five Higher Education Groups on Proposed NC-SARA Manual Modification
National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements President/CEO and Board of Directors 3005 Center Green Drive Suite 130 Boulder, Colorado 80301 April 28, 2020 Dear President Williams and Members of the Board: Re: Proposed NC-SARA [...]
Our Comment on the Department of Education’s Proposed Distance Education and Innovation Regulations
May 4, 2020 Gregory Martin U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue SW Mail Stop 294-42 Washington, DC 20202 Submitted via online portal Re: Distance Education and Innovation, Docket ID: ED-2018-OPE-0076-0845 Dear Mr. Martin: Thank [...]
HB 375 Postsecondary schools; enrollment agreements, disputes, arbitration
Postsecondary schools; enrollment agreements; disputes; arbitration. Prohibits any postsecondary school that is required to be certified by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia from conditioning the enrollment of a student on (i) entering into [...]
Press Release: Advocates and Veterans Groups Urge Financial Institutions to Follow Military Consumer Protection Law During Covid-19 Mobilizations
Advocates and Veterans Groups Urge Financial Institutions to Follow Military Consumer Protection Law During Covid-19 Mobilizations Financial Companies’ Track Record of Servicemember Violations Warrants Enhanced Protections Amid Pandemic May 1, 2020 | WASHINGTON, DC — [...]
Testimony of Student Veteran Eric Luongo
Below is veteran Eric Luongo's testimony at the March 12, 2019 House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on oversight of for-profit colleges.
Borrower Defense CRA Press Conference Remarks from Veteran Tasha Berkhalter
On February 12, 2020, Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer held a press conference in support of Senator Durbin's Congressional Review Act Resolution to overturn the 2019 Department of Education [...]
Letter from 25 Organizations to Congress on COVID-19 and State Higher Education Support
April 27, 2020 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the House U.S. House of Representatives H-232, The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable Kevin McCarthy Minority Leader U.S. House of Representatives H-204, The Capitol Washington, [...]
Coalition Letter to California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education and COVID-19 Response
We represent a group of student, veteran, consumer, civil rights, and higher education advocates focused on ensuring that higher education students in California are protected from predatory schools and have access to high-quality education that [...]
State Policy Advocacy Report January 2019 – April 2020
In just the last sixteen months, Veterans Education Success has worked with state legislators, higher education non-profits, and veteran/military service organizations to introduce first-in-the-nation 90/10 loophole closure bills in three states.
Oregon State Legislator Sign-On Letter in Support of SB 1544
"By exploiting this loophole, for-profit colleges can improperly count GI Bill benefits as private funds, offsetting the 90 percent cap they otherwise face on their access to federal student aid. We know you have numerous [...]
Veteran and Servicemember Complaints about Misconduct and Illegal Practices at ITT Technical Institute
What follows is a public version of a “trends analysis” document we prepared detailing the types of harm observed by us in our free legal services to service members, veterans, and their dependents who brought [...]
Public News Service: Virginia Urged to End Restrictive Higher-Ed Enrollment Contracts
As more people explore going back to school after losing jobs in the COVID-19 pandemic, Virginia is being urged to prohibit the use of enrollment contracts by some private post-secondary schools. Michael Saunders, director of [...]
Arnold Ventures: Carrie Wofford, Fighting to Protect Veterans From Predatory, For-Profit Colleges
The founder of Veterans Education Success talks about what caused the VA to finally crack down on predatory for-profit colleges and why scams targeting veterans are likely to increase after the pandemic. Read the full [...]
Arnold Ventures: Scammed Out of Their GI Bill Money, Army Veterans Are Standing Up Against Predatory Colleges
GI Bill benefits made Tasha Berkhalter and Jarrod Thoma ideal targets for unscrupulous and duplicitous for-profit colleges. Now, thanks to groups like Veterans Education Success and the Project on Predatory Student Lending, they are getting [...]
Military Times: Lawmakers pass second emergency package to protect student veterans from coronavirus losses
"After talking to VA work-study students who were worried about being able to pay their bills and others who had to choose between working to feed their families or staying home to protect their families [...]
Fox 11 News: While other colleges struggle, for-profits hope for revival
To critics, the flurry of activity brings echoes of the 2008 recession, when for-profit colleges enrolled record numbers of students but left many of them with heavy debt and few job prospects. A new study [...]
Associated Press: While other colleges struggle, for-profits hope for revival
A new study by the advocacy group Veterans Education Success found that some chains have been spending more on Facebook ads during the pandemic. “This aggressive and deceptive targeting will once again harm veterans’ academic [...]
Coronavirus-Related Legislation and Its Relevance to GI Bill and Other VA-Supported Students
Click here to download a PDF copy of the report. This paper is intended to serve as a primer on recent Public Laws and legislation intended to mitigate the economic impact of the coronavirus emergency [...]
Inside Higher Ed: The Recession and For-Profit College Recruiting
Wofford, then senior counsel of the Senate's education committee, said for-profits appear to be stepping up their advertising aimed at veterans of the U.S. military and active-duty service members, a heavily sought group of potential [...]
Oregon: Institutional Sector Comparisons
This fact sheet provides statistics comparing Oregon public, for-profit, and nonprofit postsecondary institutions with respect to: • Enrollment—total vs. students using the GI Bill and DOD Tuition Assistance, • Dollars received for students using the [...]
Maryland: Institutional Sector Comparisons
This fact sheet provides statistics comparing Maryland public, for-profit, and nonprofit postsecondary institutions with respect to: Enrollment—total vs. students using the GI Bill and DOD Tuition Assistance, Dollars received for students using the GI Bill [...]
New York: Institutional Sector Comparisons
This fact sheet provides statistics comparing New York public, for-profit, and nonprofit postsecondary institutions with respect to: Enrollment—total vs. students using the GI Bill and DOD Tuition Assistance, Dollars received for students using the GI [...]
VES Comment on Proposed Regulation for Virginia Enrollment in Higher-Ed
Veterans Education Success has found that enrollment contracts are increasingly being used by certain postsecondary institutions as ways to limit the rights of the students that we serve. Restrictive clauses are often an [...]
What We’re Doing to Protect Your Rights During the COVID-19 Pandemic
By Ramond Curtis Here are some of the steps we've taking to serve you as we work hard to protect your rights during the crisis caused by COVID-19: You won’t face any change in [...]
Analysis of Higher Education Relief Funds for Coronavirus: How Will They Be Allocated Across Institutional Sectors?
Click here to download a PDF copy of the factsheet. Higher education emergency relief funds authorized by § 18004 of P.L. 116-136, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES), are limited to institutions [...]
11th Circuit ruling in Great Lakes
We filed an amicus brief about veterans' need for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, in support of a legal case regarding students' rights to use state law to sue loan servicing companies that fail to honor [...]
Press Release: Thirty-Three Leading Military & Veteran Service Organizations Praise VA Effort to Protect Veterans and Taxpayers from Schools that Mislead Prospective Students
For Immediate Release Contact: Carrie Wofford President 202-838-5050 April, 9 2020 Thirty-Three Leading Military & Veteran Service Organizations Praise VA Effort to Protect Veterans and Taxpayers from Schools that Mislead Prospective Students The [...]
Joint Military & Veteran Service Organization Letter: Praising VA’s Effort to Protect Veterans and Taxpayers from Schools that Mislead Prospective Students
April 9, 2020 The Honorable Robert Wilkie U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20420 Dear Secretary Wilkie: Thank you for enforcing 38 U.S.C. § 3696, which is critical in stopping [...]
New York Times: Online Learning Should Return to a Supporting Role
As the coronavirus pandemic forces schools and college campuses to go online, the delivery model of education — largely unchanged for centuries — has suddenly been disrupted. This may seem like the acceleration of a [...]
SAS Global Forum 2020 Report: Post-9/11 GI Bill: Teasing Out Insights about Veterans’ Success in Postsecondary Education
By Walter Ochinko, Research Director, Veterans Education Success Abstract This paper (1) examines the challenges researchers face in using publicly available databases to track veterans use of GI Bill benefits and their success in earning [...]
Politico Morning Education: Senators demand $2B for school, library internet connections
'WE TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF OUR VETERANS,' President Donald Trump said Thursday, as he declared he would extend benefit deadlines and postpone debt collections for veterans. — “We’re cautiously optimistic of this announcement as it’s been [...]
Military Times: Trump says VA won’t collect debts, will extend benefits deadlines amid coronavirus outbreak
“We must lighten the financial burden of veterans by suspending VA debt collections in the same way (the government) did for U.S. Treasury and U.S. Department of Education (debts),” officials from Veterans Education Success wrote [...]
The Capitol Forum: Perdoceo Education Corporation: AIU is Operating Under Provisional Status Due to Open Review of 90/10 Revenue Requirement
"Given that AIU is only provisionally certified for Title IV participation," Walter Ochinko, Research Director at Veterans Education Success, told The Capitol Fourm, "it is simply astonishing that the Department of Education failed to include [...]
What Military-Connected Students Need to Know During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Mike Saunders is a U.S. Army Veteran and Director of Military & Consumer Policy at Veterans Education Success. Tanya Ang is Vice President of Veterans Education Success and has worked in higher education supporting military-connected [...]
Letter to the Education Department Urging it Revoke Recognition of ACICS as an Accreditor
March 24, 2020 Herman Bounds Director, Accreditation Group U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20002 Dear Mr. Bounds: On February 27, 2018, twenty-nine Veterans and Military Service Organizations wrote to ask [...]
The Capitol Forum: Vol. 8 No. 105: For-Profit Colleges: Republicans Include Generous Provisions to Aid For-Profit Colleges in Draft Bailout Legislation; Higher Ed Advocacy Groups Fight Back
"Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi recently announced that House Democrats would put forward their own legislation to provide coronavirus relief and industry bailout money, but an early Senate Republican version of the bill included [...]
Politico Morning Ed: GOP proposes suspending federal student loan payments, extending new powers for school waivers
CONGRESS PASSES COVID-19 FIX FOR GI BILL AND OTHER VA-FUNDED STUDENTS: The House passed the legislation, S. 3503 (116), Thursday by unanimous consent following Senate passage by voice vote on Monday. — “We are relieved military-connected students [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Maryland Closes 90-10 Loophole
“This groundbreaking legislation makes Maryland the first in the nation to stand up for veterans and stop predatory schools from cheating them out of their hard-earned GI Bill,” said Ramond Curtis, state policy manager for [...]
Education Dive: Maryland could be the first state to close a loophole on federal aid to for-profit colleges
Maryland's bill intends to pose new limits on for-profit schools by forcing them to include military and veteran benefits when determining how much federal aid they rely on for revenue. Many large for-profit chains, such [...]
Military Times: GI Bill benefits to continue despite college coronavirus closings after emergency fix rushes through Congress
“Today, military connected students are free from the burden of worry with their housing allowance and can concentrate on protecting their families and community,” said Tanya Ang, vice president of Veterans Education Success. “We are [...]
Veterans Education Success Thanks Congress for Passing Important COVID-19 Fix for GI Bill and other VA-Funded Students
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Tanya Ang, Vice President, (202) 838-5050 March 19, 2020 Congress Clears Important COVID-19 Fix for GI Bill and other VA-Funded Students WASHINGTON, DC: This morning, Congress cleared an important COVID-19 fix [...]
Washington Post: Maryland General Assembly moves to tighten federal aid restrictions on for-profit colleges
Maryland is poised to become the first state to limit the revenue for-profit colleges can receive from enrolling veterans. On Tuesday, the state House of Delegates unanimously passed legislation to close a loophole in the [...]
Washington Post: Veterans’ advocates urge Congress to protect GI Bill benefits as colleges move classes online
“We don’t want veterans on the street,” said Tanya Ang, vice president of Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group. “They should know that the benefits they worked so hard for will be protected in times [...]
Letter from 51 Higher Education Organizations to Congress in Support of Today’s Students in Response to COVID-19
March 18, 2020 Dear Speaker Pelosi, Leader McCarthy, Leader McConnell, and Leader Schumer: As new cases of COVID-19 exposure and infection arise every day, many of the nation’s institutions of higher education are suspending or [...]
Veterans Education Success Hails Maryland as the 1st State in the Nation to Close the 90/10 Loophole
Veterans Education Success Hails Maryland as the First State in the Nation to Close the 90/10 Loophole FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ANNAPOLIS, MD – As they prepare to adjourn over Coronavirus concerns, lawmakers in Annapolis, MD, [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Will Trump’s Promise Really Help Borrowers?
But Mike Saunders, director of military and consumer policy for Veterans Education Success, said Education Department lawyers may feel bound by law to not allow interest to be waived. And Morabito, the department’s spokeswoman, didn’t [...]
Testimony in Support of Maryland SB 294 and HB 593: 2020 90/10 Loophole Closure
HB 593 and SB 294 will protect veterans and servicemembers from fraud and abuse by predatory colleges that target them with aggressive and deceptive recruiting just to get their GI Bill.
Inside Higher Ed: More Help for Borrowers
Mike Saunders, director of military and consumer policy at Veterans Education Success, said waiving interest will only marginally help student borrowers. "We call on President Trump to ensure borrowers, as well as all Americans, have [...]
Press Release: 32 Military and Veteran Service Organizations Urge President Trump to Support Veterans and Military-Connected Students From Loans Incurred as a Result of Fraud
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Carrie Wofford | President (202) 838-5050 March 13, 2020 32 Military and Veteran Service Organizations Urge President Trump to Support Veterans and Military-Connected Students From Loans Incurred as a Result of Fraud [...]
Letter to President Donald J. Trump from 34 Military & Veteran Service Organizations Urging Support for H.J. Res 76
March 13, 2020 The Honorable Donald J. Trump The White House Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Trump: In August 2019, you stood with veterans in directing the Education Department to ensure that all totally and [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Latest Coronavirus News
The multibillion-dollar coronavirus package being negotiated by Representative Nancy Pelosi, the House Speaker, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin isn’t expected to include a temporary suspension of student loan payments, said a Democratic House aide. Advocacy [...]
Inside Higher Ed: GOP-Led Senate Joins House in Rebuking DeVos on Loan Forgiveness
The congressional votes are “an unequivocal, bipartisan message that military-connected students who have been defrauded out of their hard-earned GI Bill and burdened with unnecessary student loans should have a fair and equitable process for relief,” [...]
New York Times: Senate Rejects DeVos Rule Restricting Debt Relief for Bilked Students
“Veterans had a target on their backs when they were in uniform, there’s no need to have one again when they go to college,” said James Haynes, federal policy manager at Veterans Education Success. “These [...]
Press Release: Veterans Education Success Praises Bipartisan Passage of H.J. Res. 76 in the Senate to Stand with Veterans on Borrower Defense
For Immediate Release Contact: Carrie Wofford | President (202) 838-5050 Tanya Ang | Vice President (202) 838-5050 March 11, 2020 Veterans Education Success Praises Bipartisan Passage of H.J. Res. 76 in the Senate to [...]
Reveal: Veterans Affairs Bans University of Phoenix From New GI Bill Enrollments
"Wofford said the trade commission’s $191 million settlement with the University of Phoenix left the VA little choice but to enforce the law. 'The law is clear,' she said. 'Colleges found to use erroneous, deceptive [...]
The Bellevue Leader: VA Will Suspend Enrollment of New GI Bill Students at Bellevue University, Other Colleges
"The president of Veterans Education Success, Carrie Wofford, praised Monday’s move by the VA. 'This sends a powerful message, one we’ve been advocating for VA to exercise since 2012, that the federal government and taxpayers [...]
Colorado Springs Gazette: VA bars Colorado Tech, 4 other schools from enrolling new GI Bill students
Carrie Wofford, president of the advocacy group Veterans Education Success, said in a statement that the VA’s decision was “more than justified” and sends the message that “the federal government and taxpayers will no longer [...]
WTOP: VA Moves to Suspend New GI Bill Enrollment at 5 Universities
Carrie Wofford, president of the advocacy group Veterans Education Success, said in a statement that the VA’s decision was “more than justified” and sends the message that “the federal government and taxpayers will no longer [...]
KOAA News: VA moves to suspend new GI bill enrollment at 5 universities
Carrie Wofford, president of the advocacy group Veterans Education Success, said in a statement that the VA’s decision was “more than justified” and sends the message that “the federal government and taxpayers will no longer [...]
Arizona Republic: VA Plans to Suspend New GI Bill Enrollments at University of Phoenix
Carrie Wofford, the president of Veterans Education Success, said the organization is grateful the VA intends to suspend new GI Bill enrollments at these five schools. “This sends a powerful message, one we’ve been advocating [...]
Inside Higher Ed: GI Bill Enrollment to be Halted at Five Universities
“This sends a powerful message, one we’ve been advocating for VA to exercise since 2012, that the federal government and taxpayers will no longer tolerate schools that seek to defraud veterans and other military-connected students [...]
Washington Post: VA Plans to Suspend University of Phoenix and Other Colleges from Accessing GI Bill Benefits
“We’re grateful VA intends to suspend enrollment of new GI Bill students at these institutions,” said Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group. “This sends a powerful message … that the federal [...]
Our Statement for the Record: Legislative Priorities for 2020
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES SUBMITTED TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE COMMITTEES ON VETERANS AFFAIRS SECOND SESSION 116TH CONGRESS March 9, 2020 Chairmen Moran and Takano, Ranking Members Tester and Bilirakis, and Members of [...]
Stars & Stripes: VA to Suspend Some GI Bill Enrollments, Holding Back More Than $200 Million from ‘Deceptive’ Universities
“We’re grateful VA intends to suspend enrollment of new GI Bill students at these institutions. This sends a powerful message, one we’ve been advocating for VA to exercise since 2012, that the federal government and [...]
Press Release: Veterans Education Success Praises Decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs to Suspend New GI Bill Students from Enrolling at the University of Phoenix, Career Education Corporation Institutions, Bellevue University, and Temple University
For Immediate Release Contact: Carrie Wofford | President (202) 838-5050 Tanya Ang | Vice President (202) 838-5050 March 9, 2020 Veterans Education Success Praises Decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs to Suspend New [...]
Politico: VA Plans to Suspend GI Bill Funding for New Students at 5 Universities
“'We’re grateful VA intends to suspend enrollment of new GI Bill students at these institutions,' said Carrie Wofford, the president of Veterans Education Success, who previously led investigations into the for-profit education industry in the [...]
Initial Notification Letters from VA to Colleges on 38 USC 3696
University of Phoenix Career Education Corporation Temple University Bellevue University
Inside Higher Ed: Groups Urge Debt Forgiveness for Disabled Borrowers
A coalition of more than 30 higher education, consumer and veterans' groups on Tuesday called on U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to discharge the student loans of about 350,000 disabled borrowers. Under the Higher [...]
Our Statement for the Record: March 10th HVAC Economic Opportunity Subcommittee Hearing
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING ON PENDING LEGISLATION SUBMITTED TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 10 2020 Chairman Levin, Ranking Member Bilirakis, and Members of [...]
NBC News: States urge Betsy DeVos to forgive loans of students with disabilities
Student loan representatives from seven states and Washington, D.C., sent a letter Tuesday to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and Social Security Commissioner Andrew Saul asking them to erase the federal loans of more than [...]
Federal Court Denies Ashford University’s Lawsuit against VA
Decision of the US Federal Circuit Court to Dismiss Ashford University's Lawsuit against VA (Decided: March 3, 2020) Ashford petitions this court for review, contending that the Cure Letter “announces” new “rules” and that 38 [...]
Letter to the Education Department regarding disabled Americans’ student loan relief
We joined education and consumer organizations in a policy letter to the Education Department calling for student loan relief for disabled Americans.
Testimony in Support of Maryland HB 1562
This bill would ban abusive debt collection tactics by preventing creditors from obtaining court orders to garnish wages and seize assets to repay defaulted student loans that creditors cannot prove borrowers owe, and it offers bowers tools to halt abuses when debt collectors and creditors break the law.
Inside Higher Ed: Higher Ed Deal in the Works?
"'Chairmanship succession can be unpredictable, depending on the complicated Rubik's cube of committees and seniority and requests that Senator McConnell may face,' said Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success and former Democratic senior counsel [...]
The Capitol Forum: Perdoceo Education Corporation: Department of Education Defers $39M of Title IV Money from 2019 to 2020 to Save AIU from Violating 90/10; Experts Expect Congressional Scrutiny
"Walter Ochinko, research director for Veterans Education Success, told The Capitol Forum he wasn't surprised to hear about Perdoceo's 90/10 manipulation strategies. 'For-profit schools closely monitor their compliance with the 90/10 Rule and resort to [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Senate Might Rebuke DeVos on Borrower Defense
"The same assessment came from the other side. 'In a time where partisan politics often is the headline of media stories, we are encouraged by the number of Republican offices who are willing to stand [...]
Our Op-Ed in The Baltimore Sun: How to Stop For-Profit Colleges from Preying on Veterans
Our President Carrie Wofford's op-ed with Retired Gen. Wesley K. Clark, the former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, and Aaron Ament, President of Student Defense. By Wesley K. Clark, Carrie Wofford and Aaron Ament For The Baltimore [...]
Letter to the Senate regarding “short-term” programs for Pell
A letter from Veterans Education Success and leading education policy organizations to the Senate education committee leaders urging evidence-based, data-driven decision-making on opening Pell Grants up to very short-term programs.
Our Statement for the Record on VA’s Budget Request for 2021
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD COMMITTEE HEARING ON U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS BUDGET REQUEST FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021 SUBMITTED TO THE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS U.S HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 27, 2020 Chairman Takano, Ranking [...]
Lima Veteran Goes to Washington
A terrific news story about a brave veteran, Tasha Berkhalter, whom we brought to Washington to tell Congress what they need to do to help veterans with student debt caused by college fraud. Lima Veteran [...]
Republic Report: FBI Raids For-Profit College Owned by Tennessee State Senator
"The school’s website... also states that students may be eligible for veterans benefits, and the organization Veterans Education Success tweeted documentation that the VA has approved the school for those benefits." Read the full story [...]
Stars & Stripes: Vets group sounds the alarm after VA greenlights controversial Ashford University for GI Bill funds
The Department of Veterans Affairs agreed to preserve Ashford University’s eligibility to receive GI Bill benefits after years of whistleblowers, veterans, and state officials sounding the alarm over the school’s alleged predatory habits aimed at [...]
Press Release: Veterans Education Success Responds to VA’s Decision to Approve Ashford University for GI Bill Funds
For Immediate Release Contacts: Carrie Wofford, President | [email protected] (202) 838-5050 Veterans Education Success Responds to VA's Decision to Approve Ashford University for GI Bill Funds Reaction by President Wofford highlights VA's approval of a school [...]
Veterans Education Success Testifies Before Oregon Senate Committee on Closing the 90/10 Loophole
Watch Veterans Education Success State Policy Manager Ramond Curtis testify alongside OR State Legislators and American Legion leadership before the Oregon Senate Committee about pending legislation that would close the 90/10 loophole in Oregon.
VA’s Approval of Ashford for GI Bill (Feb. 2020)
On Feb. 14, 2020, VA approved Ashford's eligibility for GI Bill. Letter pasted below. In approving Ashford, VA's leadership is once again flouting 38 USC 3696, which forbids VA from approving GI Bill to schools [...]
Politico: Ashford University Approved for GI Bill Eligibility
"Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group that focuses on student-veterans, said in statement that it learned "the leadership of VA decided to affirmatively approve Ashford for GI Bill and ensure Ashford's continued access to GI [...]
USA Today: This college was accredited by a DeVos-sanctioned group. We couldn’t find evidence of students or faculty
"Reagan National University was supposed to be a place of higher learning, but it was unclear how it awarded degrees. By all appearances, at present, it has no students, no faculty and no classrooms. An [...]
FOIA response from VA regarding the Department’s communications with Moskowitz, Perlmutter, and Sherman
The US Department of Veterans Affairs sent the following response to our Freedom of Information Act request regarding the Department's communications with Bruce Moskowitz, Ike Perlmutter, and Marc Sherman.
FOIA request to VA regarding the Department’s communications with Moskowitz, Perlmutter, and Sherman
1250 H Street NW Suite 700, Washington, DC 20005 January 7, 2020 Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Avenue, NW (005R1C) VACO Washington, DC 20420 Via email: [email protected] This is a request [...]
FOIA response from VA regarding the Department’s communications with University of Phoenix
The US Department of Veterans Affairs sent the following response to our Freedom of Information Act request regarding the Department's communications with the University of Phoenix, Apollo Global Management, or The Vistria Group. [...]
FOIA request to VA regarding the Department’s communications with University of Phoenix
1250 H Street NW Suite 700, Washington, DC 20005 January 7, 2020 Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Avenue, NW (005R1C) VACO Washington, DC 20420 Via email: [email protected] This is a request [...]
FOIA response from VA regarding the Department’s communications with CECU
The US Department of Veterans Affairs sent the following response to our Freedom of Information Act request regarding the Department's communications with Career Education Colleges and Universities.
FOIA request to VA regarding the Department’s communications with CECU
1250 H Street NW Suite 700, Washington, DC 20005 January 7, 2020 Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Avenue, NW (005R1C) VACO Washington, DC 20420 Via email: [email protected] This is a request [...]
FOIA response from VA regarding the Department’s communications with CEC
The US Department of Veterans Affairs sent the following response to our Freedom of Information Act request regarding the Department's communications with Career Education Corporation and its subsidiaries, American InterContinental University and Colorado Technical University. [...]
FOIA request to VA regarding the Department’s communications with CEC
1250 H Street NW Suite 700, Washington, DC 20005 January 7, 2020 Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Avenue, NW (005R1C) VACO Washington, DC 20420 Via email: [email protected] This is a request [...]
Letter to State AGs regarding the University of Phoenix
February 14, 2020 Dear Attorneys General: As you may have heard, on December 10, 2019, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a proposed settlement[1] with the University of Phoenix (UOP). In its investigation, the [...]
Summary of Veteran and Servicemember Student Complaints about Colorado Technical University
As part of our free legal assistance to students, Veterans Education Success receives complaints from students using veterans’ benefits, such as the GI Bill, to attend colleges and universities around the country. We received 228 [...]
Summary of Veteran and Servicemember Student Complaints about Ashford University
As part of our free legal assistance to students, Veterans Education Success receives complaints from students using veterans’ benefits, such as the GI Bill, to attend colleges and universities around the country. We received 109 [...]
Summary of Veteran and Servicemember Student Complaints about American InterContinental University
As part of the free legal assistance we provide to students, Veterans Education Success receives complaints from students using veterans’ benefits, such as the GI Bill, to attend colleges and universities around the country. We [...]
Summary of Veteran and Servicemember Student Complaints about University of Phoenix
As part of the free legal assistance we provide to students, Veterans Education Success receives complaints from students using veterans’ benefits, such as the GI Bill, to attend colleges and universities around the country. We [...]
SB 1544 VSO/MSO Coalition Letter in Support
SB 1544 support letter for 90/10 loophole closure coalition letter signed by 13 VSOs and MSOs
SB 1544 Letter in Support; The American Legion Legislative Chair, Jack LAbox
The American Legion Legislative Chair, Jack Labox, testimony in favor of closing the 90/10 loophole.
SB 1544 Letter in Support; The American Legion, OR
The state commander for The American Legion Department of Oregon writes in support of SB 1544 and closing the 90/10 loophole.
SB 1544 Letter in Support, Oregon State University Student Veterans of America
The Student Veterans of America Oregon State University chapter letter in support fo closing the 90/10 loophole.
Veterans Education Success Letter in Support for SB 1544
"We at Veterans Education Success are writing in support of Senate Bill 1544. This bill will protect veterans and servicemembers from fraud and abuse by predatory colleges that target them with aggressive and deceptive recruiting just to get their GI Bill."
Testimony of Jay Hernandez in favor of SB 1544, Oregon 90/10 loophole closure
Jay Hernandez is a Marine Corps Veteran from Oregon City, OR., and former student at the University of Phoenix.
SB 1544 Testimony of State Policy Manager, Ramond Curtis
Testimony by Veterans Education Success State Policy Manager, Ramond Curtis, in favor of SB 1544 Oregon State 90/10 loophole closure - Oregon Senate Committee on Education
Education Department’s FOIA Response on Total and Permanent Disability Student Loan Discharge
The Education Department's response to a FOIA request regarding how many student loan discharges it has provided for totally and permanently disabled borrowers.
Maryland Military Coalition Support Letter for MD Senate Bill 294
The Maryland Military Coalition, representing sixteen veterans and military service organizations, submitted the following letter of support for the Maryland Senate Bill 294 to force colleges to close the 90/10 loophole and honor the GI [...]
Our Statement for the Record on Pending Legislation: House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING ON PENDING LEGISLATION SUBMITTED TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 6, 2020 Chairman Levin, Ranking Member Bilirakis, and Members of [...]
WMAR Baltimore: State lawmakers looking at bill that may help veterans with college
"Lawmakers are looking at a bill that might help veterans with college. They say there is a loophole in a college tuition program allowing for-profit colleges to take advantage of loans given to veterans. We've [...]
Ramond Curtis Testimony: Maryland 90/10 Loophole Closure Bill
Testimony submitted by Veterans Education Success State Policy Manager, Ramond Curtis, in favor of 90/10 loophole closure bills - SB 294 and HB 593
Inside Higher Ed: Student Loan Relief for Disabled Vets
"Many of those borrowers are not veterans. But some are veterans who became disabled after they left the military, or whose injuries were not considered service related even though they were on active duty, said [...]
Maryland: The Daily Record: Md. lawmakers look to add for-profit college regulations again this year
State lawmakers hope this year to place new regulations on for-profit colleges operating in Maryland, a third straight year of new regulations for an industry that has seen more favorable regulatory actions from the federal [...]
Politico Morning Ed: Nearly Two Dozen Veteran and Military Service Organizations Are Continuing to Press DeVos
POLITICO reported last year that the Trump administration suspended the process of forgiving hundreds of millions of dollars in student loans owed by veterans with severe disabilities, despite a presidential pledge the debts would be easily erased. [...]
Military.com: Veterans Groups Want Government to Expedite Forgiveness of Student Loans
"Led by Veterans Education Success, a bipartisan group dedicated to ensuring career and education success for military families, a collection of 22 veterans groups has sent a letter to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. The letter [...]
22 Veterans & Military Organizations Letter to Education Department RE: Disabled Veterans’ Loans
22 leading Veterans and Military Service Organizations submitted a public comment to the US Education Department thanking the Education Department for moving forward with a process to ensure totally and permanently disabled ("TPD") veterans' legal [...]
NPR: Teachers Union Lawsuit Claims DeVos ‘Capriciously’ Repealed Borrower Protections
"One of the nation's largest teachers unions sued U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Wednesday. The complaint: She repealed a rule meant to protect student loan borrowers from for-profit and career-focused schools that graduate them [...]
Chronicle of Higher Education: Purdue Global Has Had a Rocky Start. Is It Growing Pains or a Sign of Trouble?
"A $43-million loss last year was due in part to marketing costs. And the institution expects to turn a profit this year." Read the full story by the Chronicle of Higher Education, "Purdue Global Has [...]
Education Dive: ACICS no longer seeking recognition from key oversight group
"The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and School (ACICS), a troubled national accreditor that had its federal status revoked under the Obama administration, is no longer seeking recognition from the main private association that vets [...]
Letter to VA Regarding GI Bill Feedback Tool and 38 USC 3696 Compliance
January 21, 2020 Charmain Bogue, Executive Director U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Benefits Administration, Education Service 810 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20420 Re: 38 U.S.C. § 3696 and University of Phoenix, [...]
St. Louis Post Dispatch: Editorial: Senate must decide whether to side with scam colleges or defrauded students
"The House has voted to overturn a Trump administration rule that makes it more difficult for students who were defrauded by their colleges to seek loan forgiveness. The measure now moves to the Senate — [...]
Media Advisory: Rep. Susie Lee, Sen. Durbin to Hold Press Conference After House Votes to Overturn DeVos Borrower Defense Rule
For Planning Purposes Only January 14, 2019 Rep. Susie Lee, Sen. Durbin to Hold Press Conference After House Votes to Overturn DeVos Borrower Defense Rule Washington, D.C. – On Thursday, Jan. 16 at 11:00 a.m. [...]
Thank You Letter to House Appropriations Committee for DOL VETS DVP Program
Below is a thank you letter from 17 veterans organizations to the House Appropriations Committee for including funding for the 2020 Department of Labor VETS program to establish a Disabled Veteran Program (DVP). [...]
LA Times: For-profit film school turned their Hollywood dreams into student debt nightmares
"Only two months into pursuing his dream to be a sound engineer, David Gross knew he’d made a mistake. The single father in 2013 signed up at a for-profit college in Burbank that convinced him [...]
University to pay nearly $5 million to US government for role in veterans’ education scam
A private university in New Jersey has been ordered to pay the United States government almost $5 million to settle allegations that it defrauded the Department of Veterans Affairs by massively overcharging veterans for substandard online courses. [...]
Arnold Ventures Podcast: Podcast: ‘Dollar Signs in Uniform’: How For-Profit Education Continues to Target GI Bill Money
"For 75 years, the GI Bill has provided military service members with invaluable educational opportunities. And for just as long, for-profit colleges and universities have sought to gain and maintain access to that funding stream. [...]
MSO-VSO Letter Supporting MLA Expansion
November 15, 2019 The Honorable Mike Crapo, Chair Senate Committee on Banking SD-534 Dirksen Senate Office Committee Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Sherrod Brown, Ranking Member Senate Committee on Banking SD-534 Dirksen Senate [...]
Grand Forks Herald: Defunct Globe University, Minnesota School of Business pushed to liquidate assets and repay students
Grand Forks Herald "Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison wants a now-defunct chain of for-profit colleges to liquidate its remaining assets to repay the students it defrauded. Ellison’s office filed a motion in U.S. bankruptcy court [...]
TICAS: The Evolution of the For-Profit College Industry
The Evolution of the For-Profit College Industry: New Challenges for Oversight focuses on important changes to the sector, which include the growth of online education, the efforts of for-profit colleges to convert to non-profit status, [...]
Law Enforcement Actions Against Predatory Colleges
This document summarizes government actions against predatory colleges, providing links to the government actions. If you are aware of a law enforcement action or private lawsuit that is not listed, please email us at [email protected]. [...]
New York Times: Protect Veterans from Fraud
On January 1, 2020, the New York Times ran a full-page editorial by the Editorial Board featuring Veterans Education Success' work: "Nevertheless, a 2018 report from Veterans Education Success, a nonprofit that provides legal help [...]
Key Photos from our work Elevating Veteran Voices: 2019
Check out photos of our veterans telling Washington what's needed!
Stars & Stripes: Let Protect VETS Act teach for-profit schools a lesson
Let Protect VETS Act teach for-profit schools a lesson by Mike Saunders I’ve seen a lot during my years in the Army and now working in veterans’ organizations for the past decade. I thought I’d [...]
Letter from Congress to VA regarding VA’s obligation to protect veterans from deceptive colleges
December 20, 2019 Dear Secretary Wilkie: We write today in the wake of Federal Trade Commission (FTC) settlements with for-profit Career Education Corporation (CEC) and University of Phoenix (UOP) for unfair, deceptive, and abusive practices. [...]
Our Amicus Brief in the Montana Supreme Court re Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Veterans Education Success filed an amicus brief regarding the importance of Public Service Loan Forgiveness and opposing loan servicers’ active misrepresentations to students about Public Service Loan Forgiveness. The case is Reavis v. Pennsylvania Higher [...]
Federal Judge Orders Owner of Dog Training School to Forfeit Assets from Fraud Scheme against GI Bill Benefits
"A federal judge ordered 48-year-old Bradley Lane Croft, owner of Universal K-9, Inc., to forfeit over one million dollars in assets derived from his scheme to defraud the federal government with respect to the use [...]
Higher Learning Advocates: State of the Military-Connected Student Community in 2019
State of the Military-Connected Student Community in 2019 By James Haynes This year we’ve enjoyed enormous momentum in policy, advocacy, and legislation on issues important to military-connected students that sets up ambitious goals for 2020. [...]
The Spouse Angle Podcast: Controversial Changes to Education Benefits, Explained
This podcast was published by The Spouse Angle on December 4, 2019. The Spouse Angle: Controversial Changes to Education Benefits, Explained By Natalie Gross Think the Post-9/11 GI Bill is just for veterans? Some recent [...]
Military Times: Veterans Group Applauds FTC for Gaining $50 Million Settlement Plus $141 Million in Canceled Student Debt in University of Phoenix Deceptive Ad Case
The settlement was applauded by some education advocacy groups, including Veterans Education Success, which works to help military veterans. Carrie Wofford, the group's president, thanked the FTC for its work. “The FTC’s findings should shock [...]
Press Release: University of Phoenix Student Veterans Available for Media Interviews
Media Availability: Student Veterans from University of Phoenix February 13, 2019 What: This week the US Federal Trade Commission announced a legal settlement with the University of Phoenix for defrauding students - especially military students. The FTC found “UOP’s [...]
NBC News: University of Phoenix Settlement “Drop in the Bucket” for Student Debt, Advocates Say
"Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success, called the settlement a 'really important step forward' in protecting veterans. 'The broader context of this case is for-profit colleges are incentivized by federal laws to target veterans,' [...]
Associated Press: The University of Phoenix to Cancel $141 Million in Student Debt
"The settlement was commended by some educational groups, including Veterans Education Success, which main advocacy is to help military veterans. The organization's president, Carrie Wofford, thanked the FTC for its work. She said that 'enough is [...]
PBS NewsHour & Hechinger Report: For-Profit Colleges that Get GI Bill Money Need More Oversight, Veterans Say
The VA has received at least 37 complaints about Ashford from GI Bill beneficiaries. An advocacy group called Veterans Education Success (VES) has collected 113 more from veterans and service members, many of which echo [...]
NBC News: University of Phoenix to Cancel $141 Million in Student Debt
"The settlement was applauded by some education advocacy groups, including Veterans Education Success, which works to help military veterans. Carrie Wofford, the group's president, thanked the FTC for its work. “The FTC’s findings should shock [...]
Air Force Times: Veterans Group Applauds FTC for Gaining $50 Million Settlement Plus $141 Million in Canceled Student Debt in University of Phoenix Deceptive Ad Case
"The settlement was applauded by some education advocacy groups, including Veterans Education Success, which works to help military veterans. Carrie Wofford, the group's president, thanked the FTC for its work. “The FTC’s findings should shock [...]
Reveal News: University of Phoenix settles for record $191 million on charges of deceptive advertising
“It would be hard to claim that the Federal Trade Commission suing a school and receiving $200 million is not evidence of deceptive recruiting,” said Carrie Wofford, director of the national nonprofit group Veterans Education [...]
Republic Report: FTC Nails University of Phoenix For Ad Whose Deceptions Reflect Disturbing Deal
The FTC investigation found that some companies asked by Phoenix to appear in the ads objected to the false portrayal. But other companies presumably did not object, since so many appear in the ads. And [...]
Forbes: University Of Phoenix Pays $191 Million For Deceiving Students
Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success, applauded the announcement and spoke to the findings. “The FTC’s findings should shock every patriotic American. Enough is enough. It's time to stop the fleecing of America’s veterans [...]
Washington Post: FTC reaches $191 million settlement with University of Phoenix in deceptive-advertising probe
“Enough is enough. It’s time to stop the fleecing of America’s veterans and service members by predatory colleges,” said Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group. “We thank the FTC for its [...]
The Trump Administration Is Going to Automatically Forgive the Student Loans of Severely Disabled Veterans – What Does that Mean?
by Mike Saunders You may have heard that the Trump Administration is now going to automatically forgive the federal student loans of veterans who have a 100 percent disability rating or who have been designated [...]
Chicago Tribune: University of Phoenix to pay $50M, cancel $141M in student debt to settle false-advertising claims
"The settlement was applauded by some education advocacy groups, including Veterans Education Success, which works to help military veterans. Carrie Wofford, the group's president, thanked the FTC for its work. “The FTC’s findings should shock [...]
Our Press Release on FTC Settlement with University of Phoenix
Press Release Embargoed until the FTC’s Announcement Goes Live (likely 11 a.m. December 10, 2019) Contact: Carrie Wofford (202) 838-5050 Federal Trade Commission’s Settlement with University of Phoenix Puts Pressure on VA and DOD to [...]
PBS NewsHour: University of Phoenix agrees to $50M settlement over false ad claims
"The settlement was applauded by some education advocacy groups, including Veterans Education Success, which works to help military veterans. Carrie Wofford, the group's president, thanked the FTC for its work. “The FTC’s findings should shock [...]
Politico Morning Ed: Veterans Group Responds to Education Department Delay in Loan Discharge
Mike Saunders, military and consumer policy director at Veterans Education Success, said his group learned of the department's delay in implementing student loan debt forgiveness for severely disabled veterans, a Trump administration promise, in a story [...]
USA Today: Loophole Allows Some Colleges to Take Advantage of Veterans
Cameron Newberry always knew he wanted to go to college, but felt he needed to serve his country before jumping back to his studies. This led the 23-year-old to serve in the Marine Corps from [...]
Report from New America: “The Bermuda Triad: Where Accountability Goes to Die”
New America released a report detailing the role of the Triad (federal government, states, accreditors) in holding institutions of higher education accountable and provided recommendations for how to strengthen the Triad. Link here.
Chicago Sun Times: More GI Bill horror stories: Vets say government reneged on promise to pay for kids’ college
"Hower and her father are among more than a dozen families who contacted the Chicago Sun-Times after a story Nov. 10 on military families hit with hefty college bills they were promised would be covered [...]
Washington Post: Trump administration promise of debt relief for disabled veterans got delayed. Now, the program is resuming.
A Freedom of Information Act request made by the advocacy group Veterans Education Success found that the Education Department contacted more than 42,000 disabled veterans, yet barely 8,500 had signed and returned the application for [...]
CBS News: After scrutiny, U.S. again forgiving student debt for disabled veterans
Mike Saunders, the legal director at Veterans Education Success, said he had been surprised to learn about the Education Department freeze, saying the advocacy group had been "under the impression that they were automatically forgiving [...]
42 Veterans and Military Organizations Request Senate Action on HR 4625, Protect the GI Bill Act
42 of the nation's leading veterans service organizations and military service organizations wrote the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee to request its speedy passage of HR 4625, Protect the GI Bill Act, which cleared the House [...]
Politico: Trump Pledge to Forgive Disabled Veterans’ Student Loans Delayed — at Education Department
Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group that focuses on student-veterans and had for months pushed the Trump administration to automatically forgive the loans, said it was “disappointed” that most of the loan cancellations had not [...]
Press Release: Veterans Education Success Reacts to Department of Education’s Delay Discharging Student Loan Debt for Disabled Veterans
For Immediate Release Contacts: Carrie Wofford, President | [email protected] (202) 838-5050 Veterans Education Success Reacts to Department of Education's Delay Discharging Student Loan Debt for Disabled Veterans & New Effort to Reduce Student Loan Interest [...]
Wall Street Journal: Which College Graduates Make the Most
New government data shows which college degrees are instantly paying off and which ones leave graduates loaded with debt but skimpy income. Some of the examples are striking. Bismarck State College can now boast its business [...]
Our Letter to VA Regarding Ashford
We submitted a letter to the US Department of Veterans Affairs, providing key information about Ashford University.
Press Release: Veterans Education Success Praises Senator Alexander’s Support for Closing the 90-10 Loophole
For Immediate Release Contacts: Carrie Wofford, President | [email protected] (202) 838-5050 Veterans Education Success Praises Senator Alexander's Support for Closing the 90-10 Loophole Senator Alexander (R-TN) Announced His Support for the Protect VETS Act of [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Bipartisan Movement in Washington
"Chairman Alexander's support for closing the 90/10 loophole is a game-changer for student veterans and military-connected students across the country and means Congress can and will remove the recruiting target from the backs of veterans [...]
Washington Post: Republican Leader Backs Restrictions that Could End For-Profit Colleges’ Aggressive Recruitment of Veterans
“Chairman Alexander’s support for closing the 90/10 loophole is a game-changer,” said Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group. It “means Congress can and will remove the recruiting target from the backs [...]
Our Statement for the Record on Forever GI Bill Implementation Efforts for Nov. 19 HVAC Economic Opportunity Subcommittee Hearing
STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE OVERSIGHT HEARING ON EXAMINING ONGOING FOREVER GI BILL IMPLEMENTATION EFFORTS BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 19, 2019 Chairman Levin, [...]
Richmond Free Press: Veterans Hurt by Predatory For-Profit Colleges
“That VA has not invoked their authority to ban schools that engage in deceptive mar- keting for almost 50 years is a missed opportunity to do what is right for military-connected students in higher education,” [...]
The St. Louis American: Protecting Veterans from ‘Collegiate Con Artists’
“That VA has not invoked their authority to ban schools that engage in deceptive marketing for almost 50 years is a missed opportunity to do what is right for military-connected students in higher education,” said [...]
Military Times: Push to Limit For-Profit College’s Access to GI Bill Benefits Gets New Boost
“We are thrilled to finally have a real chance to close the 90/10 loophole and remove the target from the backs of veterans and service members,” said Carrie Wofford, president at Veterans Education Success, in [...]
Higher Learning Advocates: Today’s Students: Inspiration for Higher Education
This post was originally published by Higher Learning Advocates on November 14, 2019. Today’s Students: Inspiration for Higher Education By Erica Hilton Today’s students are more diverse across multiple areas than any previous generation of [...]
Press Release: Veterans Education Success Praises Bi-partisan Bill to Close 90-10 Loophole
For Immediate Release Contacts: Carrie Wofford, President | [email protected] (202) 838-5050 Veterans Education Success Praises Bi-partisan Bill to Close 90-10 Loophole Proposed legislation in the U.S. Senate will close the 90-10 loophole and remove the [...]
S. 2857: Bipartisan Protect Veterans’ Education and Taxpayer Spending Act of 2019
Introduced by Senators Carper (D-DE), Cassidy (R-LA), Lankford (R-OK), and Tester (D-MT) Bill text is available here
Georgetown Center on Education & the Workforce: A First Try at ROI: Ranking 4,500 Colleges
Using data from the expanded College Scorecard to rank 4,500 colleges and universities by return on investment, A First Try at ROI: Ranking 4,500 Colleges finds that bachelor's degrees from private colleges, on average, have higher [...]
NBC News San Diego: Man Schemed Nearly $30M of Education Benefits From Veterans Affairs: US Attorney
The owner of a technical training school pleaded guilty Wednesday to defrauding nearly $30 million worth of benefits over a three-year period from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Federal authorities discovered an elaborate scheme at [...]
U.S. News & World Report: The Real Cost of For-Profit Colleges
Carrie Wofford, president of the advocacy group Veterans Education Success, says veterans have been particularly targeted by for-profit colleges because of the money they bring with the GI Bill, which pays more than $24,000 for [...]
U.S. News and World Report: How to Find Additional College Benefits for Veterans
"There are typically more resources than you realize," says Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group that provides free counseling, legal resources and other services to military-affiliated students. Read the full story [...]
North Dallas Gazette: America’s Veterans Deserve Better from For-Profit Colleges
"That VA has not invoked their authority to ban schools that engage in deceptive marketing for almost 50 years is a missed opportunity to do what is right for military-connected students in higher education,” said [...]
Chicago Sun Times: The Navy told him he served long enough to get his kids free college. Its math was 6 days off.
"Dotson, who’s from Michigan, didn’t know that the promised education would be yanked out from under them, that this gift would turn into debt-collection notices for his daughter amounting to $20,000 and growing. The Dotsons [...]
Press Release: Veterans Education Success Announces New Team Members and Renewed Partnership to Better Serve Military-Connected Students
November 8, 2019 For Immediate Release Contacts: Carrie Wofford, President | [email protected] (202) 838-5050 Veterans Education Success Announces New Team Members and Renewed Partnership to Better Serve Military-Connected Students New staff and partnerships [...]
Politico Morning Education: Veterans Education Success is adding to its legal team
"Veterans Education Success is adding to its legal team. Lt. Col. Aniela Szymanski , a Marine Corps Reserve judge advocate general, will serve as senior director for Legal Affairs and Military Policy. Marine Corps veteran [...]
The Highland County Press: Sen. Brown’s Bill Would Extend Lending Protections for Service Members to Veterans, Consumers
"The legislation has been endorsed by a wide variety of consumer, civil rights, veterans, service-member organizations, and advocates, including...Veterans Education Success; Allied Progress, Americans for Financial Reform; Center for Responsible Lending; Consumer Action; Consumer Federation [...]
Stars & Stripes: As Possible Shutdown Looms, Troop Pay Raises Seem Safe
“Veterans and military-connected students should not worry right now about a government shutdown impacting their benefits. However, if the shutdown goes longer than a month then all kinds of government benefits could be impacted, from [...]
Politico Morning Education: Veterans Education Success is Out with Two New Issue Briefs
"Veterans Education Success is out with two new issue briefs. One suggests Congress should consider authorizing the VA to require letters of credit from schools to mitigate risks to veterans and taxpayers. Another seeks to clarify the [...]
Voice of San Diego: Thomas Jefferson Law School was Temporarily Stripped of GI Bill Participation
“'It solves the Thomas Jefferson problem,” said Carrie Wofford, president of the advocacy group Veterans Education Success. The bill, H.R. 4625, also addresses other issues the federal VA highlighted in explaining why it took over [...]
Politico Morning Education: A Report from Veterans Education Success Analyzes Veteran Student Loan Borrowing
"A report from Veterans Education Success analyzes student loan borrowing in academic year 2015-16, and compares undergraduate veterans who received GI Bill educational benefits to those who did not. It also examines the cumulative student [...]
Press Release: Veterans Education Success Releases New Reports on the Use, Return-on-Investment, and Administration of VA Education Benefit Programs
For Immediate Release Contacts: Carrie Wofford, President | [email protected] (202) 838-5050 Walter Ochinko, Research Director | [email protected] (202) 838-5050 Veterans Education Success Releases New Reports on the Use, Return-on-Investment, and Administration of VA [...]
The 85-15 Rule and Related GI Bill Safeguards
The impact of the 85-15 rule—a requirement that education programs enroll at least 15% non-veterans to ensure schools are not bilking VA, as occurred after WWII—has evolved over time. This Issue Brief presents the Congressional [...]
Stars & Stripes: Some Guard Troops Deployed to US-Mexico Border Aren’t Earning Federal Benefits
“Our brave National Guard women and men deserve clarification now,” said Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success. Read the full story from Stars & Stripes here.
Annual and Cumulative Student Loan Debt Among Veterans Using and Not Using GI Bill Benefits
This Fact Sheet examines student loan borrowing in academic year 2015-16, comparing undergraduate veterans who received any GI Bill educational benefits (beneficiaries) to those who did not (nonbeneficiaries). In addition to their borrowing during that [...]
GI Bill Payments and Enrollment, Fiscal Years 2009 to 2018
Total GI Bill payments and enrollment grew significantly after the implementation of the Post-9/11 GI Bill educational benefits in August 2009. Eighty three percent of the $105 billion in expenditures on educational benefits from Fiscal [...]
California backs down from threat to fight VA for GI Bill oversight
California backed down from a fight with the Department of Veterans Affairs over a decision that restricts the state’s power to regulate for-profit colleges enrolling students with GI Bill benefits. California had used its authority [...]
Politico Morning Education: A Veterans Education Success Report Found that Few States Acted Proactively to Protect Veterans
A Veterans Education Success report found that few states acted proactively to protect veterans and in many cases the Veterans Affairs Department took no action to support those ones that did so. In another report, the group also [...]
VA and States Should Act on Early Warning Signs When Risks to GI Bill Beneficiaries and Taxpayers Emerge at Participating Schools
This report is one in a series of three reports by Veterans Education Success on State Approving Agency (SAA) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) oversight of GI Bill participating schools. A second report examines [...]
NJ Spotlight: Norcross Among Congressional Group Proposing Major Move on College Debt, Affordability
“We are thankful to the House for their comprehensive bill that addresses most of the concerns the military-affiliated community has expressed,” said Veterans Education Success, a Washington, D.C.-based group that advocates for educational opportunities for [...]
Press Release: Veterans Education Success Releases Two New Reports Documenting Early Warning Signs at Troubled Schools Missed by VA and States, and VA’s Failure to Follow Legal Authority to Protect Veterans
October 21, 2019 For Immediate Release Contact: Carrie Wofford, President | [email protected] (202) 838-5050 Veterans Education Success Releases Two New Reports Documenting Early Warning Signs at Troubled Schools Missed by VA and States, and VA’s [...]
Congress Should Consider Authorizing VA to Require Letters of Credit from Schools in order to Mitigate Risks to Veterans and Taxpayers
The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) lacks the authority to require letters of credit (LOC) from schools eligible to enroll GI Bill beneficiaries. In contrast, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) can require schools [...]
Inside Higher Ed: House Dems’ Vision for Higher Ed
"The College Affordability Act also would make the federal student loan program more generous for student borrowers....the bill has received endorsements from Third Way, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Veterans Education Success, the National Association [...]
Washington Post: Only War Heroes can be Awarded Purple Heart Medals. Anyone Can Join the Purple Heart Trail
"Barrett Bogue, senior communications adviser for the nonprofit Veterans Education Success, calls such practices 'a concern' and says that 'prospective students should not make the life-changing decision of where to earn a degree based on [...]
HR 4613: VA Reporting Transparency Act
This bill requires VA to post on the VA website all reports to Congress, so that the public may see them. Read the full bill at: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/4613/text
What Graduation Rates Have Missed for Community College Students
A report from the Center for American Progress.
The Century Foundation: How to Stop Sudden College Closures
The U.S. Department of Education’s current system of financial oversight of colleges does not forecast the future condition of an institution but rather only examines the past and it implements well-intentioned but ineffective interventions that [...]
Politico Morning Education: Veterans Education Success is out with two new policy briefs
"Veterans Education Success is out with two new policy briefs: Weak Return on Investment at Trade Schools that Enroll GI Bill Beneficiaries and Proposed Short-Term Pell Safeguards Should Be Further Strengthened." Read the full Politico [...]
Learn about the Protect the GI Bill Act
Overview of The Protect the GI Bill Act Gives Student Veterans the Same Rights as Other Students Contained within the larger Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement [...]
Lumina Podcast: Time to Recognize Lessons Learned in the Military
This post was originally published on Medium.com on October 7, 2019. Lumina Podcast: Time to Recognize Lessons Learned in the Military By Dakota Pawlicki This is adapted from our Lumina Foundation podcast, “Today’s Student / [...]
VA Still Not Enforcing 1974 Ban on Schools that Engage in Deceptive Advertising and Recruiting
Summary: This Issue Brief examines the history of schools that rely on misleading advertising and recruiting to enroll veterans and eligible family members and subsequent ban by Congress in 1974 based on contemporaneous findings of [...]
Diverse Issues in Higher Education: New Coalition Highlights the Need For Student Voices in Higher Education Policy
The coalition consists of twelve different groups, including Higher Learning Advocates, Veterans Education Success, Young Invincibles, the National College Access Network and others. The goal is to advocate for policies that expand supports for nontraditional [...]
Sierra Sun Times: U.S. Senators Introduce Congressional Effort to Overturn Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ Rewritten Borrower Defense Rule
"Organizations supporting the resolution include...Veterans Education Success, The Education Trust, National Education Association, Project on Predatory Student Lending, National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low income clients), Third Way, Americans for Financial Reform, [...]
Joint Press Release: Veterans & Military Service Organizations Response to Sen. Alexander’s Higher Education Legislation
October 19, 2019 For Immediate Release Contact: Tanya Ang | Vice President | (202) 838-5050 Lauren Augustine | Vice President of Government Relations (SVA) | (703) 772-9919 Barrett Y. Bogue | Senior Communication Advisor | [...]
Politico: How to fix education’s racial inequalities, one tweak at a time
PASADENA—Last fall, when introductory biology professors at Pasadena City College erased a rule banning late assignments or makeup exams, their colleagues joked that students would soon have imaginary grandmas perishing every weekend. In years past, [...]
Weak Return on Investment at Trade Schools that Enroll GI Bill Beneficiaries
Highlights We found that student outcome data at Title IV- participating trade schools that enroll GI Bill beneficiaries in certificate programs showed a disappointing return-on-investment but robust retention and graduation rates (see table 1). For [...]
Proposed Short-Term Pell Safeguards Should Be Further Strengthened
Highlights Recently reintroduced legislation known as the JOBS Act would make federal Pell Grants available for very short, 8-week programs intended to help individuals “afford the skills training and credentials that are in high-demand in [...]
Top 10 Ways the New Borrower Defense Rule is Bad for Borrowers
The Institute for College Access & Success, National Consumer Law Center, and The Century Foundation released the following fact sheet describing the ways the new Borrower Defense rule is worse for borrowers than the 2016 [...]
Sacramento Bee: Veterans Affairs Moves to Strip California’s Power in Fight Over For-Profit Schools
“It’s hard to argue that the VA has the interests of veterans and taxpayers at heart when it allows things like Thomas Jefferson. Why would they rescind these actions?” said Walter Ochinko, research director for [...]
Military Times: VA Concedes its Debt Collection Systems Leave Veterans Confused, Frustrated
Officials from Veterans Education Success said one in four recipients of GI Bill benefits face some [sic] time of overpayment-related debt. Read the full article by Military Times, "VA Concedes its Debt Collection Systems Leave [...]
Our Oral Testimony on VA’s Debt Collection & GI Bill Overpayments
On Sept. 19, 2019, Veterans Education Success' Director of Military & Consumer Policy, Mike Saunders, testified before the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations, regarding GI Bill "overpayments" and VA's aggressive debt [...]
21 Military & Veteran Organizations’ Letter to CFPB on Debt Collection
Veterans Education Success organized and led a letter from 21 national military and veteran service organizations to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau regarding its proposed changes to debt collection rules.
Our Written Testimony for House Veterans Affairs Hearing on VA Debt Collection Practices
Veterans Education Success Director of Military & Consumer Policy Mike Saunders' written testimony regarding VA's debt collection practices and GI Bill "overpayment" issues. Testimony of Mike Saunders, Director of Military and Consumer Policy Veterans Education Success [...]
LAist: The Trump Administration Is Canceling California’s GI Bill Approval Power, But The State Is Fighting Back
But Carrie Wofford questions whether federal regulators can effectively oversee the entire college and university system in the state of California. "It's somewhat unrealistic," she said. "How is the VA sitting in Washington going to [...]
Politico Morning Education: Veterans Education Success is Out with Two Reports
Veterans Education Success this week released two new reports about federal and state oversight of colleges receiving GI Bill funding: "Overemphasis on Payment Accuracy Impedes More Effective SAA Oversight of Schools Participating in the GI Bill" [...]
GAO Report: More Information Could Help Student Parents Access Additional Federal Student Aid
US Government Accountability Office report: More Information Could Help Student Parents Access Additional Federal Student Aid Highlights: "About 1 in 5 undergraduates were raising children in 2015-16, according to the Education Department. Child care costs [...]
Defense Department Office of Inspector General: Audit of Controls at Military Installations for Schools Participating in the DoD Tuition Assistance Program DODIG-2019-122
The US Defense Department (DoD) Office of Inspector General determined whether military installations had implemented controls for the DoD Tuition Assistance Program that were designed to ensure that educational institutions with authorized access to DoD [...]
Veterans Education Success releases 2 new reports on VA’s oversight of the GI Bill
VES released 2 new reports: VA’s increased Tasking of SAAs with Payment Audits is Impeding Quality Oversight of Schools; and Inconsistent Governing Statutes are Fueling Disagreements Between VA and the States Reports Shed Light on [...]
House Veterans Chairman Takano’s statement on VA’s suspension of California SAA
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) released the following statement after the Department of Veterans’ Affairs decided to break with the California State Approving Agency for Veterans Education [...]
The Scribe: Presidential Memorandum Streamlines Student Loan Forgiveness for Disabled Veterans
"Veterans Education Success, a non-partisan advocacy group for student veterans, outlined in a letter written to the Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, the unfairness of making veterans with a total disability classification to complete paperwork [...]
Diverse Issues in Higher Education: Proposed Amendment Scrutinizes For-Profit Schools Targeting Veterans
The 90/10 rule is supposed to be a “market test,” says Tanya Ang, policy and outreach director at Veterans Education Success, because a reputable school should be able to attract some non-government funds. For example, [...]
VA’s FOIA response re FTC referral for investigation of deceptive practices
The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) released the following documents in response to a Freedom of Information Act request regarding any VA referrals of schools to the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for investigation [...]
Overemphasis on Payment Accuracy Impedes More Effective SAA Oversight of Schools Participating in the GI Bill
Executive Summary State Approving Agencies (SAA), state-level entities that operate under contract with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), were established to serve as gatekeepers for GI Bill participating schools. Their ability to provide effective, [...]
VA and SAA Approval and Disapproval Authority Should Be Clarified
Executive Summary State Approving Agencies (SAAs) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are expected to work in tandem to approve, disapprove, and oversee the educational benefits provided under 38 United States Code (U.S.C.) [...]
Comstock’s Magazine: Lobbying Blitz Stymies California’s Crackdown on For-Profit Schools
Ramond Curtis, the state policy manager for the advocacy group Veterans Education Success, said he felt outgunned. His group supported Assembly Bill 1343 by Asm. Susan Eggman, aimed at closing a loophole in federal law that [...]
Press Release: We Respond to VA’s Decision to Suspend California’s Role as a State Approving Agency for GI Bill
September 6, 2019 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: CARRIE WOFFORD, PRESIDENT (202) 838-5050 VETERANS EDUCATION SUCCESS RESPONDS TO VA’S DECISION TO SUSPEND CALIFORNIA’S ROLE AS A STATE APPROVING AGENCY FOR GI BILL Washington, DC -- Today’s [...]
Politico: Trump Administration Strips CalVet Regulation of For-Profit Colleges
Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success, characterized VA's move as another instance of finger-pointing between Washington and California. "All they've been doing is fighting with each other," she said in an interview. "There's going [...]
Press Release: DeVos’s Final Rewrite of the Borrower Defense Rule Is a Slap in the Face for Military-Connected Students
September 3, 2019 For Immediate Release Contact: Walter Ochinko | VES Research Director | (202) 838-5050 DeVos’s Final Rewrite of the Borrower Defense Rule Is a Slap in the Face for Military-Connected Students Washington, D.C. [...]
Stakes are High for Veterans as Congress Debates the Higher Education Act
The post was originally published by The Tennessean on August, 27, 2019. Stakes are High for Veterans as Congress Debates the Higher Education Act By Maj. Chris Davis, USMC What drew me and so many [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Faster Loan Forgiveness for Disabled Veterans
Education Department data provided last year to two groups, Veterans Education Success and Vietnam Veterans of America, showed that more than 42,000 borrowers were eligible for the loan forgiveness benefit, known as Total and Permanent [...]
HR 4162: GI Bill Planning Act of 2019
This bill: extends in-state tuition at public universities and colleges for all veterans, eliminating the provision that had required veterans to enroll "within 3 years" of leaving military service; gives servicemembers more time (6 months) [...]
ABC 13 News Now: Disabled Vets to Receive Student Loan Relief Requested by Attorney General Herring
The automatic forgiveness supported by the attorneys general also has the support of veterans groups including Vietnam Veterans for America, Veterans Education Success, The Retired Enlisted Association, High Ground Advocacy, and Ivy League Veterans Council. [...]
UPI: Trump Signs Order to Eliminate Student Loan Debt for Disabled Veterans
A Freedom of Information Act request filed by the non-profit Veterans Education Success showed that more than 25,000 of the 42,000 disabled veterans eligible for student loan forgiveness were in default of $168 million in outstanding [...]
Press Release: Statement by Veterans Education Success on the Presidential Memorandum on Discharging the Federal Student Loan Debt of Totally and Permanently Disabled Veterans
August 21, 2019 For Immediate Release Contact: Barrett Y. Bogue | Senior Communication Advisor (202) 670-5587 Statement by Veterans Education Success on the Presidential Memorandum on Discharging the Federal Student Loan Debt of Totally and [...]
NPR: Trump Signs Executive Order Forgiving All Federal Student Loan Debt For Disabled Vets
An activist I spoke with at Veterans Education Success said she wants to know if they're going to do anything to repair the people who were - had their credit ratings damaged or wages garnished [...]
Diverse Issues In Higher Education: Some Disabled Vets to Get Automatic Student Loan Debt Forgiveness
Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success, issued a brief statement calling the administration’s action “a welcome development on an issue we have been leading since November 2018.” She said what began as a Freedom [...]
The Washington Post: Trump Administration to Automatically Forgive the Student Debt of Permanently Disabled Veterans
A Freedom of Information Act request made by the advocacy group Veterans Education Success found that the Education Department contacted more than 42,000 disabled veterans, 25,000 of whom were in default on their student loans. [...]
CNBC: Trump to Grant Student Loan Forgiveness for Disabled Veterans
However, recent records revealed the government continues to seek repayment on $1 billion in student loans from more than 40,000 severely disabled veterans who have been deemed unable to work. More than 25,000 of them are in [...]
TICAS Updated Gainful Employment Rule Fact Sheet (August 2019)
The Institute for College Access and Success published an updated "What to Know About the Gainful Employment Rule,"which worked to improve quality, lower costs, and save taxpayer money. The Trump Administration rescinded the rule on [...]
Wall Street Journal: Fight Over For-Profit Colleges’ Funding Centers on Veterans
Jose Diaz-Buttler, a trained mechanic three years removed from the Navy, was seeking steady work in the Bay Area when the 2008 financial crisis hit. After initially contacting Heald College, a nearby for-profit school, to [...]
Connecting Vets: Bill Would Help Troops with ‘Outdated’ Montgomery GI Bill, End Enrollment by 2029
The 1984 Montgomery GI Bill is "outdated" and should eventually be phased out, two members of Congress say, but in the meantime, veterans should get more time to decide if they want it or not. [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Could For-Profit Question Impede Short-Term Pell?
Lawmakers pushing for a dramatic change to the federal Pell Grant program have for months sought to placate liberal critics by arguing that new money wouldn’t go to for-profit colleges. Legislation dubbed the JOBS Act [...]
The Military Lending Act and You
This post was originally published by Military.com on August 13, 2019. The Military Lending Act and You By Mike Saunders, Director for Military and Consumer Policy, Veterans Education Success As an active-duty service member, you [...]
Analysis of the Impact of Closing the 90/10 Loophole
We used a December 2016 Department of Education study to estimate the number of schools that would be affected by including GI Bill and Defense Department tuition and fee payments in the 90 cap on [...]
Salon: How Financially Troubled Colleges Rip off Veterans
“For-profit schools really aggressively target veteran students and spend a ton on marketing, but spend little on instruction,” Walter Ochinko, Research Director at Veterans Educations Services, told DCReport. Read the full story at Salon, "How [...]
Army.com List of Partner Schools Exposed
The Federal Trade Commission shut down a number of copycat military websites in September of 2018. This report examines one of those websites, Army.com, and the list of partner schools it displayed while in operation. [...]
1st Half of 2019 – Our Accomplishments
VES' activity and accomplishments in the first half of 2019
Florida Daily: Elijah Cummings Working With Florida Congressman to Help Veterans at Colleges, Universities
Rep. Elijah Cummings is also working with a Republican congressman from Florida in offering a bill to help veterans attending colleges and universities. Student Veterans of America, the American Legion, Veterans Education Success, the Vietnam Veterans of America, Higher Learning [...]
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment 2018 Longitudinal Study
The Department of Veterans Affairs published the results for Fiscal Year 2018 of its Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment longitudinal study. The main goal of the study is to examine the post-program outcomes for the VR&E [...]
HR 4085: Student Veteran Empowerment Act of 2019
We are grateful to the GOP leadership of the House Veterans Affairs Committee for this excellent bill, which: Helps solve the problem of GI Bill overpayments by requiring monthly enrollment verification; Ensures that "deemed approved" [...]
Florida Daily: Veterans Groups, Education Leaders Back Donna Shalala’s Effort to Close GI Benefits Loophole
Veterans groups and education leaders are going all out to help a South Florida congresswoman’s proposal to close a loophole proprietary colleges use when it comes to federal funds, including GI benefits.
Joint Letter in Support of Shalala Amendment on DoD Tuition Assistance
On July 25, 2019, twenty-six student, education, military, and veterans service organizations expressed their support for an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 that would require the Defense Department to make public [...]
Bloomberg: Students to Keep Pressing Congress for Higher Education Update
Ten student advocacy groups are teaming up to push for a reauthorization of the main federal higher education law, even as lawmakers are turning their focus to other bills. The groups have individually advocated for [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Groups Align to Advocate for Today’s Students
A coalition of groups representing veterans, working adults and historically underrepresented students have teamed up to form a new organization designed to change federal and other policies to better recognize how "today's students" differ from [...]
Military Times: Fewer Troops are Using Tuition Assistance Benefits
Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success, a group that has established itself as one of the toughest critics of for-profit schools, pushed for a greater focus on academic inputs, such as the amount of [...]
Representative Cunningham calls on the VA to provide more information regarding possible overcharges from educational institutions
Representative Joe Cunningham wrote the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to request additional information regarding the VA's enforcement of 38 USC 3690, which authorizes the VA to take action against educational institutions overcharging educational assistance [...]
Education Dive: House Passes Amendment Raising Scrutiny of For-Profit Colleges’ Military Benefits
Tanya Ang, vice president at VES, told Education Dive in an interview that the "extra step of security" the audits provide are a positive development. Bipartisan support is also a plus in her view. "That's [...]
Our Oral Testimony July 17 House Veterans Economic Subcommittee Hearing on Proposed Legislation
Oral testimony of our Senior Advisor, retired Army Col. Robert Norton, who testified before the House Veterans Affairs Committee's hearing on proposed legislation, including many bills we collaborated on to improve GI Bill college quality [...]
Our Written Testimony for July 17 House Veterans Economic Opportunity Subcommittee Hearing on Proposed Legislation
Written testimony of our Senior Advisor, retired Army Col. Robert Norton, before the House Veterans Affairs Committee's hearing on proposed legislation, including many bills we collaborated on to improve GI Bill college quality and student [...]
NBC News: ‘They just saw me as a dollar sign’: How some certificate schools profit from vulnerable students
An investigation into Premier Education Group shows how for-profit schools with questionable track records are able to fly under the enforcement radar. Read more.
Our letter urging stronger accreditor oversight of colleges
Letter to the Office of Post Secondary Education About Proposed Rules for Accrediting Agencies.
Politico: Thousands in GI Bill Fees Paid by Recruits “For essentially no reason at all”
“The bottom line is it makes no sense to the Department of Defense to continue to look the other way, as you will, as new recruits come into the force,” said Bob Norton, a retired [...]
DeVry Letter in Support of California’s Closing the 90/10 Loophole
DeVry University joined veterans organizations in calling for legislation to close the 90/10 loophole and stop targeting veterans (which DeVry did voluntarily in 2016)
Our Veterans Advocate Tyson Manker Speaks at NYC Consumer Affairs Panel
Video of advocate Tyson Manker speaking at NYC Consumer Affairs Panel about student debt among veterans, and the dire need to improve protections around the Post 9/11 GIBill
The Century Foundation: Encouraging Innovation & Preventing Abuse in For-Profit Higher Education
The Century Foundation is a progressive, nonpartisan think tank that seeks to foster opportunity, reduce inequality, and promote security at home and abroad.
The ’90-10 rule’ in higher education is a target on veterans’ backs
Note: This post was originally published by The Hill on June 24, 2019. The '90-10 rule' in higher education is a target on veterans' backs By Tanya Ang and Lauren Augustine For the past 10 [...]
On the 75th Anniversary of the GI Bill, Military-Connected Students Need The College Transparency Act
Note: This post was originally published by The Institute for Higher Education Policy on June 22, 2019. On the 75th Anniversary of the GI Bill, Military-Connected Students Need The College Transparency Act By Tanya Ang, [...]
Politico: House Republican Seeks More Relief for Student Veterans After Schools Collapse
The top Republican on a House Veterans' Affairs subcommittee said Wednesday he wants to work with Democrats to expand protections for student veterans faced with abrupt school closures. Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), the ranking Republican on the [...]
Our Statement for the Record on School Closures
Our statement for the record at a rescheduled US House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing on the impact on veterans of mid-semester school closures.
Oregon Legislature should close for-profit college loophole, protect student veterans
Student veteran Jay Hernandez wrote an op-ed in the Oregon newspaper. "I became a U.S Marine because I wanted more out of my life. I was born into poverty and into a disability-stricken family: my [...]
HBO: Wyatt Cenac’s Problem Areas: The Cost of College
The HBO news show, Wyatt Cenac's Problem Areas, worked with Veterans Education Success to expose for-profit colleges' targeting and fraud against veterans. They interviewed student veterans we are helping and whistleblower former college recruiters [...]
Protecting Servicemember Loan Rates
Military and veteran groups wrote to the Department of Defense thanking them for automating SCRA rights and asking for restitution to servicemembers who previously were not accorded to these rights that they were entitled to. [...]
Veterans and Military Service Organizations urge the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to maintain mandatory underwriting provisions of the rule regulating Payday, vehicle title and high-cost installment loans
Military and Veteran Service Organizations (MSO/VSOs) write to express opposition to recension of underwriting requirements of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) 2017 rule regulating Payday, Vehicle Title and Certain High-Cost Installment Loans.
Our Statement for the Record: The Impact on Veterans of School Closures
Our statement for the record at a US House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing on the impact on veterans of mid-semester school closures. Two of our student veterans who were impacted by a school closure also [...]
Our Tweets: Student Veterans Lobby Day
VES Tweets about Student veterans Lobby Day in the Oregon capitol, organized and lead by VES State Policy Manager, Ramond Curtis
We submitted a formal “Third Party Comment” regarding the accreditor ACICS to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation
We ask you to please review the following two letters regarding ACICS. The concerns of Veterans and Military Service Organizations regarding ACICS still stand:
HR 2618 – aiding military spouses with license portability and residency
HR 2618 amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to provide a guarantee of residency for registration of businesses of spouses of members of the uniformed services, to improve occupational license portability for military spouses through [...]
Washington Denies Ashford University’s Application to Recruit, Advertise, or Offer Field Placements to Students
On May 3, 2019, the Washington Student Achievement Council notified Ashford University that it is not permitted to engage in any actions that constitute "operating" in Washington, as defined in the state's Degree-Granting Institutions Act. [...]
37 Veterans and Military Service Organizations write Congress to share our priorities for Higher Education Act reauthorization
37 undersigned organizations representing the interests of more than 2 million military-connected current students in higher education, write to ensure that reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA) increases college access and improves college completion [...]
An Act To Ensure the Integrity of For-profit Colleges
The 129th Maine legislature unanimously passes bill requiring better oversight of for-profit colleges passes unanimously.
Testimony from Veteran and Ashford University Whistleblower at US House Committee on Veterans Affairs Field Hearing
VES presented testimony from veteran and Ashford University whistleblower Eric Dean before the US House Committee on Veterans Affairs - Field Hearing in San Diego, CA, “Protecting Those Who Protect Us: Ensuring the Success of our [...]
Should Colleges Spend the GI Bill on Veterans’ Education or Late Night TV Ads? And Which Colleges Offer the Best Instructional Bang for the GI Bill Buck?
Every year, around 700,000 Post-9/11 GI Bill students enroll in an institution of postsecondary education, a benefit earned through sacrifice and service to our nation. The GI Bill represents America’s thanks for veterans’ military [...]
Testimony of Veteran Stephanie Stiefel before the California Assembly
Testimony by US Army veteran, Stephanie Stiefel, at California State Assembly Higher Education Committee hearing on AB 1343 – Revising the 90/10 Rule, April 9th, 2019.
NBC Nightly News: Veterans Could Be First to Pay as DeVos Rolls Back For-Profit College Oversight
Veterans Education Success was honored to be interviewed by NBC News for their expose on how for-profit colleges target veterans with fraud. We also provided both whistleblowers and veterans to be interviewed. The full NBC [...]
Written Testimony from Veteran Tom Corbett to US Senate HELP Committee for Hearing on HEA Act
VES submitted written testimony of Air Force veteran Tom Corbett to the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, regarding his insights as a for-profit college executive about for-profit colleges’ abuses of students [...]
NYS Senate Public Hearing on Higher Education
Senate Standing Committee on Higher Education Chair: Senator Toby Ann Stavisky Public Hearing: To explore ways to review oversight over for-profit schools in order to better inform students, parents and consumers about for-profit education schools. - April, 2019
Our Statement for the Record: House Veterans Affairs Committee: Pending Legislation
Our statement for the record on pending legislation before the US House Veterans Affairs Committee.
Our Statement for the Record with SVA on College Accountability (Senate)
Veterans Education Success and Student Veterans of America teamed up to provide the US Senate education committee with our suggestions for higher education accountability.
Our Statement for the Record with SVA on College Accountability
Veterans Education Success and Student Veterans of America teamed up to provide the House of Representatives education committee with our suggestions for higher education accountability.
Veterans and Military Service Organization Letter of Support: AB 1343- Revising the 90/10 Rule
16 leading national VSO and MSO write letter to the California Assembly Committee on Education in support of closing the 90/10 loophole.
Veterans and Military Service Organization Letter of Support: Closing the 90/10 Loophole in New York State
16 leading national VSO and MSO write letter to the New York State Senate Committee on Higher Education in support of closing the 90/10 loophole.
Veterans and Military Service Organization Letter of Support: HB 2976 – Closing the 90/10 Loophole
16 leading national VSO and MSO write letter to the Oregon House Committee on Education in support of closing the 90/10 loophole
Testimony of Tom Corbett before the US Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel
On March 25, 2019, Tom Corbett, a veteran and a former executive at several for-profit colleges, spoke to the U.S. Education Department's Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel about the need to protect students attending for-profit colleges. [...]
Testimony of Veteran Stephanie Stiefel before the US Education Department’s Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel
On March 25, 2019, Stephanie Stiefel, a veteran, spoke to the U.S. Education Department's Negotiated Regulatory Rulemaking Panel about her experience attending a for-profit college. Her remarks can be read in full below. A video [...]
New York Post Letter to the Editor by our State Policy Manager Ramond Curtis
“Veterans organizations, including the American Legion, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the Association of the US Navy, and a dozen others are calling on Albany to enact Gov. Cuomo’s "For-Profit College Accountability Act”
Testimony of Student Veteran Jay Hernandez
Testimony of Jay Hernandez before the Oregon House Committee on Education at the hearing on HB 2976 - Veterans Private Education Protection Act: "I lost a year of education benefits that I could be going towards earning a Masters" March, 2019
Testimony of our State Policy Manager Ramond Curtis Before Oregon House of Representatives
VES State Policy Manager Ramond Curtis testimony before the Oregon House Committee on Veterans Private Education Protection Act: HB 2976 - March, 2019
Our State Policy Manager Testifies at Education Committee Hearing
Video of Oregon State House of Representatives Committee on Education hearing: HB 2976 - Veterans Private Education Protection Act, March 2019
Testimony of Student Veteran Ryan Preston
Testimony of Ryan Preston before the Oregon House of Representatives Committee on Education at the hearing on HB 2976 - Veterans Private Education Protection Act: "I received a total of 2 online job leads and then the university reps tried forcing me to sign a release of liability so they would not be obligated to assist me in finding employment" March, 2019
Veterans and Military Service Organizations urge the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau not to delay implementation of Payday Loans protection rule
The undersigned Military and Veteran Service Organizations (MSO/VSOs) write to express opposition to the proposed delay of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) 2017 rule regulating Payday, Vehicle Title and Certain High-Cost Installment Loans. The [...]
Veteran and Military Organizations Support Proposed California Regulation
Letter from 21 national organizations representing veterans, active-duty military, and students in support of proposed rule-making to title 12 of California Code of Regulations regarding CSAAVE title 38 approval of postsecondary institutions
Letter of Support from The American Legion
The American Legion Department of New York writes in support of Gov. Cuomo’s “For Profit Accountability Act”
Our Statement for the Record: Legislative Priorities for the 116th Congress
Our statement for the record before the special bicameral House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees hearing on legislative priorities for the 116th Congress.
Testimony of Our State Policy Manager Ramond Curtis
Testimony in support of Gov. Cuomo's "For-Profit College Accountability Act” before the NY state Committee on Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committee by VES State Policy Manager Ramond Curtis: "New York can prevent predatory practices and bad outcomes by implementing strong policies that hold for-profit colleges accountable to the students and taxpayers they have an obligation to serve." March, 2019
One of our college whistleblowers, Eric Dean, a former Ashford University admissions rep, spoke at a press conference to announce the legislation
One of our college whistleblowers, Eric Dean, a former Ashford University admissions rep, spoke at a press conference to announce legislation https://twitter.com/GIBillRights/status/1100823267210870785
Politico Morning Education: The group Veterans Education Success has released a brief
The group Veterans Education Success has released a brief that encourages the Education Department to consider lessons learned from GI Bill usage as it weighs regulatory changes. Read the full story: https://www.politico.com/newsletters/morning-education/2019/02/25/gun-control-bill-heads-to-the-house-floor-this-week-399378
Military Times: Vet groups are blasting Trump’s education secretary. Here’s why.
Veterans’ education benefits are being undermined by the federal government, according to officials with two prominent advocacy organizations focused on student veterans.
Washington Post: Veterans Groups Ask VA Secretary to Keep GI Benefits Out of the Hands of Predatory Colleges
“The veterans we serve are understandably angry when they discover that the very consumer fraud they faced at a predatory school is one the VA knew about but approved for GI Bill benefits anyway,” said [...]
WaPo: Veterans groups ask VA secretary to keep GI benefits out of the hands of predatory colleges
Three dozen advocacy groups are calling on Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie to intensify monitoring of college programs that enroll veterans after an audit found lax oversight could result in $2.3 billion in tuition benefits [...]
Testimony of Student Veteran Michael Miedzinkski before Maryland State Senate
Testimony regarding predatory practices by veteran Michael Miedzinkski before Maryland State Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee: "I was recruited at a college transfer fair at the community college I was attending. After a number of red flags, I began to realize I had made a mistake" February, 2019
Testimony of Student Veteran Cynthia Castellon before Maryland State Senate
Testimony regarding predatory practices by veteran Cynthia Castellon before Maryland State Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee: "I was lied to and manipulated into using my Post 9/11 GI Bill, AND taking out unnecessary loans, just so Everest could make a profit" February, 2019
Testimony of Our State Policy Manager Ramond Curtis before Maryland State Senate
Testimony regarding predatory practices by VES State Policy Manager Ramond Curtis before Maryland State Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee: "Maryland’s 157 for-profit colleges and career schools offer a variety of career-oriented programs, ranging from courses in medical billing to programs in building trades. We know that these institutions are crossing ethical and legal lines to boost their veteran enrollment across the country." February, 2019
Here are Some Surprising Ways Troops and Vets Can Cut Their Student Loan Debt
Note: This advice column was originally published by Military Times on February 19, 2019 and can be found here. By Mike Saunders, Director of Military & Consumer Policy | VES Hundreds of thousands of veterans, [...]
Proposed Education Department Regulatory Changes Should Be Reevaluated Based on GI Bill Oversight Lessons
ED’s rulemaking should be revaluated based on the lessons learned from GI Bill oversight and the impact on veterans. In each of the areas ED is proposing changes, veterans have been disproportionally harmed in a [...]
Our New York Times op-ed: Betsy DeVos vs. Student Veterans
Our President Carrie Wofford authored an op-ed in the New York Times: "As the political makeup of the 116th Congress begins to congeal, the question of what, if anything, this divided government can do together [...]
Our recommendations to Senators regarding the needs of students of color
Student Borrowers of Color Response to Senators Doug Jones, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris & Catherine Cortez Masto February 15, 2019 Thank you for the opportunity to share our thoughts on the needs of student borrowers [...]
36 Veteran and Military Organizations Ask VA for Better Oversight of GI Bill Colleges
A letter from 36 military and veteran organizations to the Secretary of VA, requesting a meeting and his attention to the Inspector General's finding that VA is wasting $2.3 billion in GI Bill to colleges [...]
Opening a Dangerous Floodgate: A Former For-Profit College Executive Says the Education Department Shouldn’t Weaken College Oversight
Thomas Corbett, a former for-profit college executive, speaks out against plans by the U.S. Department of Education to weaken requirements for oversight of college quality.
Republic Report: Clash Over Ashford Univ. Casts Doubt On VA Protection of Students
"The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is charged by law and principle with shielding veterans from predatory abuses — deceptive recruiting, high prices, low-quality programs — by colleges seeking to profit off the GI Bill, [...]
The Predatory Underworld of Companies that Target Veterans for a Buck
The recent law enforcement crackdown on for-profit colleges is well documented. These schools mislead students by promising a fast track to a brighter future and then loaded students up with mountains of debt for worthless [...]
Elevating Veterans’ Voices | After Action Report | 2018 Roundup
https://twitter.com/GIBillRights/status/883125419859423232 https://twitter.com/GIBillRights/status/892853535485964288 https://twitter.com/GiBillRights/status/998645840058179585 https://twitter.com/gibillrights/status/1012354236523466754
Capitol Pressroom: For-Profit College reform
"In his budget proposal, Governor Cuomo has proposed a number of new regulations on for-profit colleges and universities. We took a deep dive into the issue with Yan Cao, Century Foundation fellow; Pamela Lanich, Western [...]
Military Times: Lawmaker vows to protect student loan forgiveness program for troops, others
"A controversial Republican proposal from last Congress to eliminate a student loan forgiveness program for public servants, including military service members, may be off the table. Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill this week, the new [...]
Testimony of Student Veteran Zachary Hastie
Testimony of Zachary Hastie before the Joint Legislative Hearing on Higher Education: "I trusted that my interests as a veteran and a student were being put first, but it was a mistake" January, 2019
Testimony of Student Veteran Michelle Kernizan
Testimony of Michele Kernizan, of Suffern NY: "I was misled by a for-profit college that has put a financial strain and burden on my financial life"
Military Times: Millions of GI Bill dollars are going to questionable schools — and it could soon be billions: VA watchdog
"Millions of dollars have gone toward educating student veterans at ineligible, delinquent schools, due to inadequate oversight by state-based agencies in charge of approving school programs for GI Bill funds, a recent audit by the Department [...]
Inside Higher Ed: VA Inspector General Cites Poor Oversight of College Programs Approved for GI Benefits
Hundreds of college programs that enroll military service members and veterans have gone years without adequate oversight to determine if they are delivering quality education, according to a recent audit by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs [...]
Veteran Student Loan Debt 7 Years After Implementation of the Post-9/11 GI Bill
In May 2018, we reported on trends in veteran student loan debt from just before the 2009 implementation of the more generous Post-9/11 GI Bill (2007-08) to 3 years after the new benefit became available [...]
Politico: Betsy DeVos’ bet on boot camps
As Americans look to build the skills they need for the fast-changing job market, a new type of education provider has swept onto the scene: the coding boot camp, an intensive, short-term training program for [...]
Politico: Betsy DeVos’ Bet on Boot Camps
As Americans look to build the skills they need for the fast-changing job market, a new type of education provider has swept onto the scene: the coding boot camp, an intensive, short-term training program for [...]
Veterans Education Success announces new staff, promotions
January 14, 2019 For Immediate Release Contact: Barrett Y. Bogue, Senior Communication Advisor (202) 670-5587 Announcing New Staff and Key Partnerships to Better Support Military-Connected Students in Higher Education VES is expanding their team and [...]
Our Letter urging VA to follow the law on schools that defraud veterans
After multiple for-profit colleges have been caught defrauding veterans, the VA has still failed to act. We wrote a letter to the VA reminding the agency of its duty to protect veterans.
Free Credit Monitoring for Servicemembers
VES and other veterans and military service organizations write to US Federal Trade Commission regarding free credit monitoring for servicemembers
USA Today and AZ Central: What Happens to Students When Private Colleges Close in Arizona?
Marta Villanueva enrolled in a culinary program at the Art Institute of Phoenix as a way to cope with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety after leaving the Army. She used GI Bill benefits to pay for [...]
USA Today and AZ Central: Step by Step: What Students Can Do When a College Closes
Thousands of students have seen their educational ambitions cut short by the swift closures of private colleges in Arizona and nationwide. Several major private schools, most for-profit operators, have contracted or closed in recent years, leaving students out [...]
Our Letter urging better disclosures on college performance under Gainful Employment rule
We at Veterans Education Success - a nonprofit that advocates on behalf of veterans, servicemembers, and their families - strenuously oppose the proposed changes to the Gainful Employment rule as they will undermine and weaken [...]
Connecting Vets Radio: Frustrated by Issues with Your GI Bill? Some Help is on the Way
Student veterans paying for school with the G.I. Bill have struggled with late payments, penalties and are sometimes forced to take out additional loans in order to ensure that they can attend classes on time. [...]
Republic Reports and Huffington Post Career Education Corp., Tied to DeVos Aides, Pays Millions to Settle State Claims of Illegal Practices
For-profit college chain Career Education Corp., a company closely tied to top officials of the Betsy DeVos Department of Education, announced today it has settled with the attorneys general of 48 states and the District [...]
2018 Year-End Report
A summary of VES' work in 2018
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Annual Reports on GI Bill Usage and Other Benefits
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs published reports on the usage of GI Bill and other military benefits.
Politico Morning Education: Veterans Education Success is out with an issue brief examining the closure of Education Corporation of America
Veterans Education Success is out with an issue brief examining the closure of Education Corporation of America.
American Heroes Network: Veterans Education Success’ Mike Saunders explains severely disabled veterans’ right to student loan forgiveness
As the Director of Military and Consumer Policy, Mike leads Veteran Education Success’ consumer protection policy work, including servicemembers’ protections under the Military Lending Act and Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. Mike joined VES as Legal [...]
Military Times Rebootcamp: Could This Government Program Wipe Away All Your Student Loan Debt?
Until recently, if you were 100 percent disabled or had a finding by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) of Individual Unemployability (IU) you could get your student loans forgiven, but with one expensive caveat: [...]
Testimony by our Director of Military and Consumer Policy Mike Saunders
Testimony before New York State Policymakers by Mike Saunders, VES Director of Military and Consumer Policy: "Veterans Education Success has received more than 4,000 complaints from veterans who were deceived or defrauded by a for-profit college. Many of them are from New York"
New America Foundation: The Cautionary Tale of Correspondence Schools
In July, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced the formation of a negotiated rulemaking committee to develop regulations to expand access for students to “high-quality, innovative programs” by revising or rescinding a sweeping range [...]
Could Education Corporation of America’s Sudden Closure Have Been Avoided?
Earlier this month, another for-profit college chain closed abruptly, leaving more than 20,000 students and 4,000 GI Bill beneficiaries wondering why this happened and how this will affect their future educational endeavors. On December 5, [...]
Our Amicus Brief in the 11th Circuit re Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Veterans Education Success filed an amicus brief regarding the importance of Public Service Loan Forgiveness and opposing loan servicers' active misrepresentations to students about Public Service Loan Forgiveness. The case is Lawson-Ross v. Great Lakes [...]
Understanding Student Outcomes at Newly-Shuttered Education Corporation of America Colleges and at its Sister School Members of the Career Education Colleges and Universities (CECU) Trade Association
In light of the December 5, 2018, announcement by the Education Corporation of America (ECA) that it is closing the 70 campuses it operated under the brand names Brightwood College, Brightwood Career Institute, Golf Academy [...]
Career Education Colleges and Universities: Outcomes at Selected Member Schools
After a brief history of CECU, this report provides “key takeaways” from our analysis of both descriptive and outcome data for the 26 CECU-member schools. The report concludes with a discussion of some of the [...]
Task & Purpose: The VA May Blow $2.3 Billion in GI Bill on Schools That Don’t Deserve It, the IG Says
The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) has issued the latest in a series of five audits charging that the Department of Veterans Affairs' oversight failures could potentially lead to $2.3 billion in GI Bill money [...]
Our president in Sacramento to meet with California policymakers
VES President, Carrie Wofford, meets with California Lawmakers in Sacramento to discuss how CA state officials can better protect veterans' education benefits. - December, 2018
Stars & Stripes: VA says it reversed course on underpaid GI Bill recipients, though lawmakers remain skeptical
WASHINGTON — After Department of Veterans Affairs officials admitted the agency had no plans to retroactively pay some student veterans who are likely to receive incorrect housing stipends during the next year, VA Secretary Robert [...]
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Inspector General: VA’s Oversight of State Approving Agency Program Monitoring for Post-9/11 GI Bill Students
Prior VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) reports have identified significant financial risks in how the education benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill are administered. The OIG conducted this audit to determine if VA and [...]
Postsecondary Non-Completion Among Veterans: Contributing Factors and Implications
This paper uses Beginning Postsecondary Students (BPS), a longitudinal survey conducted by the Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to examine factors contributing to and the impact of non-completion for “first-time” student [...]
Politico Morning Education: Veterans Education Success issued a new analysis today
Meanwhile, the group Veterans Education Success issued a new analysis today based on government data that found student veterans demonstrate stronger rates of persistence and completion of higher education goals compared with their non-veteran peers.
Creating Student-Centric Support Systems for Military-Connected Students
Prior to the Post 9/11 GI Bill, little focus was put on promising practices to support military and veteran students in their pursuit of higher education. With the passage of this comprehensive benefit in 2009, [...]
Newser: VA Won’t Repay Vets After GI Bill Snafu
(NEWSER) – A major snafu has hit benefit payments to student veterans under the GI Bill—and congressional aides tells NBC that they have been told the veterans are never going to be paid back. The [...]
Why Aren’t More Undergraduate Student Veterans Enrolling at Selective Colleges? Veteran Undergraduate vs Graduate Student Demographics
Selective colleges with high graduation rates enroll far fewer veterans pursuing undergraduate certificate, associate’s, or bachelor’s degrees than those seeking post-baccalaureate degrees such as master’s, PhD’s, or certifications. This Issue Brief explores demographic and enrollment [...]
Minneapolis Star Tribune: Unacceptable Delays in GI Bill Aid Point to Larger Problem
The deaths of three American soldiers in Afghanistan this week are a tragic reminder of why it’s so important for the nation to keep its promises to military men and women, Veterans, no matter where [...]
ConnectingVets.Com: VA Fix to Ongoing GI Bill Fiasco: Hurry Up and Wait
"I am encouraged by the steps Under Secretary Lawrence, and his staff are taking, but expect VA to correct student's monthly housing allowance from fall 2018 well before spring 2020, said Tanya Ang, director of [...]
UPI: Lack of info, fear causing thousands of U.S. vets to default on student loans
Earlier this year, tens of thousands of disabled U.S. veterans became eligible to have their student loans entirely forgiven -- but more than half are in default, new figures show. In April, the Education Department [...]
Politico Morning Education: Vets Groups Target Lead Generator Sites
VETS’ GROUPS TARGET LEAD-GENERATOR SITES: Twenty-eight veterans groups seek a greater push to target websites that appear to be official military recruitment sites but really lead a user to what they call a “bad actor” college. [...]
DOL Urged to Exercise Caution With Apprenticeship Programs
Letter urging the US Department of Labor to ensure adequate quality controls in apprenticeship programs approved for GI Bill
Our Letter to FTC Regarding Fake Military Recruiting Websites
28 Veterans and Military Leaders ask US Federal Trade Commission to release the names of the schools that participated in fake military recruiting websites Related letter to US Congressional Armed Services Committees [...]
Veterans Organizations Recommend Tanya Ang for 2019 Negotiated Rulemaking
Recommendation to the US Education Department of negotiators representing veterans and military students in 2019 Negotiated Rule-Making
CNBC: Many disabled veterans eligible for student loan forgiveness are still paying
"The news comes out of a Freedom of Information Act request filed by Veterans Education Success, a nonprofit that provides free services to veterans, back in June that was answered around Veteran’s Day." Read the [...]
Politico: New Data on Veterans Eligible for Student Loan Discharges
More than half of the veterans with disabilities whom the Education Department has identified as eligible to have their student loans canceled are already in default on their debt, according to new federal data.
NBC: Veterans haven’t received GI Bill benefits for months due to ongoing IT issues at VA
“I don’t see that there is an immediate fix, and I don’t see how this is going to be addressed in the spring or summer semesters,” said Tanya Ang, the policy and outreach director of [...]
AP: How military service impacts student loan repayment options
Veterans tend to be older than traditional undergraduates and are likelier to be employed while in school, says Kathy Payea, senior research fellow with Veterans Education Success. They also may be supporting families.
Education Dept’s Response to our FOIA re Disabled Veterans
The Education Department responded to our FOIA request regarding totally disabled veterans' legal right to loan forgiveness. The FOIA response shows that more than half of the 42,000 totally and permanently disabled veterans who are [...]
Letter to the Education Department Regarding Disabled Veterans Right to Loan Forgiveness
Letter from Veterans Education Success and other veterans and military organizations to the US Education Department requesting automatic loan forgiveness for disabled veterans.
FOIA Response from the Education Department Regarding Disabled Veterans
We sent a Freedom of Information Act request to the US Education Department. This is the Department’s answer. It shows that half of disabled veterans who are eligible for loan forgiveness are already in default. [...]
Veterans Organizations Call for Automatic Loan Forgiveness for Disabled Veterans
A letter to the Department of Education requesting automatic loan forgiveness for disabled veterans.
U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences: Military Service and Educational Attainment of High School Sophomores After 9/11: Experiences of 2002 High School Sophomores as of 2012
This Statistics in Brief examines 2002 high school sophomores’ entrance into military service through 2012, up to 8 years after most graduated from high school in 2004. The report provides estimates regarding the timing of [...]
ABC4 News: College of Charleston announces new scholarship for U.S. military veterans
The College of Charleston has announced the establishment of it's first endowed scholarship dedicated to veterans. Vietnam veteran Gerald "Jerry” Polis, a member of the college's Class of 1962, is establishing the Gerald D. Polis [...]
Advice for Accreditors
Recruiting practices by institutions of higher learning is an area fraught with deceptive and misleading practices, due to a number of competing incentives. While veteran recruiting practices differ from civilian recruiting in some respects – [...]
Military Times: Many student veterans risk eviction for late GI Bill payments. So this city is stepping in.
Student veterans in New York City who are at risk of being evicted from their homes because of delayed GI Bill payments from Veterans Affairs are getting a little extra help from the city’s government. [...]
U.S. Representative Adam Smith (D-WA) Meets with Washington Student Veterans about Protecting the GI Bill and Student Veterans
https://twitter.com/GiBillRights/status/1056993468558372865
Higher Education Act Reauthorization: Senate Democratic Committee principles
“Go back and say to your children and to your grandchildren, and those who come after you and follow you—tell them that we have made a promise to them. Tell them that the truth is [...]
Letter urging the FCC to protect veterans’ internet access
In an age when work, banking, communicating, healthcare, and more are all tied to the internet, it is important to protect the internet access to those veterans who need it most.
U.S. Department of Justice prosecutes 4 VA employees for receiving bribes from 3 for-profit colleges in exchange for steering disabled veterans and $2M in Voc Rehab funds to the schools
WASHINGTON – A former U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) official pled guilty today to demanding and receiving bribes from three for-profit schools in exchange for enrolling disabled military veterans in those schools and facilitating [...]
Inside Higher Ed: New York City Sues For-Profit College
Cities rarely sue colleges, but New York has received so many complaints against for-profit institutions that it brought a complaint Friday against Berkeley College New York in state court. The New York City Department of [...]
The Forgotten Faces of Student Loan Default
The Center for American Progress analyzed Education Department surveys which followed students from 2003 when they enrolled in postsecondary education through 2015. The report highlights five groups of students with disproportionate student loan debt burdens [...]
American Legion’s Louisiana Commander confronts CFPB’s Mulvaney at a Louisiana Town Hall
"Both the Pentagon & the @AmericanLegion... believe it is wrong for your agency to back off of enforcement of the #MilitaryLendingAct, especially when your agency is already enforcing all other laws by sending your examiners into the banking and payday lenders." - @AmericanLegion
Press Release: Veterans Education Success Finds ACICS-Approved Schools Remain Among Nation’s Worst
October 12, 2018 For Immediate Release Contact: Carrie Wofford | (202) 838-5050 Veterans Education Success Finds ACICS-Approved Schools Remain Among Nation’s Worst Discredited agency receives failing marks after temporary reinstatement; Students continue to fare worse [...]
Military Times: 8 Tips to Help Vets Pick the Right College
Like military planning, “prior planning prevents piss poor performance.” And the more you know about your life’s missions — your allies, potential enemies and the college terrain — the better your results will be in [...]
Is Trident University a Good Choice for Military-Connected Students?
Trident, a University that focuses heavily on recruiting military-connected students, has a mixed record. Its outcomes are better than Ashford’s, another for-profit school that is exclusively online, and the proportion of Trident students with federal [...]
DIIHE: Analysis: ACICS-Accredited College Students Have Negative Outcomes
Students who attend schools approved by the Accrediting Council of Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) are twice as likely as their counterparts at other schools to end up with unmanageable debt, according to a Veterans [...]
Politico: Veterans Education Success is out with a new analysis of student outcomes at for-profit schools that are accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools.
The group finds that outcomes at the schools are worse now than they were in 2016 when the Obama administration terminated the accreditor. The Trump administration has recommended a one-year extension of federal recognition for [...]
Student Outcomes at Colleges Approved by the Accreditor ACICS
Veterans Education Success analyzed the most recent U.S. Department of Education (Department) data to determine student outcomes at the approximately 100 schools still accredited by the Accrediting Council of Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). ACICS [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Changes to College Scorecard Anger Veterans Groups
As they push forward with a plans to drop the accountability rule known as gainful employment, Education Department officials have talked up plans to expand consumer information as an alternative to the hotly debated regulations. [...]
U.S. Government Accountability Office: Public Service Loan Forgiveness: Education Department Needs to Provide Better Information for the Loan Servicer and Borrower
As of April 2018, over a million borrowers had taken steps to pursue Public Loan Service Forgiveness (PSLF) from the Department of Education (Education), but few borrowers have been granted loan forgiveness to date. The [...]
New York Times: As Economy Roars, Army Falls Thousands Short of Recruiting Goals
COLORADO SPRINGS — The Army fell thousands of troops short of its recruiting goals this year, the first time it has done so since the height of the Iraq war 13 years ago. The shortfall [...]
The Hill: Protect the Military Lending Act
Standing with the troops requires more than lip service. It also requires action. When the Pentagon found that predatory payday loan shops and unethical car dealers were trolling military bases and aggressively targeting the troops [...]
The Hill: “Protect the Military Lending Act” by LtGen Dana T. Atkins and Joyce Wessel Raezer
Our president Carrie Wofford wrote this op-ed for the heads of the Military Officers Association of America and the National Military Family Association. Standing with the troops requires more than lip service. It also requires [...]
The Hill: Protect the Military Lending Act
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Acting Director Mick Mulvaney has vowed to end proactive oversight of payday lenders and other predatory lenders, accusing his own agency’s supervisors of being “overly aggressive.” This marginalization of crucial protections for our troops will re-invite exposure to predatory practices.
Ft. Wayne Journal Gazette: Global Concern: Kaplan Roll-Out Exposes Un-Purdue-Like Actions
On its face, Purdue University's acquisition of Kaplan University can be good for students. Purdue, part of the Big Ten and a major research university, has long-standing traditions of academic excellence. One would expect they would impose [...]
Press Release: Veterans and Military Service Organizations Urge Education Department Not to Rollback Student Protections and Quality Controls in Program Integrity Rules
September 14, 2018 For Immediate Release: Contact: Carrie Wofford, (202) 838-5050 Veterans and Military Service Organizations Urge Education Department Not to Rollback Student Protections and Quality Controls in Program Integrity Rules Veterans also Travel [...]
Veterans and Military Organizations Write VA to Fix Delays in GI Bill Payments
As an IT issue wreaked havoc on GI Bill payments, 15 veteran and military organizations wrote a letter urging VA Secretary Wilkie to find a prompt solution.
28 Veterans Organizations Call on the Education Department to Stop Waste, Fraud, and Abuse
Public comment from 28 veterans and military service organizations urging the Education Department to maintain strong integrity rules against waste, fraud, and abuse, and to expand competency-based education.
VA Proposes to Waive Ethics Rule for VA Employees
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) intends to waive the application of applicable Federal regulations (see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION) for all VA employees who receive any wages, salary, dividends, profits, gratuities, or services from, or own [...]
Press Release: Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ Rescission of Gainful Employment Fails Statutory Obligation to Stop Waste, Fraud, and Abuse and to Protect Taxpayer Dollars – and Knowingly Puts Veterans and Servicemembers at Risk
September 13, 2018 For Immediate Release: Contact: Carrie Wofford, (202) 838-5050 Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ Rescission of Gainful Employment Fails Statutory Obligation to Stop Waste, Fraud, and Abuse and to Protect Taxpayer Dollars – and [...]
Our Public Comment Opposing the Rescission of Gainful Employment
Public Comment by VES against the Education Department’s proposal to completely rescind the requirement that career college programs meet minimum Gainful Employment metrics
Inside Higher Ed: For-Profit Chain Will Close Dozens of Campuses
Education Corporation of America, a for-profit higher education provider with locations across the country, plans to close 26 campuses -- a third of its current total -- by early 2020. The closures would affect almost [...]
US Federal Court Orders Education Department to Honor Students’ Rights to Loan Relief
A US federal court ordered the Education Department to stop delaying and diminishing students' rights to student loan relief. Read the full court order here: https://predatorystudentlending.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/show_temp-2.pdf Read more about the case here: https://predatorystudentlending.org/cases/bauer-v-devos-capps-v-devos/ Read all [...]
Courtroom hearing on Colorado Attorney General’s Lawsuit against Stevens-Henager College America for defrauding students
This is an action brought by the state of Colorado pursuant to Colorado Consumer Protection Act.
Inside Higher Ed: FTC Shuts Down Scam Military Websites
The Federal Trade Commission has reached agreements to shut down several copycat military websites that targeted people looking to join the armed services and then used their personal information to market for-profit colleges, the commission [...]
Press Release: Our Full-Page Ad for the Military Lending Act
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, SEPTEMBER 6, 2018 CONTACT: Dom Slowey, 781-710-0014 [email protected] Mike Saunders: 202-838-5050 [email protected] Veterans & Military Service Organizations Urge CFPB & DOD Not To Rollback Servicemembers' Protections Under the Military Lending Act WASHINGTON [...]
Federal Trade Commission shuts down predatory fake military websites (Army.com, Air-Force.com, NavyEnlist.com, and ArmyEnlist.com)
The operators of copycat websites army.com and navyenlist.com have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they targeted people seeking to join the armed forces and tricked them by falsely claiming to be affiliated [...]
Military Times: Advocates launch $250K ad campaign to support protections for troops against predatory lenders
Nearly 40 military and veteran service organizations have launched a $250,000 advertising campaign urging the Defense Department and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to continue strong enforcement of a law that protects service members and [...]
Military.com: Vets Groups Urge Mattis to Keep Pressure on Payday Lenders
Nearly 40 veterans and military family organizations have joined in a letter to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and White House Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney urging them to keep in place oversight [...]
Politico: Military Groups Speak Out
Starting today, Veterans Education Success has taken out ads in news outlets across the country, including near military bases, featuring a letter from 38 military and veteran service organizations calling on the Consumer Financial Protection [...]
CAPPS v. DeVos & Bauer v. DeVos | DOCUMENTS
This brief is submitted by the National Consumer Law Center (“NCLC”) and by 17 legal aid and other non-profit organizations that work on behalf of students and student loan borrowers, consumers, low-income individuals, teachers, college [...]
Press Release: Veterans Organizations Oppose DeVos’ Proposed Borrower Defense Rule
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 31, 2018 CONTACT: Walter Ochinko, (202) 838-5050 VES Research Director and Borrower Defense negotiator representing military and veteran students on both the 2016 and 2018 negotiated rulemaking panels Twenty-Seven Veteran [...]
Proposed Borrower Defense Rule: Worse than 2016 for Military-Connected Students
This chart makes clear the differences between the 2016 rule and the proposed 2018 rule at the US Education Department.
27 veteran and military service organizations oppose the Education Department’s rollback of protections for taxpayers and students in Borrower Defense rule
A letter by veteran organizations in opposition of the Education Department's rollback of veteran protections. Individual veterans also filed their own public comments about their experiences.
Flight Training Caps Will Save GI Bill $504 Million Over 10 Years, But Will They Cost Pilots?
New legislation, establishing a maximum tuition and fee structure for all VA-funded flight programs, will save the GI Bill $504.4 million over the next ten years, according to estimates from the Veterans Administration. A number of veterans [...]
Press Release: Resignation of Student Loan Ombudsman, Seth Frotman
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 28, 2018 CONTACT: Tanya Ang, Vice President, (202) 838-5050 Yesterday, the Student Loan Ombudsman at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, (CFPB) announced his resignation in a letter to the Acting CFPB [...]
AP: For-profit colleges have allies now, but complaints persist
A lawsuit against Ashford University describes an admissions office with a cutthroat sales culture more akin to a used-car lot than a place of higher learning, peddling “false promises and faulty information” to lure students [...]
DIIHE: Possible Enforcement Changes to Military Lending Act Spark Outcry
Two letters containing 38 signatures of veteran and military organization service members are expressing concern about the enforcement of the federal Military Lending Act (MLA) have been sent to U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis [...]
Stripes: Mulvaney is Urged Not to Weaken Consumer Protections
Almost 30 military associations and veterans groups on Thursday sent a joint letter to Mick Mulvaney, acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, urging that he not weaken CFPB enforcement of the 2006 Military [...]
Diverse Issues in Higher Education: Possible Enforcement Changes to Military Lending Act Spark Outcry
Two letters containing 38 signatures of veteran and military organization service members are expressing concern about the enforcement of the federal Military Lending Act (MLA) have been sent to U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Mick Mulvaney, acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Military Times: Advocates to Mattis: Don’t waver in protecting troops against predatory lenders
Leaders from organizations representing millions of current and former service members and their families are urging continued strong enforcement of the Military Lending Act, in letters sent Thursday to Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and [...]
Letter from Senators to Defense Secretary Mattis regarding the Military Lending Act.
August 22, 2018 The Honorable James N. Mattis Secretary U.S. Department of Defense 1400 Defense Pentagon Washington, DC 20301 Dear Secretary Mattis: We write today to express our deep concern over recent reports [...]
The Washington Examiner: Don’t Lower Standards for Federally Subsidized For-Profit Colleges
Conservatives complained a lot about Barack Obama when he was president. But not everything he did was bad. One of the things Obama did that actually made a lot of sense was try to stop [...]
NYT Opinion: The Bane That is Betsy DeVos
Today let’s talk about the evil deeds of Betsy DeVos. We’ve been distracted, what with Omarosa and the Manafort trial and that $90 million military parade we were so looking forward to. At the same time, [...]
CNN: Betsy DeVos’ rollback of Obama’s for-profit college rules is almost complete
(CNN) Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is rolling back another Obama-era regulation that was meant to protect students from abusive practices by for-profit schools and colleges. On Friday, DeVos said she plans to fully repeal [...]
New York Times: DeVos Ends Obama-Era Safeguards Aimed at Abuses by For-Profit Colleges
WASHINGTON — Education Secretary Betsy DeVos formally moved Friday to scrap a regulation that would have forced for-profit colleges to prove that the students they enroll are able to attain decent-paying jobs, the most drastic [...]
Press Release: Betsy DeVos Ignores Veterans on Gainful Employment
For Immediate Release: Contact: Carrie Wofford, (202) 838-5050 August 10, 2018 Betsy DeVos Ignores Veterans on Gainful Employment Education Department failed to consider veterans’ perspectives in gutting the Gainful Employment rule, which imposed accountability on [...]
NYT: Mulvaney Looks to Weaken Oversight of Military Lending
The Trump administration is planning to suspend routine examinations of lenders for violations of the Military Lending Act, which was devised to protect military service members and their families from financial fraud, predatory loans and [...]
American Military University settles lawsuit with Massachusetts Attorney General, paying $270,000 for high pressure enrollment tactics and failure to disclose graduates’ job prospects
BOSTON — Attorney General Maura Healey today announced a settlement with an online for-profit school over allegations that the school violated Massachusetts law by failing to make mandated disclosures to prospective students about job placement [...]
Advocates Worry That Changes To GI Bill Will Make Pilot Crisis Worse
For example, in the Stars and Stripes article, Will Hubbard, vice president of Student Veterans of America is quoted as saying, "While some veterans choose to pursue a vocation in flight programs, these programs continue to [...]
U.S. Department of Treasury: A Financial System That Creates Economic Opportunities Nonbank Financials, Fintech, and Innovation: Report to President Donald J. Trump per Executive Order 13772 on Core Principles for Regulating the United States Financial System
President Donald J. Trump established the policy of his Administration to regulate the U.S. finan- cial system in a manner consistent with a set of Core Principles. These principles were set forth in Executive Order [...]
Veteran and Servicemember Complaints about Misconduct and Illegal Practices at Trident University
What follows is a public version of a “trends analysis” document we prepared detailing the types of harm observed by us in our free legal services to service members, veterans, and their dependents who brought [...]
Military Times: Vets Could Be Hurt by Proposed $13 Billion Cut to Student Loan Relief
Veterans and other students defrauded by their schools would have a harder time getting their federal loans erased under new rules proposed by the Trump administration Wednesday. The proposal, which aims to replace a set [...]
Press Release: Ed Department Proposes Rules to Help Predatory Schools Instead of Veterans
DeVos’s Proposed Borrower Defense Rule Rewrites Epitaph For Predatory Schools Like Corinthian and ITT July 26, 2018 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Walter Ochinko, Research Director, who served as a Borrower Defense negotiator representing military and [...]
Thousands of individual service members and veterans signed our petition
For decades, predatory lenders have targeted service members with 300% interest rates and other abuses. A nearly unanimous Congress acted to pass the Military Lending Act, which stops any bank or nonbank lender from charging [...]
CNBC: Thousands of Students Who Say They Were Defrauded by the Art Institute Awaiting an Answer From the Government
"Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success, a nonprofit advocacy group, has said some for-profit schools do not explain to students that they’re signing up for loans. She has argued that the 'master promissory note,' [...]
Military Times: New GI Bill Transfer Restrictions: 7 Things You Need to Know
The Pentagon’s new rules on transferring GI Bill benefits to dependents, announced last week, have created a lot of concern and confusion among service members, veterans and military families. Will you still be able to transfer [...]
Our Advocate Speaks at NYC Press Conference
Advocate Tyson Manker Speaks at NYC Press Conference about the importance of accurate GI Bill information
Military.com: How to Fight VA Debt
The Department of Veterans Affairs says you owe them money. You disagree. But how do you fight Uncle Sam when he comes for your cash? If there's one thing military members know, it's that when the Defense [...]
DeVry students in Texas sue DeVry based on FTC’s findings of deceptions about job placement
This lawsuit seeks damages from Defendants for violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act (“DTPA”), fraud, negligent misrepresentations, and restitution for unjust enrichment against Defendants ADTALEM GLOBAL EDUCATION, INC., and DEVRY UNIVERSITY INC. Defendants [...]
Protection for the Office of Servicemember Affairs
Our public comment urging the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to maintain robust consumer financial education and to protect the Office of Servicemember Affairs
Elevating Veterans’ Voices | After Action Report | Winter/Spring 2017-18
https://twitter.com/GiBillRights/status/982002309579329536 https://twitter.com/GiBillRights/status/963099657785282560 https://twitter.com/GiBillRights/status/998645840058179585 https://twitter.com/gibillrights/status/1012354236523466754
Center for American Progress: The 85 Colleges That Only ACICS Would Accredit
June 12 was supposed to be the end of the road for colleges that relied on the Accrediting Council for Independent Schools and Colleges (ACICS) for access to federal financial aid, marking 18 months since [...]
GOP Higher Education Legislation Will Hurt Service Members, Veterans and their Families
Note: This was originally published by The Denver Post on June 25, 2018. GOP Higher Education Legislation Will Hurt Service Members, Veterans and their Families By Jarrod Thoma After serving approximately four years in the [...]
The Denver Post: GOP higher education legislation will hurt service members, veterans and their families
After serving approximately four years in the U.S. Army, I was eager to pursue my lifelong passion for electronics by earning a degree in engineering. Following in the footsteps of my father and many of [...]
Piercing the Veil of Covert For-Profit Colleges
Recent efforts by certain predatory for-profit colleges to convert to nonprofit status1 raises the question of whether the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) can continue to exercise jurisdiction over those entities’ misleading and deceptive recruiting [...]
Center for Responsible Lending: A Bitter Pill: Gainful Employment and Credentialism in Healthcare Support Fields: Findings from the Gainful Employment Data, Website Disclosures, and a Focus Group of For-Profit College Borrowers
The marketing of for-profit colleges is ubiquitous, yet student outcomes are consistently poor. These outcomes include high dropout rates, low and unstable earnings of graduates, and heavy debt burdens that students are unable to repay, [...]
42 Ethics, Veterans, Consumer, and Education Leaders Oppose VA’s Revised Ethics Proposal
42 federal ethics experts, national veterans and military service organizations, and consumer protection and education experts urge the US Department of Veterans Affairs to properly implement an anti-corruption ethics law for VA employees taking gifts [...]
Military Times: Should VA Employees Be Allowed to Work at For-Profit Schools?
Traditionally, employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs haven’t been allowed to moonlight at for-profit schools or receive gifts, services or other financial benefits from such institutions, which enroll tens of thousands of veterans using the GI [...]
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Deal under scrutiny as Art Institutes face accreditation setbacks
An email appeared in students’ inboxes on Jan. 23: “I am writing to share some very exciting news with you,” wrote Daniel C. Snyder, director of student services for The Art Institute of Colorado. The Denver school — [...]
Inside Sources: Higher Ed Reform Bill Stalled in U.S. House
A bill from the U.S. House education committee is a good start on tackling student loan debt, say supporters, but the legislation still faces hurdles in getting to the House Floor for a vote. An [...]
Education Dept. 2018 Letter to DeVry Outlining PPA Requirements
The U.S. Education Department imposed requirements on DeVry in 2018
Storm the Hill | PROSPER Act | After Action Report
In June, representatives from America's largest Veterans Service Organizations stormed Capitol Hill to encourage lawmakers to oppose a proposed piece of legislation called the "PROSPER Act," a terrible bill which would have decimated military families [...]
The Hill: Higher Ed Bill Fails its Mission to Protect Deserving Military-Connected Students
This past week, nearly a dozen national veterans and military service organizations assembled on Capitol Hill in a united front to voice their concerns about the House of Representatives’ Higher Education Act reauthorization, known as [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Seeking Votes on PROSPER, GOP Appears to Come Up Short
House leaders were mum on plans for the PROSPER Act after reportedly taking the temperature on members’ support for the bill earlier this week. College groups, student organizations and veterans' representatives meanwhile renewed pressure on [...]
California Attorney General Secures $67 Million in Debt Relief for Defrauded Former Corinthian Students in California
SAN FRANCISCO – California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today announced a settlement with Balboa Student Loan Trust (Balboa) that will provide $67 million in critical debt forgiveness and other much-needed relief for the 34,971 Californians who [...]
New York Times: Betsy DeVos Reinstated College Accreditor Over Staff Objections
WASHINGTON — Education Secretary Betsy DeVos disregarded a scathing review by her own staff this spring when she reinstated the watchdog body that had accredited two scandal-scarred for-profit universities whose bankruptcies left tens of thousands [...]
Our Letter Urging Education Department Not to Postpone State Authorization Rules for Distance Education
Our public comment urging the Education Department not to postpone implementation of State Authorization rules (distance education providers)
The Hechinger Report: Military Veterans Decry Debt, Useless Diplomas from For-Profit Colleges
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — After serving four years in the military, John Andrews, 42, adjusted to civilian life by working at his local Walmart in Arkansas. Encouraged by co-workers, he also went back to school, hoping [...]
Toms River Patch: Man In $24M GI Bill Fraud Scam With Toms River Woman Get 5 Years
NEWARK, NJ – A Pennsylvania man who conspired with a former college assistant dean from Toms River in a scheme that stole more than $24 million from the Post 9/11 GI Bill was sentenced Monday [...]
Letter to CFPB Regarding Consumer Complaints
Veterans and Military leaders urge the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to maintain robust public reporting and database of consumer complaints
The Hill: A Call To Service Without Debt
As a country, we have encouraged our children to strive for bright futures. We prod them to go to college, pursue apprenticeship programs, and otherwise climb the ladder of opportunity by seeking educational opportunities beyond [...]
Inside Higher Ed: For-Profit Tuition Rises as GI Benefit Grows
A long-held conservative viewpoint on financial aid goes like this: as government assistance gets more generous, colleges and universities simply respond by raising tuition, worsening affordability. A new working paper takes a look at the so-called Bennett [...]
Inside Sources: For-Profit College Conversions to Nonprofit Entities Attacked as Regulatory Shields
Opponents of for-profit colleges are warning that schools will use a conversion to nonprofit status to shield themselves from regulatory scrutiny. The verbal beatdown came during a three-hour hearing of a U.S. Department of Education [...]
Bloomberg: Student Debt Surprise: How Veterans Get Loans Without Knowing It
Jonathan Ngowaki was halfway through getting his undergraduate degree at DeVry University when he got a letter saying he was $15,000 in debt. The letter confused him not only because he’d told the school [...]
NYT Opinion: Predatory Colleges, Freed to Fleece Students
Try as they might, the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress cannot disguise that they continue to do the bidding of the for-profit college industry, which has saddled working-class students with crushing debt while providing [...]
Republic Report: Inside a For-Profit College Conversion: Lucrative Ties, Troubling Actions
On the phone, Brent Richardson, the CEO and co-chairman of the new non-profit Dream Center Education Holdings LLC (DCEH), seemed to be losing patience. DCEH was now running the Art Institutes (Ai), Argosy University, and [...]
New York Times: Education Department Unwinds Unit Investigating Fraud at For-Profits
WASHINGTON — Members of a special team at the Education Department that had been investigating widespread abuses by for-profit colleges have been marginalized, reassigned or instructed to focus on other matters, according to current and [...]
Military Times: Pentagon: “Loan Forgiveness is a Recruiting Tool.” Lawmakers: “Cut it Anyway.”
Veteran education advocates are continuing to fight a controversial bill that would sunset a student loan forgiveness benefit for public-sector employees, including service members, hoping their efforts — and the Pentagon’s opposition — can keep it from [...]
Our Letter Requesting Oversight of For-Profit College Conversions
VES public comment regarding oversight of college accreditors to US Education Department's National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity
The Century Foundation: Background on Bogus Nonprofit Conversions (powerpoint slides), provided to the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity
A student enrolling at a for-profit college is two hundred times more likely to end up filing a fraud complaint seeking a refund on their federal loans than a student enrolling at a nonprofit.
Military.com: Why Aren’t More Vets Applying to Get GI Bill Restored?
"Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success, is grateful for the VA’s efforts, but concerned about the response rate. She said some veterans may not be applying simply because they’re not opening mail from the [...]
Military Times: Why Aren’t More Vets Applying to Get GI Bill Restored?
Last year, about 8,000 veterans got a message in their inboxes telling them they may qualify for a new law that restores education benefits to GI Bill users whose schools have abruptly closed. Nine months later, Veterans [...]
U.S. Defense Department: Credentialing Program Utilization
The report that follows is submitted in response to the request in Senate Report 115-125, page 150, that the Department of Defense (DoD) submit a report to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate [...]
Veteran Student Loan Debt Before and After the Post-9/11 GI Bill
A major goal of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which modernized veterans’ educational benefits, was to provide veterans with the opportunity of a debt-free, postsecondary education—or, at a minimum, to mitigate their student loan debt. The [...]
Third Way: The Pell Divide: How Four-Year Institutions are Failing to Graduate Low- and Moderate-Income Students
Since 1972, the Pell Grant has served as the primary tool for increasing access to higher education for low- and moderate-income students. That’s why the federal government continues to spend nearly $30 billion dollars on this [...]
National College Access Network: Defining College Affordability: Shutting Low-Income Students Out of Public Four-Year Higher Education
College affordability is a perennial topic around kitchen tables, in the media, and for stakeholders with interest in seeing more students access and complete a postsecondary education. Low- and middle-income students and families wring their [...]
Letter from Veterans, Military, and Consumer Organizations regarding protection from Credit Bureau abuses
Consumer and Veteran groups asked Congress to protect service members from credit bureaus infringing on their rights.
Swords to Plowshares: The Path Forward: What Universities Need to Know to Help Student Veterans Succeed
During the 2017-2018 academic year, Swords to Plowshares’ Institute for Veteran Policy conducted qualitative research with 75 veterans and nine campus staff from Bay Area colleges to assess formal and informal supportive practices on campuses [...]
Despite a 2016 Statute, the GI Bill Still Pays for Degrees That Do Not Lead to a Job
VES’s 2015 report, The GI Bill Pays for Degrees that Do Not Lead to a Job, identified 8-degree programs offered by 15 different schools, at both brick and mortar campuses and online, that failed to [...]
CNBC: Trump Moves to Cancel Student Loan Debt for Disabled Veterans
"'Many disabled veterans are currently unaware that they can be eligible for student loan debt forgiveness,' said Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success, a nonprofit advocacy group. 'It’s horrific,' Wofford said 'There are disabled [...]
The Washington Post: Trump administration streamlining student debt forgiveness for permanently disabled veterans
The Trump administration announced plans Monday to make it easier for permanently disabled military veterans to have their federal student debt wiped away.
Military Law Matters: Predatory For-Profit Colleges that Target Veterans who have the GI Bill
Learn how Veterans Education Success provides free legal services for veterans including college and career counseling to veterans, servicemembers, and their survivors and families who have faced college fraud or abuse in using their GI [...]
Task & Purpose: ‘They Didn’t Have To Kill Him’: The Death of Lance Corporal Brian Easle
The thing that everyone remembered about the man in the light gray sweatshirt was how composed he was, how polite and respectful. One morning this past summer, he quietly entered a Wells Fargo bank branch in the Atlanta suburbs in a desperate state. But he didn’t curse or even raise his voice. He just calmly relayed the litany of setbacks and obstacles that had led him to an extraordinarily reckless act.
Large For-Profit Schools Remain Dependent on Recruiting GI Bill Students Despite Overall Enrollment Declines
For several years, the media has reported on the decline in for- profit schools’ student enrollment. Missing in these articles are data on a key subset of students who are specifically targeted by for-profits—GI Bill [...]
For-Profit Schools’ Post-9/11 GI Bill Revenue and Enrollment Declined from 2014 to 2016
In this brief, we report separately on total GI Bill enrollment and enrollment for only the Post-9/11 benefit. Post-9/11 revenue includes tuition payments for qualifying GI Bill students through the Yellow Ribbon program under which [...]
Urban Institute, Student Loan Debt in America: An Interactive Map
Credit can be a lifeline during emergencies and a bridge to education and homeownership. But debt, which can stem from credit or unpaid bills, often burdens families and communities and exacerbates wealth inequality. This map [...]
Veteran and Military leaders letter to Congress opposing the PROSPER Act
Veteran and Military leaders wrote a letter to congressional leadership opposing the PROSPER Act.
Military Times: DOD Review: 0% of Schools Following TA Rules
Every single college that the Department of Defense examined last year, as part of a new tuition assistance review process, was found in violation of DoD rules ― but schools won’t be punished just yet. Marketing [...]
Inside Higher Ed: A Low Bar for Bar Passage
Nearly nine out of 10 law school graduates who sat for the bar exam within two years of graduating passed it, according to new data from the American Bar Association. But more than 10 percent of [...]
Veteran and military groups ask Congress to protect the rule against 300% interest “payday loans”
Veteran and Military organizations raise the alarm on unscrupulous practices of Payday Lenders. The American Legion also wrote Congress to protect the payday rule
Massachusetts Attorney General announces settlement with New England College of Business and Finance
BOSTON — Attorney General Maura Healey today announced a settlement with a for-profit online college based in Boston over allegations of failing to make proper disclosures of its programs for prospective students and engaging in [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Veterans Blast GOP Bill as Giveaway to For-Profits
Late last summer, President Trump signed into law a long-awaited update to the GI Bill -- a rare moment of bipartisanship in the first year of the Trump administration and a major victory for veterans’ groups.
Washington Post: VA Suspends DeVry University From a Key Veterans Program
The Department of Veterans Affairs on Monday suspended DeVry University from participation in a program that identifies schools doing a good job of serving former troops, in light of a federal lawsuit accusing the for-profit chain of misleading [...]
Military Times: Student Loan Forgiveness Benefit on the Chopping Block
A benefit that lets service members and other government workers write off student loan debt would vanish under a new proposal in Congress. Republican-backed legislation would eliminate a program that allows borrowers in full-time public [...]
Military Times: Student loan forgiveness benefit on the chopping block
A benefit that lets service members and other government workers write off student loan debt would vanish under a new proposal in Congress. Republican-backed legislation would eliminate a program that allows borrowers in full-time public service jobs to have their student loans forgiven after making payments for 10 years — a move that military and veterans groups say would hurt their members.
The Hill: A Law Connection
One nonprofit on the platform is Veterans Education Success, which provides free legal services to veterans who were taken advantage of by predatory for-profit colleges. “When Betsy DeVos came into the Department of Education, they started to [...]
Schools Receiving the Most Post-9/11 GI Bill Tuition and Fee Payments Since 2009
This issue brief focuses on cumulative Post-9/11 payments to schools, not enrollment. Eight of the top 10 recipients of Post-9/11 tuition and fee payments from fiscal years (FY) 2009 through 2017 were for-profit schools. These 8 [...]
U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General recommendations for HEA
U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General recommendations for HEA
30 Veterans and Military Organizations Ask the Education Department Not to Reinstate ACICS
30 Veterans and Military Service Organizations ask the Education Department not to reinstate Accredited Council for Independent Colleges and Schools https://vetsedsuccess.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/feb-2018-acics-vso-letter.pdf
Higher Education Act Reauthorization: Veterans Education Success Statement for the Record
Thank you for the opportunity to provide input on the Higher Education Act Reauthorization. “These colleges are approved by the government; you think they must be good, butthey're not. Schools taking our GI Bill and [...]
Our 2nd Submission to Ashford’s Accreditor
In Februrary 2018, VES submitted additional information to Ashford's accreditor.
Press Release: “Increasing College Success for Student Veterans and Today’s Students” | Student Veteran Panel Discussion
“Increasing College Success for Student Veterans and Today’s Students” Student Veterans Panel Feb. 22, 2018 On February 22, 2018, Veterans Education Success hosted a panel of student veterans who shared their experiences, ideas, and proposals [...]
The Chronicle: Ashford U. Faces New Setback in Battle Over GI Bill Funds
California regulators have shot down Ashford University’s request for GI Bill eligibility — dealing the for-profit college a significant blow that could reverberate nationwide. Under federal rules, colleges that serve veteran students are supposed to [...]
Reauthorizing the Higher Education Act: Student Veterans of America Statement for the Record
Chairman Alexander: Thank you for inviting Student Veterans of America (SVA) to submit our remarks on your white paper, “HigherEducation Accountability.”1 Established in 2008, SVA has grown to become a force and voice for the [...]
36 Veterans & Military Organizations Write the Senate Education Chairman regarding the Higher Education Act
36 Veterans and Military Service Organizations write to Senate Education Chairman regarding Higher Education Act Student Veterans of America comment on Higher Education Act VES Statement for the Record [...]
Marketwatch: Job-Training Programs at For-Profit Colleges Actually Make Students Worse Off
Students who attend programs at for-profit colleges with hopes of training for a career appear to end up worse off than if they never moved on to higher education at all. After attending certificate programs [...]
Veteran Preference in FTC Oversight
Veteran and Military organizations ask the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce to prioritize veterans and service members in Federal Trade Commission oversight.
Brookings Institution: Gainfully employed? New Evidence on the Earnings, Employment, and Debt of For-Profit Certificate Students
As the U.S. Department of Education proposes weakening the Gainful Employment (GE) rules regulating for-profit and vocational education programs, accurate estimates of the earnings outcomes and debt incurred by students in these programs are essential [...]
American Constitution Society: How a Growing Army of Lawyers is Helping Resist Injustice (and You Can Too)
After the 2016 presidential election, many progressive lawyers, including me, were asking, “What can I do?” We launched We The Action to help answer that question. We The Action is a platform that makes it easy for lawyers to [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Higher Ed Finds its Voice on PROSPER Act
With their attention occupied by tax reform last year, the higher education lobby had a muted response to the GOP's first crack at overhauling the student aid system and how it keeps colleges accountable. That’s [...]
Center for American Progress: A Second Status Update on ACICS Colleges
Last week, the U.S. Department of Education announced that it will hold a May meeting to help decide whether the problematic accrediting agency Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) should again be allowed [...]
New York Attorney General announces settlement with Trump University for defrauding students
New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman released the following statement: "Today's approval of the Trump University class action settlement by the Ninth Circuit means that victims of Donald Trump’s fraudulent university will soon receive [...]
Legal News Line: DeVry University Students Allege School Misrepresented Employment, Income Rates of Graduates
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Legal Newsline) – DeVry University students allege they were misled by the school's advertising and are seeking restitution. Luis Rangel, Seth Adomako, Christina Cabello, et al. filed a complaint on Jan. 25 [...]
American Heroes Network: Veterans Education Success
Veterans Education Success provides: • Free Help for Veterans: Free legal services, advice, and college and career counseling to veterans, servicemembers, and their survivors and families who faced college fraud or abuse in using their [...]
Military Times: Court Settlement for Former ITT Students Moves Forward
Former students of the bankrupt ITT Technical Institute are one step closer to seeing some compensation. A judge gave preliminary approval Wednesday for former students of the collapsed chain of for-profit schools to receive a [...]
Children’s Advocacy Institute: Failing U: Do state laws protect our veterans and other students from for-profit postsecondary predators?
The Children’s Advocacy Institute (CAI), part of the University of San Diego School of Law, identified several elements that are essential to addressing the problems outlined in this report and protecting students by effectively regulating [...]
FTC Approves Final Consent Order in Victory Media Advertising Case
Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has issued a final order settling charges that Victory Media violated Section 5 of the FTC Act in connection with its promotion of post-secondary schools to [...]
U.S. Defense Department position paper opposing “PROSPER” Act
DOD issued a position paper opposing the House PROSPER Act, which would curtail Public Service Loan Forgiveness, which DOD relies upon for military recruiting and retention.
Military Times: More Regulation Needed for ‘Predatory Schools’?
If the Veterans Affairs Department approves a school for GI Bill funding, does that mean it’s a good school? The answer should be yes, said Tanya Ang, policy and outreach director for the nonprofit Veterans [...]
Our press release on 49-state AG settlement with Career Education Corp.
Prior to 49-state AG settlement, Career Education Corporation took 5th highest amount of GI Bill Funds and had 3rd highest number of veteran complaints. Veterans Education Success provided the AGs with more than 400 veteran [...]
Elevating Veterans’ Voices | After Action Report | Summer and Fall 2017
https://twitter.com/GiBillRights/status/883125419859423232 https://twitter.com/GiBillRights/status/892853535485964288 https://twitter.com/GiBillRights/status/898216664407445505 https://twitter.com/GiBillRights/status/925095464386535424
Children’s Advocacy Institute: Failing U: Do State Laws Protect Our Veterans and Other Students From For-Profit Postsecondary Predators?
The Children’s Advocacy Institute's mission is to improve the health, safety, development, and well-being of children and youth. Their goal is to ensure that children’s interests are represented effectively whenever government makes policy and budget decisions.
The Incentive Compensation Ban and Its Importance to Veterans
The incentive compensation ban is a provision of Title IV of the Higher Education Act. It prohibits schools from using incentive compensation to pay employees working in recruitment and financial aid. Schools, in other words, [...]
MarketWatch: New Film Exposes How For-Profit Colleges Exploit Veterans and Single Moms
A little bit more than an hour into “Fail State,” a documentary about the rise of for-profit colleges, Jennifer Wilson, a graduate from one of these schools, looks at the camera and distills the essence [...]
Military Times: Wasting Money? Most New Recruits Pay $1,200 for Lesser Education Benefit
A large majority of new service members are spending $1,200 on a veterans education benefit they will never use. Military service branches automatically enroll their recruits in a decades-old GI Bill either during, or soon [...]
For Students Swindled by Predatory Colleges, Relief May Be Only Partial
Thousands of students who say they have been swindled by predatory for-profit universities will soon learn whether their loans will be forgiven by the Education Department, but under a new Trump administration policy, some students [...]
Our Submission to Ashford’s Accreditor
VES filed a formal 3rd party comment to Ashford's accreditor
Reveal: Senators Want to Examine Military Contracts with For-Profit Schools
Two U.S. senators have asked the Pentagon to hand over five years of sponsorship contracts between military bases and for-profit colleges, citing an exposé by Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting. Records obtained by Reveal show [...]
Military Times: Military Advocates Want Details on Agencies’ Efforts to Stop Predatory Lenders
A consumer group and five military advocacy organizations have asked for information from six federal agencies about their enforcement efforts to protect service members and their families from predatory lenders. The organizations have asked for complaints the [...]
Veteran and Servicemember Complaints about Misconduct and Illegal Practices at Ashford University
In 2017, we conducted a review of the complaints we have received from veterans and servicemembers who have attended Ashford, as part of our free legal services for veterans and servicemembers. What follows is a [...]
The Hill: The Real Tax on Troops
A recent blog post by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) highlights an alarming trend as recruits join today’s All-Volunteer Force. According to CFPB, during last fiscal year, 70 percent of new recruits paid into the Department [...]
Student Loan Borrower Assistance: ED Turns 325,000 Student Loan Borrowers Over to Debt Collectors It Fired for Breaking the Law
With nearly a quarter of federal student loan borrowers in default, borrowers need a system that will help them to successfully repay their loans. Unfortunately, the Department of Education continues to reward contractors that lie [...]
Center for American Progress: Who Are Student Loan Defaulters?
Every year, 1 million student borrowers default on nearly $20 billion in federal loans. New data present the best picture ever accessible of who these borrowers are, the path they took into default, and whether or [...]
State Attorney Generals sue US Education Secretary Betsy DeVos for withholding student loan debt relief to defrauded Corinthian students
SACRAMENTO – California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education and its Secretary, Betsy DeVos, for refusing to process debt relief claims submitted by tens of thousands of students [...]
CFPB: What Does the Coast Guard Know About The GI Bill That Other Services Do Not?
More than a hundred thousand servicemembers ship out to basic training each year. While their uniforms might be different shades of camouflage, active duty servicemembers are all given the same choice: "Should I pay $1,200 [...]
New York Times: New Higher Education Bill Rolls Back Obama-Era Safeguards
WASHINGTON — Congressional Republicans began work Tuesday on an extensive rewrite of the law that governs the nation’s system of higher education, seeking to dismantle landmark Obama administration regulations designed to protect students from predatory [...]
Reuters: U.S. Not Granting Loan Relief to Defrauded Students: Inspector General
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Education Department under President Donald Trump and Secretary Betsy DeVos has stopped cancelling the student-loan debt of people defrauded by failed for-profit schools and those borrowers face mounting interest and [...]
Enrollment Trends and Student Outcomes at Ashford University
This Fact Sheet examines the enrollment trends and student outcomes at Ashford University, including (1) how much of the school's revenue comes from the GI Bill; (2) what are its veteran enrollment trends; (3) how [...]
Business Insider: For-Profit Colleges Target Military Veterans: Military veterans are being targeted by an industry ‘infamous for saddling people with debt and useless degrees’
The Department of Education began negotiations to change regulations related to the for-profit college industry in December, a move that some advocates say will harm students. "This proceeding is blocking a regulation that was carefully considered and [...]
The Century Foundation: Gainful Employment and for-profit college regulatory structure
Some people refer to public, nonprofit, and for-profit as a college’s “tax status.” But that is misleading. The monikers refer to the legal requirements for how the institutions operate and who they are accountable to, [...]
The Borrower Defense Rule and Its Importance to Veterans
The Borrower Defense Rule gives the Education Department the authority to forgive federal student loans for students that prove their debt was incurred because they were defrauded by a school. It has been in place [...]
The Gainful Employment Rule and Its Importance to U.S. Veterans
The Gainful Employment Rule, finalized in 2014 and upheld by federal courts multiple times, implements the requirement in the Higher Education Act that career education programs (whether for-profit, public, or non-profit) must “prepare students for [...]
Harvard Law School Report: Veteran and Servicemember Complaints about Misconduct and Illegal Practices at Kaplan Schools
In 2017, Veterans Education Success contracted with Harvard Law School's Project on Predatory Lending to analyze complaints against Kaplan brought to Veterans Education Success by student veterans. For-profit schools have garnered significant attention for their [...]
Public Comments | Victory Media, “Gi Jobs” and “Military Friendly” Settlement
The Federal Trade Commission and Victory Media, Inc. have reached a proposed administrative consent agreement resolving allegations that Victory Media violated Section 5 of the FTC Act in connection with its promotion of post-secondary schools [...]
Forbes: The Loophole That Helps Schools But Hurts Veterans And Taxpayers
According to the Veterans Education Success report, Apollo Education Group (which owns the online University of Phoenix) collected 96.2% of its 2013 fiscal year revenue from federal sources: $423 million from VA and DOD benefits and another [...]
California Attorney General Sues Ashford University For Defrauding and Deceiving Students
SAN FRANCISCO – California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today announced that he is suing Ashford University, an online for-profit school based in San Diego, and its parent company Bridgepoint Education for engaging in unlawful business [...]
Veteran and Military organizations’ letter to Congress regarding Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Veteran and Military organizations’ letter to Congress requesting the preservation and expansion of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness
New York Times: Exploiting Veterans for Profit
Editorial Exploiting Veterans for Profit By The Editorial Board Nov. 24, 2017 Despite efforts by Congress, the Obama administration and state attorneys general to stop the predatory practices of for-profit colleges, veterans and service members [...]
Our Letter to FTC Regarding “Military Friendly” Schools
19 Veterans and Military service organizations' public comment on US Federal Trade Commission's proposed settlement with Victory Media's "Military Friendly Schools" Additional comments by Student Veterans of America Additional comments [...]
U.S. Senators urge FTC to strengthen settlement terms with Victory Media over Defrauding Military Troops and Veterans
We write to provide comment to the proposed administrative consent agreement between the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Victory Media, Inc. on October 19, which attempted to resolve allegations that Victory Media violated Section 5 [...]
Sampling of Student Complaints about Ashford University
"[Ashford] lied about the costs. When I asked to withdraw I was told I would have no debt. I asked a number of times. I explained to my advisor that I was struggling and they [...]
Rep. Mark Takano Public Comment on Victory Media settlement terms
Dear Mr. Clark: As Vice Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs in the United States House of Representatives, please accept my public comment regarding the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) proposed settlement with [...]
Military Times: What Will The Trump Era Mean for For-Profit Schools?
“It’s time for a regulatory reset.” With six words last June, Betsy DeVos, President Trump’s education secretary, ushered in a new era for schools that operate as businesses, putting a pause — and, some fear, [...]
Massachusetts Attorney General announces restitution for students deceived by unlicensed for-profit nursing school Hosanna College of Health, Inc. and school permanently barred from Massachusetts
BOSTON — A for-profit nursing school must pay restitution and is permanently barred from holding classes in Massachusetts after operating without a license and misrepresenting its training programs to dozens of local students, Attorney General [...]
U.S. Navy position paper opposing “PROSPER” Act
The US Navy issued a position paper opposing the House PROSPER Act, which would curtail Public Service Loan Forgiveness, which the Navy relies upon for military recruiting and retention.
Military Times: Ashford University’s GI Bill eligibility on the chopping block once more
Ashford University’s eligibility to enroll GI Bill users is once again in jeopardy. The Department of Veterans Affairs has deemed the school’s state-level approval “legally insufficient” and issued a notice to Ashford, a top enroller [...]
T&P: Beware: Military Dependents Can Be Forced To Repay Their Parents’ GI Bill
In 2012, Sgt. Desmond Watson’s daughter Jordan Bigbee turned 17, and he transferred his Post-9/11 GI Bill to her in the hopes that she’d never have to shoulder a student debt burden. “When you get [...]
Greenfield Reporter: Law Restores Education Benefits For Vets
A U.S. Navy veteran, Nyikos of Greenfield had exhausted 22 months of GI Bill benefits when ITT Technical Institute closed campuses across the country last September amid scrutiny of its accreditation and recruiting practices. He [...]
LinkedIn Blog: Is Transparency Really That Important in Public Policy? I’m Glad You Asked
Today was Day One in a series of sessions in the Department of Education’s Negotiated Rulemaking on Borrower Defense to Repayment (BDR), also known loosely as Borrower Defense, or simply BD. Typically, the first morning [...]
FOX59: VA To Begin Notifying Thousands of Veterans Who Lost Benefits When ITT Tech Shut Down
In the coming weeks, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will begin notifying thousands of veterans caught up in the middle of the abrupt closing of ITT Tech last year. As part of the Forever [...]
Public Comment on Education Department Discretionary Funding
Veterans and military service organizations' public comment on the Education Department's priorities for discretionary funding Additional comments by Student Veterans of America Additional comments by Education and consumer groups [...]
U.S. Representative Luke Messer (R-IN) Meets with Indiana Student Veterans About Forever GI Bill; New Law Will Restore Benefits to Veterans Attending ITT Tech When School Closed
Rep. Messer Press Release here Photos here Coverage by Fox59 TV Indianapolis: VA To Begin Notifying Thousands of Veterans Who Lost Benefits When ITT Tech Shut Down; Greenfield Daily Reporter: Law Restores Education [...]
Marketwatch: These Colleges Use a Loophole to Make Billions Off the GI Bill
Over the past few years, the for-profit college industry has experienced a reckoning of sorts as increased scrutiny and the recovering economy led to enrollment declines and in the case of some schools — full-scale [...]
T&P: The Emotional Challenges of Student Veterans on Campus
This Veterans Day, Americans will honor the heroism and sacrifice of the nearly 22 million men and women who have served in the U.S. military. Among them will be student veterans. Since 2009, nearly one million veterans [...]
USA Today: For-Profit Schools to Vets: Thanks for Your Service — and Taxpayer-Backed Tuition
This Veterans Day, for-profit institutions of higher learning across the nation are thanking soldiers for their service — and tuition checks. Struggling with declining enrollment, for-profit colleges, universities and trade schools are increasingly turning to [...]
The Chronicle of Higher Education: Inside the Scramble to Save Ashford U: How Political Maneuvering Kept GI Bill Funds Flowing to a For-Profit University
Ashford University’s future was hanging in the balance. The for-profit institution risked losing access to tens of millions of dollars in GI Bill funds. Over the summer, its lobbyists were scrambling.
The Economist: For-Profit Colleges in America Relaunch Themselves as Non-Profits: Betsy DeVos, Trump’s Education Secretary, May Not Be Able To Rescue Them
GOVERNMENT funds set aside for college aid have long been a favoured target for grifters. After the second world war, veterans flush on GI Bill funds would sign up for sham television-repair courses. After receiving [...]
Military Times: Vets Groups Renew Efforts to Limit For-Profit Schools’ Access to GI Bill Dollars
Veterans groups are redoubling their efforts to restrict how much money for-profit colleges can accept from student veterans’ tuition payouts after indications that the industry is becoming even more reliant on their education benefits to [...]
Ashford’s Fight to Maintain GI Bill Access Raises Questions about the Enforcement and the Adequacy of Statutory Requirements
Ashford’s potential loss of its eligibility to enroll veterans using the GI Bill and its more than year-long effort to maintain that eligibility raises questions about the enforcement of statutory approval requirements by State Approving [...]
Press Release: Veterans Education Success Releases New Report Showing 90/10 Loophole is Worse Than Previously Thought: Department of Education Data Shows Increased Targeting of Veterans and Servicemembers, Highlighting Urgency of Closing 90/10 Loophole
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 9, 2017 CONTACTS: Walter Ochinko, (202) 838-5050 Department of Education Data Shows Increased Targeting of Veterans and Servicemembers, Highlighting Urgency of Closing 90/10 Loophole Today, Veterans Education Success is [...]
Press Release: Ashford’s Fight to Maintain GI Bill Access
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Department of Education Data Shows Increased Targeting of Veterans and Servicemembers, Highlighting Urgency of Closing 90/10 Loophole
For several years, the media has reported on the declining enrollment in the for-profit sector. However, our analysis of federal revenue flowing to the for-profit sector from the Departments of Veterans Affairs (VA), and Defense [...]
The Century Foundation: College Complaints Unmasked: 99 Percent of Student Fraud Claims Concern For-Profit Colleges
The Century Foundation (TCF) has obtained new data from the U.S. Department of Education about nearly 100,000 “borrower defense claims”—applications for loan relief from students who maintain that they have been defrauded or misled by [...]
Our Statement for the Record: House Veterans Affairs Hearing on TAP
Our statement for the record before the US House Committee on Veterans Affairs regarding the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) for exiting servicemembers.
Our Research Director was an official negotiator representing veteran and military students on the negotiated rulemaking panel on Borrower Defense
This Web page provides the public with background information regarding the Department’s negotiated rulemaking effort to make changes to the regulations for the programs authorized by Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 [...]
U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Elizabeth Warren: Insult to Injury: How the DeVos Department of Education is Failing Defrauded Students
This staff report examines the current status of Borrower Defense discharges under Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and the Trump Administration. It includes recent data on the tens of thousands of unprocessed claims for relief, and [...]
New York Times: Revised Data Shows Community Colleges Have Been Underappreciated
A college degree is the key to unlocking many of the best careers in the modern labor market. But more than 20 million working-age adults in the United States are college dropouts, failed in some way by [...]
Higher Education Act Reauthorization: Senate Republican Committee white paper
The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions is working on a reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. The law dates to 1965 and has been reauthorized 8 times. The last reauthorization occurred in [...]
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) Meets with Oregon Student Veterans about Protecting the GI Bill and Student Veterans
https://twitter.com/RepBonamici/status/924055990164652032
DIIHE: Certain For-profit Colleges Leave Veterans in a Bind
Terry Jack will be the first one to tell you he has made his share of mistakes. By his own account, the Army veteran from Tucson, Arizona, has been twice convicted of a DUI. He says [...]
CFA: “Financial Companies Deny Military Families Their Day in Court”
Consumer Federation of America: Fact: Financial Companies Deny Military Families Their Day in Court
Huffington Post: FTC Slaps Wrist Of For-Profit College Marketer That Tricked Vets; Many Bad Wrists Remain
Last week the Federal Trade Commission announced it had reach a proposed settlement with a Pittsburgh-based marketing company called Victory Media. Victory had drawn attention for websites and print magazines that deceptively pitched a large [...]
Letter from Consumer and Veterans groups regarding 2018 NDAA and fair debt collection practices
Consumer, Education, and Veteran organizations urge for updated regulations for debt collectors.
Repayment Status for First-Time Student Veterans 12 Years After Enrolling
Veterans Education Success Releases Analysis of Veteran Student Loan Repayment and Default Rates FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Contact: Walter Ochinko (202) 838-5050 Kathleen Payea (202) 838-5050 October 23, 2017 - Today, Veterans Education Success [...]
The Trentonian: Mercer County Community College Received “Military-Friendly” Designation from Company Embroiled in Scandal
However, that honor may be tainted after the company, Victory Media, reached a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Thursday over its alleged practice of allowing schools to be promoted as “military-friendly” if [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Crackdown on “Pay to Play” for “Military-Friendly” Colleges
The Federal Trade Commission on Thursday announced a proposed settlement with a website whose "military-friendly" rankings of colleges and universities allegedly promoted institutions that paid to be included. Victory Media runs a number of magazines and websites [...]
Veterans Groups Praise White House Nomination of Rohit Chopra to US Federal Trade Commission
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts: Carrie Wofford, Veterans Education Success: (202) 838-5050 Will Hubbard, Student Veterans of America Kelly Hruska, National Military Family Association October 19, 2017 – Today, the White House nominated former senior official [...]
Federal Trade Commission announces lawsuit and settlement terms with Victory Media/GI Jobs/Military Friendly
Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has issued a final order settling charges that Victory Media violated Section 5 of the FTC Act in connection with its promotion of post-secondary schools to [...]
Veterans Education Success Hails FTC Action Against Fraudulent “Military-Friendly Schools”
Veterans Education Success praises FTC’s Action Today Against Victory Media and GI Jobs Magazine for Defrauding Veterans with its Fake “Military Friendly Schools” Rankings and Promotions FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Contact: Carrie Wofford (202) 838-5050 [...]
Kentucky Attorney General announces final approval of sanctions against National University (aka American National University of Kentucky) for defrauding students and failing to comply with state subpoena
FRANKFORT, KY. (Oct. 19, 2017) – Attorney General Andy Beshear today announced that his office has won the final appeal in a case requiring American National University of Kentucky to pay $147,000 in civil monetary [...]
Business Insider: VA Seeks “Narrow” Exemption to For-Profit College Ethics Law
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Veterans Affairs says it will proceed with a narrow waiver to a federal ethics law banning employees from receiving benefits from for-profit colleges. The move comes after VA abruptly [...]
US Attorneys Office, District of New Jersey, announces $24 million GI Bill scam by Ed4Mil website and Caldwell University
NEWARK, N.J. – Two women today admitted their roles in a conspiracy that fraudulently obtained over $24 million from the Post-9/11 GI Bill, a federal education benefits program designed to help veterans who served in [...]
Politico: What’s Next for the VA’s For-Profit College Ethics Policy?
The Trump administration, in today's Federal Register, is officially backing away from its plan to exempt all Department of Veterans Affairs employees from a federal law prohibiting them from having a financial interest in or [...]
21 Veterans and Military Organizations Oppose VA’s Plan to Waive Ethics Laws for For-Profit Colleges
Veterans Education Success led 20 veterans and military organizations in speaking out against VA's plan to waive federal ethics laws for for-profit colleges.
Our Formal Legal Opposition to VA’s Plan to Waive Ethics Laws for For-Profit Colleges
Veterans Education Success (with pro bono help from Mayer Brown LLP's Supreme Court practice) submitted a formal legal opposition to VA's plan to waive federal ethics laws to enable for-profit colleges to give VA employees [...]
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) Meets with Connecticut Student Veterans about GI Bill Issues, the Forever GI Bill, and How to Protect Student Veterans
https://twitter.com/GiBillRights/status/918878116965175297 https://twitter.com/GiBillRights/status/918877328457043969
Repayment Status for First-Time Student Veterans 12 Years After Enrolling
Drawing on the National Center for Education Statistics' First Look report on Student Loan Debt, Repayment and Default, this Issue Brief highlights key findings on veteran student loan debt.
Inside Higher Ed: VA Drops Plan to Nix Ethics Rule
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on Wednesday dropped a controversial plan to suspend an ethics law that prevents its employees from receiving pay or other benefits from for-profit institutions, The Associated Press reported. A recent inspector general report had [...]
VA Employees’ Labor Union Opposes VA Ethics Waiver
Veterans Education Success worked with the VA employees' labor union to oppose VA's plan to allow for-profit colleges to give VA employees gifts, dividends, profits, salaries, wages, and services - in violation of federal ethics [...]
Associated Press: VA Abruptly Drops Plan to Suspend Ethics Law
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Veterans Affairs abruptly dropped plans Wednesday to suspend an ethics law barring employees from receiving benefits from for-profit colleges. The move comes after criticism from government watchdogs who warned [...]
New York Attorney General Announces $375,000 Settlement With Flatiron Computer Coding School For Operating Without A License And For Its Employment And Salary Claims
NEW YORK--Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced a $375,000 settlement with Flatiron School, Inc. (“Flatiron”), a New York city-based coding school that operated without a license from the New York State Education Department (“SED”) [...]
Our Statement for the Record on Flight School Abuses
Our Statement for the Record on Flight School abuses
Pro Publica & USA Today: For-Profit Schools Reward Students for Referrals and Facebook Endorsements
Lyla Elkins transferred to North Nicholas High School in Cape Coral, Florida, in 2016 with hopes of sailing through its computer-based courses and graduating early. She didn’t realize the for-profit charter school would also be [...]
Reveal: Senators Urge Trump Administration to Scrap Plan to Waive VA Ethics Rule
Four U.S. senators are demanding the Trump administration scrap a plan to waive a 50-year-old anti-corruption law that prevents officials who administer the GI Bill from accepting money from for-profit schools backed by taxpayer subsidy.
Task & Purpose: To Protect Veterans, Keep The VA Ban On Employees Working With For-Profit Colleges
On Sept. 14, the Department of Veterans Affairs quietly announced that it will waive a common-sense ethics law for all of its employees. For over 50 years, the VA has prohibited employees from receiving payments or having [...]
PBS NewsHour: For-Profit College Students Twice as Likely to Default on Loans, Report Says
WASHINGTON — Students who attended for-profit colleges were twice as likely or more to default on their loans than students who attended public educational institutions, according to a federal study published Wednesday.
Education Department Hearing: Video of Sean Marvin, Veterans Education Success
VES is a non-profit organization that provides free legal services to veterans who’ve beendefrauded by their school. Since we were created in 2012, thousands of veterans have contacted us. They regularly tell us about the [...]
Education Department Hearing: Testimony of Sean Marvin, Veterans Education Success
VES is a non-profit organization that provides free legal services to veterans who’ve beendefrauded by their school. Since we were created in 2012, thousands of veterans have contacted us. They regularly tell us about the [...]
Education Department Hearing: Video of Melissa Bryant, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
On behalf of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) and our over 400,000 members, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to speak today at this hearing on educational regulatory reform. My [...]
Education Department Hearing: Testimony of Melissa Bryant, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
On behalf of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) and our over 400,000 members, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to speak today at this hearing on educational regulatory reform. My [...]
Education Department Hearing: Video of Bethany Keirans, Vietnam Veterans of America
On behalf of Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) and its more than 80,000 members, I appreciate the opportunity to present this testimony regarding rules pertaining to Gainful Employability, Borrower’s Defense.
Education Department Hearing: Testimony of Bethany Keirans, Vietnam Veterans of America
On behalf of Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) and its more than 80,000 members, I appreciate the opportunity to present this testimony regarding rules pertaining to Gainful Employability, Borrower’s Defense.
Education Department Hearing: Video of Tanya Ang, Veterans Education Success
Good morning. I am Tanya Ang, Director of Policy and Outreach at Veterans Education Success. Our mission is to protect and defend the integrity and priority of the GI Bill and other federal education programs [...]
Education Department Hearing: Video of Will Hubbard, Student Veterans of America
On behalf of Student Veterans of America, a higher education non-profit representing over 1.1 million veterans in post-secondary education, I stand before you strongly urging this body to stand with students. The intent of Executive [...]
Education Department Hearing: Testimony of Will Hubbard, Student Veterans of America
On behalf of Student Veterans of America, a higher education non-profit representing over 1.1 million veterans in post-secondary education, I stand before you strongly urging this body to stand with students. The intent of Executive [...]
Education Department Hearing: Testimony of Tanya Ang, Veterans Education Success
Good morning. I am Tanya Ang, Director of Policy and Outreach at Veterans Education Success. Our mission is to protect and defend the integrity and priority of the GI Bill and other federal education programs [...]
Our Testimony to the Education Dept. on Student Protections
Testimony of our Legal Director Sean Marvin before the US Department of Education Hearing
The Daily Free Press: For-profit Universities: Fake, Fraudulent and Supported by the Federal Government
For-profit universities have been scamming and swindling unsuspecting students for as long as they’ve existed. Many of these schools are unaccredited — providing students with credits that can’t be transferred and degrees that can’t be [...]
Vox: How Betsy DeVos is Quietly Erasing Obama’s Education Legacy
US Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos came into the Education Department with a bold vision: that parents should be able to send their kids to school wherever they wanted, by way of government-funded vouchers. Nine [...]
T&P: VA About to Scrap Ethics Law that Helps Safeguard Veterans From Predatory For-Profit Colleges
An ethics law that prohibits Department of Veterans Affairs employees from receiving money or owning a stake in for-profit colleges that rake in millions in G.I. Bill tuition has “illogical and unintended consequences,” according to VA, [...]
The Chronicle: To Lighten the Regulatory Load, Focus on For-Profits
Dear Secretary DeVos: From the testimony and interviews you have given, I gather that you believe strongly in providing taxpayer funds to colleges owned by for-profit companies. You believe that, relieved of the requirements and [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Return of the College Scorecard: Education Department Updates Higher Ed Consumer Tool, Adds New Comparison Feature
An Obama administration initiative that provided consumer information on colleges and universities has survived for another year and into the Trump administration. The Department of Education published updated information on the College Scorecard Thursday, including a new [...]
Huffington Post: Troubles Compound for Predatory CollegeAmerica Chain
In August 2016, the Obama administration delivered a powerful blow to the CollegeAmerica/ Stevens-Henager chain of career colleges. The chain, previously a for-profit company, sold itself in 2012 to a small non-profit organization called the Center [...]
New York Times: Veterans Agency Seeks to Scrap Ethics Law on For-Profit Colleges
The Department of Veterans Affairs is pushing to suspend a 50-year-old ethics law that prevents employees from receiving money or owning a stake in for-profit colleges that pocket hundreds of millions of dollars in tuition [...]
Veterans Nominations for Education Department Rulemaking Panels
Veteran and military organizations nominate representatives to the Department of Education panels for Borrower Defense to Repayment and Gainful Employment.
Inside Higher Ed: Gainful Employment Failures Cluster in 10 States
An analysis from Third Way finds a high concentration of graduates who attended programs that failed the gainful-employment rule in just a handful of states. The Obama administration crafted the gainful-employment rule to hold career education programs [...]
Loyola Phoenix: Unregulated Universities Make Profit off Their Students
We’ve all seen the commercials before — the ones with successful members of the workforce raving about their experience at their respective for-profit institutions: Kaplan University, DeVry University, Everest University, ITT Technical Institute and a [...]
Fox 45 Baltimore (Video): What you need to know about for-profit schools
For-profit colleges have been the subject of controversy for leaving students without the skills promised. Marceline White from The Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition joins us to talk about the potential dangers and give students alternative [...]
Inside Higher Ed Report: 20 University of Phoenix Campuses to Close
Phoenix New Times reported Monday that the University of Phoenix is planning to close about 20 campuses around the country. The campuses reportedly include both full-fledged campuses and smaller learning centers. The university did not confirm [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Wis. Governor Kills For-Profit Oversight Agency
After years of attempts, Scott Walker, Wisconsin's Republican governor, has successfully eliminated the state's Education Approval Board as an independent agency tasked with overseeing for-profit colleges. Walker's partial veto last week of a budget bill accelerated the timetable [...]
U.S. News & World Report: 1 in 3 ‘Career Colleges’ Saddle Grads With Limited Earnings Potential, Unmanageable Debt
ONE OUT OF 10 GRADUATES of so-called "career colleges" attended schools that were flagged for their students failing to make a high enough salary to sufficiently pay down their loans after graduating, according to data collected [...]
GQ: Betsy DeVos Accused Students Who Were Defrauded by For-Profit Colleges of Wanting “Free Money”
Betsy DeVos must love negative attention. You see, usually the secretary of education, though an important position, isn't an incredibly public one. I mean, sure, we all knew Arne Duncan played basketball, and were aware [...]
ABC 15 Arizona: Your college degree could be worthless if it isn’t from an accredited school
Most students are back in school. If you're supposed to graduate this year or next, or you're looking for a school, you may be concerned about the degree you'll be getting. In some cases, you [...]
Federal Trade Commission Nominations
Student Veterans of America Letter to U.S. Senate Commerce Committee re: Federal Trade Commission Nominations https://vetsedsuccess.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/SVA-letter-FTC-nomination.pdf
The Baltimore Sun: Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition launches campaign warning about risks of for-profit colleges
Nakia Trezevant spent a year studying information technology at ITT Technical Institute in Owings Mills. She said she has nothing to show for it but $12,000 in debt. The for-profit educational firm, which had two [...]
The Denver Post: DeVos Should Keep Rules Targeting For-Profit Colleges
For-profit colleges have their place in higher education, but too many operators have proved to be incredibly bad actors over the years, making reasonable rules meant to protect students the smart play.
National Guard Association Implementing New Changes
National Guard Association of the United States Resolutions to close the 90/10 loophole, require schools to disclose credit transfer and other policies, and reinstate GI Bill for veterans at closed schools https://vetsedsuccess.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/NGAUS-Resolutions-2017.pdf
Phoenix New Times: Getting Educated or Getting Schooled? Divergent Views of Grand Canyon University
The recruiter arrived during the lunch break. Lisa Coslett met him while she was working at the daycare center. An enthusiastic man named Russ McKee encouraged her to consider a master’s degree in special education. [...]
Military Times: Vet Organizations Back Obama-Era College Regulations
Dozens of military and veteran service organizations are pushing back against the Department of Education’s decision earlier this year to suspend enforcement of Obama-era rules aimed largely at for-profit colleges and universities. Leaders of 36 [...]
34 Veterans & Military Organizations Urge DeVos not to Rollback Student Protections
A letter urging the Department of Education to not roll back protections for veterans.
U.S. Government Accountability Office: U.S. Education Department Should Address Oversight and Communication Gaps in Its Monitoring of the Financial Condition of Schools
The Department of Education (Education) reviews the annual audits of postsecondary schools to assess compliance with financial responsibility standards for schools that participate in federal student aid programs and increases its oversight of schools that [...]
Student Loan Hero: Betsy DeVos’ Controversial Decision Could Make Kaplan University and The Art Institutes Nonprofit
Yesterday, BuzzFeed News reported Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and the Department of Education have cleared the way for two for-profit institutions — Kaplan University and Education Management Corp (EDMC), the parent company of Argosy University, South University, [...]
CQ Roll Call: Veterans Groups Decry VA Plan to Relax For-Profit School Ties
A new Department of Veterans Affairs proposal to relax current conflict-of-interest rules and allow employees to more easily become involved with for-profit colleges has veteran advocates concerned that the schools could have more influence within the [...]
USA Today: New questions raised about how for-profit colleges recruit the military
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — Even reserve Army attorneys say that Fort Campbell "missed something" that allowed a prominent for-profit college to recruit active duty soldiers at dozens of events two years ago before the school was temporarily [...]
Buzzfeed: The Education Department Will Allow Two Large For-Profit Colleges To Become Nonprofits
The Education Department has offered its stamp of approval for the controversial sale of two massive for-profit colleges, Kaplan University and the Art Institutes, according to emails obtained by BuzzFeed News — allowing both schools [...]
The Nation: Betsy DeVos Is Helping Education Profiteers Rip Off Students
When Education Secretary Betsy DeVos was confirmed, the major fear was that she would radically overhaul the public-education system and institute a broad school-voucher program. It turns out that requires congressional action that hasn’t been [...]
Inside Higher Ed: VA Seeks Broad Waiver of Rule Barring Payments from For-Profit Colleges
The Department of Veterans Affairs intends to grant employees a waiver of a rule barring receipt of salary or other benefits from for-profit colleges. The proposed regulation was published in the federal register Thursday and would take [...]
Reveal: Trump Administration Seeks to Legalize Payoffs to VA Officials by For-Profit Schools
The Trump administration is seeking to waive a 50-year-old anti-corruption law that prevents officials who administer the GI Bill from accepting money from for-profit schools backed by taxpayer subsidies. The proposed regulation, published Thursday in the Federal Register, [...]
Washington Post: Ousted college accreditor wants another chance, but will DeVos agree?
The new leader of the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, once one of the largest national accreditation agencies, wants the council to resume its role as the gatekeeper between colleges and billions of dollars [...]
Vice News: These students are suing their for-profit school
For-profit colleges and universities have received increased scrutiny in recent years for their part in helping to drive up the level of U.S. student debt, which now tops $1.3 trillion, according to the Federal Reserve [...]
New York Times: Federal Inquiry of Charlotte Law School is Disclosed by Suit
Barbara Bernier arrived at Charlotte School of Law four years ago to teach constitutional and other law courses. But what she found at the for-profit law school was different from her prior teaching experiences, so [...]
Westfair Online: Sens. Blumenthal and Murphy reintroduce bill aimed at predatory for-profit colleges
U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy are teaming with five of their Democratic colleagues in reintroducing the Students Before Profits Act, a bill designed to protect students who attended for-profit colleges from predatory lending [...]
Bloomberg News: Betsy DeVos Tells CFPB to Back Off on Student Loans: The Agency Has Survived the Trump Administration So Far; Will the Education Department Be the One to Kneecap It?
When federal policymakers killed banks’ ability to make government-backed student loans, David Bergeron should have been celebrating. A career official at the U.S. Department of Education, he had favored the move for years; it would save [...]
Reveal: University of Phoenix Gained Special Access to Military Base – For a Price
U.S. military commanders allowed representatives of the University of Phoenix to erect banners advertising the for-profit college on one of America’s largest military bases and permitted them to place promotional materials in high-traffic areas on [...]
Military Advanced Education & Transition: Cover Story: Carrie Wofford, President, Veterans Education Success Q&A: Protection From Predators: Shielding Student Veterans and Servicemembers From Fraud or Abuse
"We are a non-profit organization offering free services and advice to military veterans." Q&A with Veterans Education Success founder and president, Carrie Wofford.
Huffington Post: DeVos’ Embrace of Predatory For-Profit Colleges is Breathtaking
Betsy DeVos, whose interest in education prior to the Trump administration seemed mostly focused on K-12 schools, has made her mark as Secretary of Education instead with a remarkably blatant embrace of the worst demands [...]
Dallas News: Hundreds of veterans scramble after Garland for-profit college closes
GARLAND — Hundreds of veterans are scrambling to figure out what’s next for them after a for-profit college they were attending suddenly shut down Wednesday. The Texas Veterans Commission issued a news release Thursday evening [...]
Inside Higher Ed: New GI Bill Includes $75 Million for Non-College Providers of Technology Boot Camps
Last week President Trump signed into law a significant expansion of veterans' higher education benefits. The legislation, which has been dubbed the Forever GI Bill, received bipartisan support. Though its primary goal is to help more veterans get [...]
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) Meets with Defrauded Louisiana Veterans, Hears How Some Colleges Target GI Bill with Consumer Fraud and Dishonorable Practices
https://twitter.com/GiBillRights/status/900752796726820864 https://twitter.com/GiBillRights/status/900753119268794368
Mercury News: Thousands of Former Corinthian Colleges Students Win Debt Relief
Approximately 13,000 Californians who attended now-defunct Corinthian Colleges will see some $51 million in debt relief as part of a settlement finalized Monday between the private equity firm Aequitas Capital Management and the state’s attorney general, [...]
The American Legion Resolution Against Force Arbitration
The American Legion Resolution in Favor of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Rule Against Forced Arbitration
American Legion Resolution to protect gainful employment and borrower defense
The American Legion resolution to protect gainful employment and borrower defense rules.
The American Legion Resolution to Close the 90/10 Loophole
https://vetsedsuccess.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/American-Legion-Resolution-90-10.pdf
Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) Meets with Defrauded California ITT Tech Veteran at Veterans Town Hall, is Thanked for His Leadership Restoring GI Bill Benefits to ITT Tech and Corinthian Veterans
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 22, 2017 Congressman Mark Takano meets with California Veterans about GI Bill Issues Active duty and former service-members earn educational benefits through Honorable service, but some schools target Veterans with [...]
Mercury News: Thousands of Former Corinthian Colleges Students Win Debt Relief: Californians Will Get Some $51 Million in Debt Relief
Approximately 13,000 Californians who attended now-defunct Corinthian Colleges will see some $51 million in debt relief as part of a settlement finalized Monday between the private equity firm Aequitas Capital Management and the state’s attorney general, [...]
Albany Times Union: DeVry Students to Get $2,800 Each
Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced that hundreds of students will receive restitution following the Attorney General’s investigation into DeVry Education Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries DeVry University, Inc. and DeVry/New York, Inc. (collectively, [...]
Attorneys General of several states announce $192 million in restitution for Corinthian students
BALTIMORE, MD (August 17, 2017) –Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh, in coordination with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) and a coalition of 12 other state attorneys general, announced today a tentative settlement with [...]
Rep. David Young (R-IA) Meets with Defrauded Iowa Veterans, Hears How Some Colleges Target GI Bill with Consumer Fraud and Dishonorable Practices
https://twitter.com/GiBillRights/status/898211985866842113 https://twitter.com/GiBillRights/status/898216664407445505
Inside Higher Ed: The Slow Death of a For-Profit Law School: Abrupt Closure of Charlotte School of Law
Charlotte School of Law, a for-profit institution based in North Carolina, appeared to abruptly shut down Tuesday, just days after losing its license to operate in the state. No one associated with the law school publicly commented. [...]
Reveal: After Pushback, Trump Administration Says It Won’t Scrap Anti-Corruption Law
Faced with growing opposition from veterans groups, ethics experts and five U.S. senators, the Trump administration today abruptly abandoned its plan to suspend a 50-year-old anti-corruption law that prohibits for-profit colleges from enriching Department of Veterans [...]
Journal Sentinel: For-Profit College Shut Down in Wisconsin is Back Under New Ownership
A for-profit college shut down by the Obama administration in December is back in Wisconsin under new ownership, with four locations enrolling new students in career-education programs. Globe University had campuses in Eau Claire, La Crosse, Madison, Appleton [...]
WKBN TV: Proposed Changes to GI Bill Gives Veterans More Education Options
WASHINGTON, D.C. (NEXSTAR) - The GI Bill helps veterans pay for school after they leave the Armed Forces. Now, Congress has approved some major changes to give veterans more options. "This is primarily about giving [...]
The Military Coalition’s Letter on Protecting the CFPB
The Military Coalition’s letter to Congress requesting that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau be protected.
Military Times: Ashford University Maintains GI Bill Eligibility, Blasts VA
An online university in danger of losing its eligibility to enroll GI Bill users, recently allowed by the Department of Veterans Affairs to continue such enrollments pending court appeals, is accusing the VA of disseminating [...]
Politico: Morning Education: For-Profit College Faces Off with the Feds over Vet Benefits
FOR-PROFIT COLLEGE FACES OFF WITH FEDS OVER VET BENEFITS: Amid its battle with a state regulator, Ashford University is now sparring with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs over its ability to accept tens of millions [...]
Boston Globe: Thousands Paying for an Education that Failed to Deliver
Thousands of former students in Massachusetts and across the country continue to be hounded about private loans they took out to attend for-profit schools that many say failed to provide the education they promised and [...]
The Buffalo News: Students of For-Profit Colleges Struggle the Most Repaying Loans
Students who attended for-profit institutions struggled the most to pay down the principal on their student loans. For-profit schools also produced lower shares of students who earned annual incomes of at least $25,000. Nearly 85 [...]
WV Gazette: Stop Delaying Loan Help for Defrauded Students
Not all colleges are created equal. Many are stalwarts of their community and churn out thousands of qualified graduates yearly. Others are on much shakier ground and end up crashing and burning, dragging lots of [...]
Forbes: How The White House Is Harming College Borrowers
For more than a generation, the GOP trope with a nod and a wink was "I'm here from Washington and I'm here to help." Yet sometimes, government policies do help Americans -- especially those with crippling college [...]
Student Loan Hero: What Veterans Need to Know About the New ‘Forever GI Bill’
Seventy-three years after the GI Bill was signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt — providing members of the military, veterans, and their dependents with educational assistance — Congress has decided it’s time for an upgrade.
Buzzfeed: How The For-Profit College Art Institutes Found A Savior With Christian Roots
Last year, with one of the country’s largest college chains on the verge of collapse, a tiny nonprofit with roots in the Pentecostal Church came to the Obama Education Department with an idea. The Dream [...]
Military Times: Vets Hurt by School Shutdowns Would Get Benefits Restored Under New ‘Forever GI Bill’ Law
Jason Nyikos was working a high-paying, high-stress job at an Indiana machinery company when he decided to quit for what he thought would be a more laid back life as a college student, pursuing a [...]
Lexology: “Forever GI Bill” Will Expand Post-9/11 GI Bill for Veterans, Service Members and Family
The bill makes several important changes to the current Post-9/11 GI Bill program administered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that directly impact future educational opportunities for eligible recipients. On August 2, 2017, the [...]
New York Times: With Rare Unanimity, Senate Sends G.I. Bill Expansion to Trump
This article is about legislation we spearheaded and features one of the students we assisted. WASHINGTON — Caleb Bennett was days away from starting the final semester of an associate degree at ITT Technical Institute [...]
Politico: Congress passes $3B expansion of GI Bill education benefits
The Senate signed off Wednesday on a sweeping expansion of GI Bill education benefits, sending the bipartisan legislation dubbed the "Forever GI Bill" to President Donald Trump’s desk. The bill, which would increase veterans benefits [...]
Stars & Stripes: Senate sends ‘Forever GI Bill’ to Trump’s desk
WASHINGTON — The Senate passed legislation Wednesday that veteran advocates are describing as the largest expansion of veterans education benefits in a decade. With senators’ unanimous consent, the bill moves to President Donald Trump’s desk [...]
Military Times: New GI Bill passes Senate
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill have unanimously passed legislation to make major changes to education benefits for military veterans. Now all that’s left is for President Trump to sign it into law — and the White [...]
New York Times: With Rare Unanimity, Senate Sends G.I. Bill Expansion to Trump
WASHINGTON — Caleb Bennett was days away from starting the final semester of an associate degree at ITT Technical Institute outside Indianapolis last fall when he got word that the school had unexpectedly gone belly [...]
Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL) Meets with Defrauded Illinois Veterans, Hears How Some Colleges Target GI Bill with Consumer Fraud and Dishonorable Practices
https://twitter.com/GiBillRights/status/892853535485964288 https://twitter.com/GiBillRights/status/892852564294807556
Media Matters: Newspapers reveal human costs of Betsy DeVos’ abandoning defrauded students
AP: DeVos has not approved a single application for debt relief from 65,000 defrauded students. The Associated Press reported July 26 that the Education Department, led by Secretary Betsy DeVos, has not approved a single application for [...]
Press Release: U.S. Congress Expected to Unanimously Vote to Restore GI Bill Benefits to Vets that Attended Defunct ITT Tech and Corinthian Colleges
July 28, 2017 For Immediate Release Contact: Carrie Wofford U.S. Congress Expected to Unanimously Vote to Restore GI Bill Benefits to Vets that Attended Defunct ITT Tech and Corinthian Colleges The “Forever GI Bill” will [...]
Veterans in Class Actions Lawsuits
The Military Coalition’s letter to Congressional leadership requesting veteran access to class action lawsuits against predatory lenders.
Dallas Morning News: For-Profit College Rules Get Reset by U.S. Department of Education, and it Starts in University Park
Last month, U.S. Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos put the brakes on two Obama-era regulations designed to protect student borrowers at for-profit colleges, saying it was “time for a regulatory reset.” That reset started [...]
Buzzfeed News: Colleges All Across The US Are Closing At An Accelerated Rate
More than 5% of American colleges closed or stopped being able to take federal financial aid last year. That's a significant increase from previous years and a sign of the sharp decline of the for-profit [...]
Inside Higher Ed: House Committee Moves Ahead on Ambitious Expansion of the GI Bill
Testifying before the House of Representatives veterans' affairs committee Monday, Will Hubbard, the vice president of government affairs at Student Veterans of America, said if student veterans sat down to write an update to the [...]
DIIHE: Veterans Groups’ Objective: Defend Educational Protections
After hearing that the Trump Administration is taking action to decrease students’ rights and protections, 33 veterans and military service organizations have been voicing their concerns of how badly these actions will harm veterans and their families.
Politico Morning Education: Restoration of Veterans Benefits for Corinthian, ITT Students Will Be Added to GI Bill Expansion Deal
THE FOR-PROFIT-COLLEGE-CHIEF-TURNED-CONGRESSMAN WHO’S FIGHTING FOR BETTER STUDENT DATA: Rep. Paul Mitchell (R-Mich.) might be new to Congress this year, but he’s no novice when it comes to the political battles over for-profit colleges that are flaring again as [...]
Our Statement for the Record on HR 3218, the “Forever GI Bill”/Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017
View Hearing Information VES Statement for the Record
NPR Marketplace Morning Report: Large GI Bill Expansion Provides a Big Boost for Veterans’ Education (radio interview)
House lawmakers yesterday announced bipartisan agreement on legislation to boost college aid for veterans. If passed, it would be the largest expansion of the GI Bill in nearly a decade.
Indianapolis NewsChannel 8: Veterans Await Help After ITT Tech Shutdown
WASHINGTON (WISH) -- When Carmel-based ITT Technical Institute shut down, thousands of the students impacted were veterans. Classes just stopped, and few other schools would accept their credits. Many veterans had spent their GI Bill education [...]
Christian Science Monitor: Students Caught in the Middle of For-Profit College Debate Ask, “What Now?”
On Sept. 6, 2016, Kevin Thompson switched on his car radio to the news that ITT Technical Institute was permanently closing its campuses nationwide. The Navy veteran was then 10 months into an 18-month bachelor’s program [...]
Associated Press: Lawmakers Reach Initial Deal to Expand GI Education Bill
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans and Democrats unveiled legislation Thursday that would provide the biggest expansion of college aid for military veterans in a decade, removing a 15-year time limit to tap into benefits and [...]
Ed. Dept. Hearings | Cancel and Revise Student Protections: Testimony of Navy veteran Kevin Thompson
I am E-6/AWO1 (Ret) Kevin Thompson, I have served in the US Navy for 20 years, have over 3,500 flight hours, multiple tours to the gulf in support of Operation Desert Shield, OEF and OIF [...]
Ed. Dept. Hearings | Cancel and Revise Student Protections: Testimony of Army veteran Ryan Clark
My story begins upon entering the army after deciding that it would be more prudent following my family's footsteps rather than finishing my secondary education out of high school. The opportunities provided by the military [...]
Ed. Dept. Hearings | Cancel and Revise Student Protections: Testimony of Sean Marvin, Legal Director, Veterans Education Success
VES is a non-profit organization that provides free legal services to veterans who’ve beendefrauded by their school. Thousands of veterans have contacted VES since its creation in 2012.Here’s what just a few have said: “They made [...]
33 Veterans and Military Organizations Oppose DeVos’ Propose to Revise Borrower Defense and Gainful Employment Rules
A letter from Military and Veteran organizations urging Education Department to immediately enact the Borrower Defense for defrauded student veterans.
Greensboro News & Record: Opinion: Debt But No Degree
The Trump administration set out to reverse federal regulations developed by its predecessor, and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is following that directive. Last month, she froze a rule that would help students get out of [...]
Ed. Dept. Hearings | Cancel and Revise Student Protections: Testimony of Will Hubbard, Student Veterans of America
On behalf of Student Veterans of America, a higher education non-profit representing over 1.1 million veterans in post-secondary education, I stand before you strongly urging this body to stand with students, and fully implement the [...]
Testimony of Walter Ochinko, Veterans Education Success, on Borrower Defense and Gainful Employment Rules
My name is Walter Ochinko. I’m the research and policy director of Veterans Education Success—a small non-profit that advocates for the promise and integrity of the GI Bill. I’d like to use my 5 minutes to [...]
Los Angeles Times: It’s Betsy DeVos’ Job to Protect Students From Predatory For-Profit Colleges. She Should Do It
Given Donald Trump's frequent campaign promises to wipe out "job killing" regulations on Day One, no one should be surprised that the Trump administration is going after federal safeguards that protect consumers at the expense [...]
USA Today: Trump Administration Begins Re-Writing For-Profit Regulations
THE TRUMP administration on Monday began the process of overhauling Obama-era regulations meant to protect federal student loan borrowers, mainly from for-profit colleges, and to provide relief to students defrauded by them. Secretary of Education [...]
New York Times: A Bipartisan Congress That Works? Veterans Committees Show How Its Done
WASHINGTON — Magnanimous hearings. Bipartisan votes. Substantial legislation on its way to becoming law. This is Congress? Something strange is happening in the staid hearing rooms of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees here [...]
Akron Beacon Journal: Protect Students From Predatory For-Profit Colleges
The for-profit college industry has an ally in the federal Department of Education. The businesses would like few things better than the rewrite, or rejection, of two regulations crafted by the Obama White House. Betsy [...]
Boston Globe: Fighting Back Against For-Profit Universities
When Stephano Del Rose enrolled in the New England Institute of Art in Brookline, he had bold dreams of a future in Web design and filmmaking. Lured by promises of cutting-edge digital equipment, internships, and [...]
Politico: 18 States Sue DeVos Over Delay of Student Loan Protections
Eighteen states and the District of Columbia filed suit against Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Thursday over her delay of regulations meant to protect federal student loan borrowers defrauded by their schools. The lawsuit filed in Federal [...]
Dallas Morning News: For-Profit College Rules Get Reset by U.S. Department of Education, and It Starts in University Park
Last month, U.S. Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos put the brakes on two Obama-era regulations designed to protect student borrowers at for-profit colleges, saying it was “time for a regulatory reset.” That reset started [...]
The Leslie Marshall Radio Show: GI Bill Expansion (interview at minute 19:25, and photos here).
Our guest host during this hour is Maggie Thompson of 'Generation Progress', a national organization that works with and for young people to promote progressive solutions to key political and social challenges. (On Twitter: @maggiekthompson)
New York Times: DeVos is Discarding College Policies that New Evidence Shows Are Effective
In June, the secretary of education, Betsy DeVos, announced plans to dismantle a set of Obama-era policies devised to protect students and taxpayers from predatory for-profit colleges. Yet data released in the final days of [...]
Associated Press: Promised College Loan Forgiveness, Borrowers Wait and Wait
BOSTON (AP) — Danielle Ramos’ student-debt nightmare was supposed to be over. Like thousands of others who studied at failed for-profit colleges, she was promised by the U.S. Education Department under President Barack Obama that [...]
ABA Journal: Charlotte School of Law Receives State License Restrictions; Some Say End May Be Near
Charlotte School of Law is not in compliance with state standards regarding financial resources, planning or stability, according to the University of North Carolina’s Board of Governors committee, which handles state authorization and licensure for [...]
Our Statement for the Record on Senate Veterans Committee Pending Benefits Legislation
View Hearing VES Statement for the Record
New York Times: U.S. Halts New Rules Aimed at Abuses by For-Profit Schools
The Trump administration is formally reconsidering — and may dismantle — two new rules that were a cornerstone of the Obama administration’s crackdown on predatory for-profit colleges. The announcement by the Education Department on Wednesday [...]
New York Times: U.S. Halts New Rules Aimed at Abuses by For-Profit Schools
The Trump administration is formally reconsidering — and may dismantle — two new rules that were a cornerstone of the Obama administration’s crackdown on predatory for-profit colleges. The announcement by the Education Department on Wednesday [...]
New York Times: Ending the Curse of Remedial Math
Can you simplify this square root?” Erica Fells asks her class, and hands wave in the air. All but one of the students believe that it’s impossible to do so. The dissenter, Leslie Alcantara, lays [...]
Harvard Law School Legal Services Center: Court Orders Department of Education to Consider Student Loan Relief Application, Calling Request for Further Delay “Frivolous and in Bad Faith”
The United States District Court for the Central District of California issued an Order today that directs the Department of Education to rule on the loan relief application of a former Corinthian student that has been pending [...]
31 Veterans and Military Organizations Urge Protection for Defrauded Students
A letter to Congress and Betsy DeVos addressing the right of veterans to have education benefits reinstated after being defrauded by private for-profit schools.
Veterans and Military Organizations write to the House Veterans Affairs Committee on GI Bill issues
Veteran and Military organizations urge Congress to address specific GI Bill issues.
State Attorneys General Call on DeVos to Address Borrower Defense Applications
A letter from state Attorneys General to Education Secretary Devos explaining concern over the slow-moving Ed. Department handling of reimbursing students.
Veterans with Pending Borrower Defense Applications at the Education Department
"I have a so-called degree from ITT Tech and found that most employers laugh at it. During my time there I had accrued a fair amount of debt from this fraudulent school and am having [...]
USA Today: Feds Halt Alleged Student Loan Debt Relief Scam
Federal investigators have halted an alleged student loan debt relief scam that bilked more than $11 million from consumers nationwide. Strategic Student Solutions and several related companies falsely promised to reduce or eliminate student loan [...]
Stars & Stripes: Feuding Veterans’ Groups Find Agreement on Four Proposed Changes to the GI Bill
WASHINGTON — After their public disagreement stalled a congressional hearing last month, 35 veterans groups came together Thursday in Washington to reach some consensus on changes to the Post-9/11 GI Bill and restart their activity [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Advocates Prod Stanford for Better Treatment of Student Veterans
Stanford University is among the world's wealthiest educational institutions, with an endowment north of $22 billion. Which made it all the more disturbing to Adam Behrendt that the university appeared to be shortchanging undergraduate veterans like [...]
New York Times: U.S. Crackdown on For-Profit Schools Is Said to Go Idle
The Education Department’s sweeping crackdown on fraudulent practices at for- profit colleges has stalled under the Trump administration’s appointees, several current and former department employees say. Current and former employees, who requested anonymity for fear [...]
Blue Voter Red State Blog: Kaplan Cheats Veterans and Uses Veterans to Cheat the Government
The reason I started blogging about the Purdue-Kaplan deal is that it’s so confusing. When I first learned about it, it’s like my brain just said, “Huh? . . . Better think about something else [...]
PJ Media: Veterans Groups Fear CFPB Gutting Will Harm Service Members
WASHINGTON -- Consumer advocates were furious Thursday after the House Financial Services Committee advanced legislation that would effectively dismantle an agency responsible for policing deceptive financial practices in the aftermath of the 2008 financial collapse.
Letter from veterans, military, civil rights, education, and consumer groups to US Education Secretary re: EDMC’s proposed merger with non-profit Dream Center Foundation
We write regarding a proposal from the Education Management Corporation (EDMC) for a change of ownership involving campuses of Argosy University, South University, and the Art Institutes. EDMC proposes to sell these schools to the [...]
“I have Student Debt, but No Degree” Veterans’ Letters to Ed Dept
Letters to the Education Secretary by students defrauded by schools
Financial Security for America’s Security
Veteran and Military organizations urge Congress for continued funding of CFPB’s Office of Servicemember Affairs.
Courthouse News: Students Say Profit-Seeking College Bled Them Dry
SANTA FE, N.M. (CN) — Students claim in court that profit-seeking Laureate Education deliberately allowed the Santa Fe University of Art and Design to fail, stranding them in the middle of the academic year. Laureate [...]
New York Times: Keep For-Profit Schools on a Short Leash
Editorial Keep For-Profit Schools on a Short Leash By The Editorial Board May 1, 2017 For-profit colleges that leave students with crushing debt and useless degrees must be feeling optimistic. They have longed to escape [...]
Yale Law School Report: Student Veteran Complaints Alleging Illegal Practices at University of Phoenix
In 2016 and 2017, Veterans Education Success contracted with Yale Law School's Veterans Legal Clinic to analyze complaints against the University of Phoenix (UOP) brought to Veterans Education Success by student veterans. UOP is a [...]
US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Servicemember Affairs, Charting our Course Through the Military Life Cycle
This report introduces the Office of Servicemember Affairs’ new focus: charting the financial issues a servicemember faces throughout his or her military career. We have received over 74,000 complaints from the military community since 2011 [...]
Yale Law School Report: Student Veteran Complaints Alleging Illegal Practices at Colorado Technical University
In 2016 and 2017, Veterans Education Success contracted with Yale Law School's Veterans Legal Clinic to analyze complaints about Colorado Technical University (CTU) brought to Veterans Education Success by student veterans and military students. What [...]
The College Voice: Marketing or Merit? Campus Vets Like Services, but Questions Surround Source of #1 “Military Friendly” Ranking
An article in Mercer’s December 2016 issue of the Viking newsletter explained how the college had “been named the number one military-friendly school among all two-year collegesin the nation by Victory Media, a provider of informational resource material [...]
Chronicle of Higher Education: There’s a Reason the Purdue-Kaplan Deal Sounds Too Good To Be True
In November 2010, Bloomberg News told the story of Iraq veteran Keith Melvin, who, after responding to a website ad, was contacted by the online, for-profit Kaplan University. The recruiters told him he could trust Kaplan because [...]
Monitoring Student Loan Servicers
Letter from VES to U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau re: monitoring of student loan servicers
Washington Post: Trump Administration Wants to Weaken Law Protecting Veterans From Predatory For-Profit Colleges, Senators Say
The Trump administration announced plans Monday to make it easier for permanently disabled military veterans to have their federal student debt wiped away. People with severe disabilities are eligible by law to have the government discharge their [...]
New York Times: Book Review Letter to the Editor regarding Lower Ed
To the Editor: Your review of Tressie McMillan Cottom’s “Lower Ed: The Troubling Rise of For-Profit Colleges in the New Economy” (March 12) missed the book’s key flaw: Cottom universalizes the experience of Atlanta-area, mostly [...]
New York Times: For-Profit Law School is Arizona is Put on Probation
Arizona Summit Law school, a troubled for-profit institution owned by the InfiLaw System, has been placed on probation by its accrediting body, the American Bar Association. The association’s move was announced on Monday and followed [...]
The Atlantic: The Closing of the Republican Mind on For-Profit Colleges
In Congress, on the presidential campaign trail, and in the editorial pages of The Wall Street Journal, Republicans have been unified in the belief that the Obama administration badly overreached in its attempts to regulate for-profit [...]
National Public Radio: How For-Profit Colleges Sell Risky Education to the Most Vulnerable
For-profit colleges have faced federal and state investigations in recent years for their aggressive recruiting tactics — accusations that come as no surprise to author Tressie McMillan Cottom. Cottom worked as an enrollment officer at two different [...]
Trib Live: GI Bill a ‘Cash Cow’ for Some Pennsylvania Schools
Federal records show that from 2011 to 2016, the for-profit school that graduates just 3.6 percent of enrolled veterans reaped $65 million through the Post-9/11 GI Bill — making it the largest recipient of money [...]
New York Times: Predator Colleges May Thrive Again
Editorial Predator Colleges May Thrive Again By The Editorial Board March 23, 2017 Congress has tried since the 1940s to curb predatory for-profit schools that survive almost solely on federal money while they saddle students [...]
Chicago SunTimes: Rolling Back For-Profit College Reforms Wastes Money and Lives
The reputation of the for-profit career college industry has been sullied for decades by con-artists and scammers. But in the last few years, some effort has been made to weed out the worst offenders, denying [...]
USA Today: Loosening of For-Profit School Rules Worries Student Advocates
Concerned that for-profit schools that don't deliver on promises may come roaring back under President Trump, advocates for students, teachers and veterans urged Congress this week to refrain from rolling back regulations enforcing the industry.
USA Today: Loosening of For-Profit School Rules Worries Student Advocates
Concerned that for-profit schools that don't deliver on promises may come roaring back under President Trump, advocates for students, teachers and veterans urged Congress this week to refrain from rolling back regulations enforcing the industry. Their letter, signed by [...]
Public Comment to Education Department Re: Distance Education Accrediting Commission
Letter to Education Department's National Advisory Council on Institutional Quality and Integrity regarding Distance Education Accrediting Commission
Letter to Congress from 53 Veterans, Civil Rights, Consumer Protection, and Student Organizations
"In particular, we oppose all actions to delay, weaken, or repeal the gainful employment, incentive compensation, or recent “borrower defense to repayment” and college accountability regulations. Each of these accountability measures is essential to protecting [...]
New York Times: Betsy DeVos’s Hiring of For-Profit College Official Raises Impartiality Issues
As chief compliance officer for a corporate owner of for-profit colleges, Robert S. Eitel spent the past 18 months as a top lawyer for a company facing multiple government investigations, including one that ended with [...]
Huffington Post Hillbilly Irony: The GOP’s Embrace of the For-Profit College Industry Clashes with their Bootstraps Myth
It’s unusual for a book to make it onto everybody’s recommended reading list. JD Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy, which relates his journey from distressed Middletown, Ohio to Yale Law school and Silicon Valley, is like the [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Feds Release Financial Responsibility Scores
The U.S. Department of Education this week released the annual update of its financial responsibility test scores for private colleges, which is based on data from 2014-15. The 187 institutions that have a failing score -- most [...]
The Century Foundation: When George H. W. Bush “Cracked Down” on Abuses at For-Profit Colleges
When George H. W. Bush became president on January 20, 1989, he inherited from the Reagan administration some unfinished business in higher education. Bill Bennett, President Reagan’s secretary of education, had launched an effort to [...]
VA’s Minority Veterans Report: Military Service History and VA Benefit Utilization Statistics
US Department of Veterans Affairs report: "Minority Veterans Report: Military Service History and VA Benefit Utilization Statistics" (March 2017) https://www.va.gov/vetdata/docs/SpecialReports/Minority_Veterans_Report.pdf
Economic Policy Institute: Lower Ed: The Troubling Rise of For-Profit Colleges in the New Economy (panel discussion)
In Lower Ed Tressie McMillan Cottom—herself once a recruiter at two for-profit colleges—expertly parses the fraught dynamics of this big-money industry to show precisely how it is part and parcel of the growing inequality plaguing the country [...]
Politico: Veterans Groups Request Changes from University of Phoenix
VETERANS GROUPS REQUEST CHANGES FROM UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX: A group of investors with ties to the Obama administration has completed their purchase of the University of Phoenix’s parent company, as Michael Stratford reported this week. [...]
The Century Foundation: The Reagan Administration’s Campaign to Rein in Predatory For-Profit Colleges
No secretary of education has been more critical of traditional higher education than William Bennett, President Ronald Reagan’s second and best-known education secretary. Barely five days after taking office in February 1985, Bennett accused the [...]
Veterans and Military Organizations Urge Congressional Leaders to Keep Student Protections
On behalf of national organizations representing our nation’s military servicemembers, veterans, survivors, and military families, we write to urge you to ensure that important laws and regulations protecting students are not watered down or eliminated. [...]
Veterans and Military Organizations Ask University of Phoenix to Stop Deceiving Veterans
Veterans and Military Organizations Ask Buyers of University of Phoenix to Voluntarily Close 90/10 Loophole, Stop Deceptive Recruiting of Veterans and Service Members
VA Secretary Nominee David Shulkin commits to protecting veterans from deceptive, predatory colleges, answering Sen. Blumenthal
In this C-SPAN video, Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, questions VA Secretary-Nominee David Shulkin on his commitment to protecting student veterans from deceptive, predatory colleges. At minute [...]
NY Daily News: DeVry University to pay $2.75M in deal with N.Y. attorney general for false ads on success of its graduates
State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has reached a $2.75 million settlement with for-profit college DeVry University over misleading advertisements. Under the terms of the agreement revealed by Schneiderman on Monday, DeVry will pay $2.25 million [...]
Colorado Independent Veterans Feel Ripped Off by Colorado For-Profit College
Mark Glogouski has a bad heart. He relies on a pacemaker and defibrillator to keep it pumping. His doctors have repeatedly told him to avoid heavy labor if he wants to stay alive. So Glogouski, [...]
The Century Foundation: Truman, Eisenhower, and the First GI Bill Scandal
The 1944 GI Bill is rightly remembered as one of the most effective social policy programs in U.S. history. Thanks to the GI Bill, millions of soldiers returning from World War II had the opportunity [...]
Brookings Institution: How Much Do For-Profit Colleges Rely on Federal Funds?
The outgoing Obama administration placed for-profit colleges under a great deal of scrutiny. This includes gainful employment regulations that will require graduates of vocationally-oriented programs to meet debt-to-earnings requirements and borrower defense to repayment rules [...]
Here Are the Programs That Failed the Gainful-Employment Rule
For the first time, U.S. Department of Education on Monday released the names of programs and institutions that failed accountability standards for the new gainful-employment rule. Over 800 programs that failed the department’s standards risk losing federal [...]
New York Times: Student Victims Seek to Become Creditors in ITT Bankruptcy
It seems only right that victims of predatory for-profit education companies should have their student loans forgiven. After all, in addition to being left with mountains of debt, former students have worthless degrees from schools [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Two For-Profits Ordered to Pay Restitution to Students
A Minnesota judge this week ruled that Globe University and the Minnesota School of Business, two embattled for-profits, must pay restitution to more than 1,200 defrauded students, reported the Star-Tribune. The state's attorney general, Lori Swanson, had sued the [...]
Washington Post: Former Students Fight for a Stake in ITT Tech Bankruptcy
Veterans Education Success worked to help several hundred ITT Tech student veterans file claims in the ITT Tech bankruptcy. And we offered support to Harvard Law School as they represented the students in a "class" [...]
Minnesota Attorney General announces court order awarding injunction, penalties, and restitution to students defrauded by Minnesota School of Business and Globe University
Attorney General Lori Swanson Obtains Court Order Awarding Injunction, Penalties, and Restitution for Minnesota School of Business and Globe University Fraudulently Misrepresenting the Job Opportunities Available to their Criminal Justice Graduates. On September 8, 2016, [...]
CNA for the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense, Personnel and Readiness: Population Representation in the Military Services: Annual Reports
CNA Resource Analysis produces Population Representation in the Military Services (also known as “Pop Rep”) for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. This report, mandated by the Senate Committee [...]
U.S. Department of Education, New Analysis Finds Many For-Profit Colleges Skirt Federal Funding Limits (Dec. 2016)
U.S. Department of Education, New Analysis Finds Many For-Profit Colleges Skirt Federal Funding Limits: 90/10 Data Released (Dec. 2016). Data excel spreadsheet here. New analysis released today by the U.S. Department of Education reveals many [...]
Veteran Leaders Express Outrage Over Manipulation of GI Bill to Offset Cap on Education Funds
Veterans and military organizations today expressed shock at the high number of colleges that are almost entirely dependent on federal funds, noting a Department of Education report released today, and called on Congress to close [...]
U.S. Department of Education: New Analysis Finds Many For-Profit Colleges Skirt Federal Funding Limits: 90/10 Data Released
New analysis released today by the U.S. Department of Education reveals many for-profit schools would likely exceed the 90/10 federal funding limits if revenue from Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense [...]
Federal Trade Commission Announces $100 Million Settlement with DeVry University for False Job Placement Claims
DeVry University and its parent company have agreed to a $100 million settlement of a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit alleging that they misled prospective students with ads that touted high employment success rates and income [...]
Kentucky Attorney General announces $1.2 million in restitution for students defrauded by Daymar College
FRANKFORT, KY. (Dec. 14, 2016) – Attorney General Andy Beshear today announced nearly 3,500 former students of Daymar College’s Kentucky campuses and online programs will this week begin receiving restitution checks totaling $1.2 million. The [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Bill Seeks to Guarantee Veterans Are Career-Ready
Last week's U.S. Senate-approved spending bill contained a provision that seeks to block student veterans from using their GI Bill benefits on career programs that won't help them land a job. The Career Ready Student [...]
Veterans Education Success Hails Final Passage of Career Ready Student Veterans Act, Thanks Sens. Blumenthal, Cassidy, Tillis, and Reps. Miller and Takano
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Walter Ochinko, Policy Director Carrie Wofford, President December 12, 2016 SENATE PASSES CAREER READY STUDENT VETERANS ACT Legislation Headed to President’s Desk WASHINGTON, D.C. – Veterans Education Success (VES) today hailed the [...]
Benjamin Castleman, Francis Murphy, and William Skimmyhorn, Marching Across Generations? An Analysis of the Benefits Transfer Provision of the Post-9/11 GI Bill
This study explored the use of standardized tests within nursing programs. Standardized tests have been used within nursing programs for several decades (Shultz, 2010), but recently their use has increased. This rise in utilization may be [...]
U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee Hearing: Defense Department Actions Concerning Voluntary Education Programs
VES Letter to Senators McCain and Reed Veterans & Military organizations' 2013 public comment on Defense Department Voluntary Education MOU
The Kansas City Star: Missouri Senator Took Campaign Cash from Schools Accused of Ripping off Students
For the past two years, Sen. Roy Blunt has been a powerful ally to the nation’s beleaguered for-profit colleges as they fight government regulation. At the same time, the industry and its lobbyists have funneled [...]
New York Times: A Conveyor Belt of Dropouts and Debt at For-Profit Colleges
As college attendance has risen and investment in public institutions has flagged, the United States has relied increasingly on for-profit colleges, with disastrous consequences for many students. For-profits, once a tiny corner of higher education, [...]
Government Executive: Evidence-Based Policy Proponents Face Cost, Privacy, Political Hurdles
After three initial meetings, early hints are beginning to emerge on what may eventually become a package of recommendations from the congressionally authorized Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking.
Our Testimony before the Evidence-Based Policy Commission
The Post-9/11 GI Bill is America’s chief way of saying, “Thank you” to the men and women whosacrifice their bodies and their time to serve and protect our country. And it’s not just a thanks. [...]
Washington Monthly: For-Profit Colleges’ Campaign Contributions
For-profit colleges may be playing defense in the public perception, but they have not given up their offensive game, if their recent contributions to Congress are any indication. For-profit education colleges and trade groups donated [...]
U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Government Affairs, Report: Education Denied: The Importance of Assisting Veterans Harmed by School Closures (Oct. 2016)
For over 70 years, the GI Bill has helped our nation’s veterans and their families obtain a high- quality education. In 2008, Congress expanded higher education benefits for a new generation of returning service members [...]
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Economic Communities Initiative Pilot: 2016 Report & Highlights
In January 2015, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published the 2015 Veteran Economic Opportunity Report to provide data on indicators of the possible success of ongoing initiatives and barriers to economic competitiveness for [...]
The ITT Collapse: Lessons Learned and Dealing with Future Challenges
The seeds of ITT Tech’s collapse were decades in the making. Deregulation of the for-profit college industry certainly played a rise in enabling ITT’s increasing dependence on federal dollars, but corporate short-term thinking, greed, consumer [...]
Philadelphia Inquirer: ITT schools have been ripping off students and saddling them with debt for years
For decades, ITT Technical Institutes had a sweet deal: It gobbled up billions in federal student grants and loans in exchange for promised results that it rarely, if ever, produced. Finally, the Department of Education [...]
Washington Post: DeVry voluntarily dials back revenue from federal student aid
DeVry Education Group, one of the largest operators of for-profit colleges, said Tuesday that it will limit the amount of revenue it receives from federal student aid, including veterans and military tuition assistance, getting in front of a [...]
Washington Post: DeVry voluntarily dials back revenue from federal student aid
DeVry Education Group, one of the largest operators of for-profit colleges, said Tuesday that it will limit the amount of revenue it receives from federal student aid, including veterans and military tuition assistance, getting in front of a [...]
Indianapolis Business Journal: ITT Missteps Sowed Its Fate
Almost anyone under attack reflexively attacks back. And so it was on Sept. 6, the day top executives of ITT Educational Services announced they were closing their 136 ITT Technical Institutes, shuttering a pioneer in [...]
U.S. Federal Trade Commission Staff Perspective on Lead Generation (deceptive websites that sell personal information)
One pundit has called it the most pervasive industry that nobody knows about, which is why the FTC has sponsored a workshop, brought law enforcement actions, and just published a Staff Perspective to call attention [...]
St. Louis Post Dispatch: Opinion: Closing ITT Tech Helps Stop For-Profit Colleges from Shaking Down Students
Some for-profit colleges came to be a curse on the very students they were in business to help, doing little more than exploiting students for their federal grants, loans and veterans benefits while failing to [...]
Indiana Governor Mike Pence Letter to VA Secretary Calling for Reinstatement of GI Bill for Veterans at ITT Technical Institutes
As Governor of Indiana, Mike Pence sent a letter to the VA Secretary urging reinstatement of GI Bill for veterans at ITT Tech when it suddenly shuttered.
Indiana Governor Michael Pence Letter to VA Secretary Calling for Reinstatement of GI Bill for Veterans at ITT Technical Institutes
On behalf of all Hoosier veterans, Lieutenant Governor Eric Holcomb, Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs Director Jim Brown, and I are calling on the VA to fully reimburse student veterans who used the GI Bill [...]
New York Times: Late to the Fight Against Predator Schools
The federal government’s failure over decades to regulate for-profit colleges freed the schools to prey on veterans, minorities and the poor by saddling students with crushing debt and giving them worthless degrees in return. This [...]
Washington Post: Everything ITT Tech students need to know now that the for-profit school has closed
The abrupt closure of ITT Technical Institutes on Tuesday left 35,000 students without degrees that many took on debt to complete. None of the options available to those students are simple and each comes with its [...]
Washington Post: Everything ITT Tech students need to know now that the for-profit school has closed
The abrupt closure of ITT Technical Institutes on Tuesday left 35,000 students without degrees that many took on debt to complete. None of the options available to those students are simple and each comes with its [...]
New York Times: Downfall of ITT Technical Institutes Was a Long Time in the Making
Doors were bolted shut and parking lots emptied at ITT Technical Institutes around the country this week after the chain of for-profit colleges announced it was closing for good. At some campuses, though, this was [...]
Stars & Stripes: Troubled for-profit ITT Tech Institute closes its doors on thousands of student veterans
SAN ANTONIO — ITT Technical Institute said Tuesday it was immediately closing all campuses, more than 130 in all, throwing into doubt the future education of thousands of student veterans attending there. The troubled for-profit [...]
Stars and Stripes: Troubled for-profit ITT Tech Institute closes its doors on thousands of student veterans
SAN ANTONIO — ITT Technical Institute said Tuesday it was immediately closing all campuses, more than 130 in all, throwing into doubt the future education of thousands of student veterans attending there. The troubled for-profit [...]
Indianapolis Business Journal: What Did ITT In? Short-Sighted Thinking, Critic Says
When Rene Champagne retired as CEO of ITT Educational Services in 2007 after 22 years at the helm, the for-profit education company was riding high—as evidenced by its stock market value of $2.9 billion. Oh, [...]
PoliticoPro: Despite shaky finances, ITT Tech still eligible to recruit veterans
With its accreditation in danger, ITT Tech is no longer allowed to enroll new students with federal funds. But there's one exception: veterans. In a statement to POLITICO, the Veterans Affairs Department said today that the [...]
New York Times: Crackdown on For-Profit Colleges May Free Students and Trap Taxpayers
The Obama administration’s decision to bar ITT Educational Services, one of the nation’s largest operators of for-profit colleges, from using federal financial aid to enroll new students shuts off the cash spigot to the troubled [...]
Misleading Websites and “Lead Generators”: A Case Study: Victory Media’s “Military Friendly Schools”
Too often, veterans and servicemembers are misled and deceived by websites and “lead generators” that steer the veterans and servicemembers to colleges that pay the websites, as part of a grand scheme by the [...]
Inside Higher Ed: U.S. Orders Ashford to Pay $137,695 for Aid Violations
An Education Department review of Ashford University's compliance with federal financial aid rules has resulted in a fine of $137,695 for a handful of violations, Bridgepoint Education, which owns Ashford, announced Tuesday. The review, initiated in [...]
Veteran and Servicemember Complaints about Misconduct and Illegal Practices at DeVry University
What follows is a public version of a “trends analysis” document we prepared detailing the types of harm observed by us in our free legal services to service members, veterans, and their dependents who brought [...]
Veterans and Military Organizations Ask the House Armed Services Committee to Keep Protections in Place to Prevent Fraudulent and Deceptive Recruiting on Military Bases
A letter to Congress requesting limitations to the access that college salespeople have to military bases as a protection for service members.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Settlements Totaling $4.29 Million With For-Profit School And Its Former Chief Operating Officer
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Brian Hickey, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education (“USDOE”), Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Region (“OIG”), announced [...]
Washington Post: Justice Department is Investigating Whether a For-Profit College Company Violated Federal Financial Aid Rules
The Justice Department has launched a probe into whether Bridegepoint Education, the owner of Ashford University and the University of the Rockies, is violating a law that prohibits for-profit colleges from getting more than 90 percent [...]
U.S. Investigates Bridgepoint Over Its Use of Federal Student Aid
Bridgepoint Education Inc., the for-profit owner of Ashford University, is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice over claims that it “may have misstated Title IV refund revenue or overstated revenue associated with private [...]
U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, A Profile of Military Undergraduates (statistics on military, veteran, and dependent college students)
The number of veterans who receive Veterans’ education benefits increased both before and after the Post-9/11 GI Bill went into effect in 2008. In the 9 years between 2000 and 2009, the number of veterans receiving Veterans’ [...]
Washington Monthly: The Obama Administration Makes Its Biggest Move Against For-Profit Colleges
With Donald Trump and Brexit wiping out all other stories, here’s one you’re likely to have missed—and it’s actually good news! Yesterday, in a surprisingly bold move, federal regulators voted to recommend shutting down the nation’s largest [...]
Huffington Post: For A Day, Broke Students Win
In a world of mass shootings, Brexit, and a looming dramatic presidential election, the deliberations of the U.S. Department of Education’s National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity would hardly seem to matter. But, yesterday, it did.
Press Release: Veterans Service Organizations and Student Veterans Offer Testimony, Urge De-Authorization of Dysfunctional College Accreditation Agency
June 23, 2016 For Immediate Release Contact: Dominic Slowey Carrie Wofford Veterans Service Organizations and Student Veterans Offer Testimony, Urge De-Authorization of Dysfunctional College Accreditation Agency ACICS’s multiple failures have allowed predatory for-profit colleges to [...]
Press Release: Veterans and Advocates Join Sen. Carper on Capitol Hill, Urge Congress to Close “90/10 Loophole”
June 22, 2016 For Immediate Release Contact: Carrie Wofford Veterans and Advocates Join Sen. Carper on Capitol Hill, Urge Congress to Close “90/10 Loophole” Closing loophole would protect G.I Bill funds and service members’ education [...]
Des Moines Register: Opinion: For-Profit Colleges Are a Bad Deal for Many
Like everything from cell phones to financial services, higher education is a heavily marketed product. Students and their families are customers. By now most Iowans should be cautious about buying what for-profit colleges are selling.
Inside Higher Ed: Fighting Access for For-Profits
Some for-profit institutions say they just wanted face-to-face access to their students on military bases like other traditional colleges that operate there. But veterans' groups and some Democratic senators are upset by a provision approved [...]
Center for American Progress: ACICS Must Go
Getting students to apply to and enroll in college can require a lot of creativity at an institution without any brand recognition. Even so, FastTrain College’s recruiting tactics took the idea of an exotic approach [...]
Education Dept Order: ITT Educational Services Inc. must increase its financial cushion to $123.7 million from $79.7 million
Dear Mr. Modany, On August 19, 2014, ITT Educational Services, Inc. (ITT) was cited in a letter by the Department of Education (Department) for late submission of its annual compliance audits and financial statements.
Inside Higher Ed: Weighing For-Profits’ Access to Military Bases
Nine states are now opposing an amendment the U.S. Congress is considering that would open up for-profit colleges' access to military bases. The amendment, proposed by West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, in the U.S. [...]
States Ask Congress to Stop Predatory Schools’ Access to Military Bases
State Attorneys General letter to Senator Manchin to oppose his bill to open military bases to predatory schools
Washington Post: A Popular College Investment Promised Students a Career, But Didn’t Pay Off
Students who sought vocational certificates at for-profit colleges made an average of $900 less annually after attending the schools than they did before, according to a new study, leaving those who took out loans hard-pressed to pay them back.
Veterans and Military Organizations Ask Sen. Manchin to Keep Protections in Place to Prevent Fraudulent and Deceptive Recruiting on Base
Veterans and military organizations write a letter to Senator Manchin urging limited access to military installations for college salesmen. Separate letter from 12 state Attorneys General
Politico: Vets Graduation Rates Get Attention
VETS’ GRADUATION RATES GET ATTENTION: Ponder this figure ahead of Memorial Day weekend: The federal government has provided $62.4 billion for nearly 1.6 million veterans and their families to go to college since the post-9/11 [...]
Dear Senators McCain and Reed: Protect Our Service Members
Veteran and Military organizations write to Senators McCain and Reed urging protection of service members on military installations from collegiate salespeople.
BuzzFeed News: Inside the College That Abolished the F and Raked in the Cash
A college on the edge of Silicon Valley has turned itself into an upmarket visa mill, a BuzzFeed News investigation has found, deploying a system of fake grades and enabling thousands of foreign students to enter [...]
ProPolitico: Veterans groups slam amendment enabling easier access to military bases for-profit schools
Several veterans' groups want Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain and Sen. Joe Manchin to strip out an amendment from a defense policy bill that would enable for-profit colleges to gain easier access to military [...]
HuffPost Politics: Veterans Groups Oppose Manchin Amendment Giving For-Profit Colleges Unfettered Access to Military Bases
Just as America’s veterans organization are coming together to demand better government protection against deceptive and abusive practices by for-profit colleges, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) seems to want to move in the opposite direction, pushing [...]
The Hill: Groups Urge Senate to Oppose Defense Language on For-Profit Colleges
Military and veterans groups are urging the Senate to rid its defense policy bill of language they say would allow predatory for-profit colleges unfettered access to military installations. The 20 groups that have signed on [...]
Politico: Veterans groups slam amendment enabling easier access to military bases for-profit schools
Several veterans' groups want Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain and Sen. Joe Manchin to strip out an amendment from a defense policy bill that would enable for-profit colleges to gain easier access to military [...]
New York Times: Veterans Groups Seek a Crackdown on Deceptive Colleges
WASHINGTON — Some of the nation’s largest veterans and military organizations sent letters last week to the Veterans Affairs Department asking it to crack down on colleges that prey on veterans by charging exorbitant fees for degrees that mostly fail to deliver promised skills and jobs.
Twenty Three Veterans and Military Organizations Ask VA for Better Oversight of the GI Bill
A letter to Secretary McDonald requesting additional oversight of the GI Bill to protect veterans from predatory colleges. Signed by 23 veteran and military organizations.
Military.com: Bill Would End Tax Penalty on Vets With Forgiven Student Loans
Permanently disabled veterans or survivors of veterans who have their student debt forgiven would avoid taxes on the "income" under legislation recently introduced in the U.S. Senate. By law, forgiven student debt is counted as income by [...]
Our Letter to VA to Improve Caution Flags
Caution Flags in GI Bill comparison tool help veterans avoid schools that are bad actors but more should be done. DOWNLOAD
Trends in Veteran and Servicemember Student Complaints about ITT Technical Institute
What follows is a public version of a “trends analysis” document Veterans Education Success prepared detailing the types of harm observed by us in our work providing free legal services to service members, veterans, and [...]
Newsweek: Opinion: Having Final Four at University of Phoenix is Madness
The madness is over. A NCAA basketball champion has been crowned for the 2016 season, and the Villanova men’s team is back on campus, their “One Shining Moment” now just a memory. And yet, the [...]
Our Statement for the Record: House Hearing on the GI Bill Oversight Act of 2016
Veterans Education Success (VES) appreciates the opportunity to share its perspective on Representative Takano’s GI Bill Oversight Act of 2016. VES is a non-profit organization focused on protecting the integrity and promise of the G.I. [...]
8 Veterans and Military Organizations Urge Education Department to Ban Forced-Arbitration in Enrollment
The undersigned groups represent veterans, servicemembers, and their families. We write to urge the Department of Education (Department) to protect the legal rights of students whose schools victimize them through fraud and other wrongdoing. Specifically, [...]
PoliticoPro: Senate Democrats, Advocates Push Department of Education to Go Further on Arbitration
Consumer advocates and Senate Democrats say they may have celebrated too quickly when the Education Department said last month it wanted to end forced arbitration clauses in for-profit student enrollment agreements. The same groups now are calling [...]
Veterans and Military Organizations Write Regarding the Renewal of ACICS as an Accreditor
We write to bring to your attention the problem of veterans targeted by predatory colleges using deceptive and aggressive recruiting tactics to attend particularly low quality schools with terrible student outcomes. While the Department of [...]
Politico: VA Watchers Want More GI Bill Oversight
VA WATCHERS WANT MORE GI BILL OVERSIGHT: The Veterans Affairs Department’s advisory committee on education wants the agency to improve how it oversees the Principles of Excellence program rolled out by President Barack Obama [http://1.usa.gov/1W68KlU] in [...]
Popular Military: Yale Law School Condemns Veterans Affairs, Providing Evidence of Failure to Protect Veterans
The VA is reportedly failing to do its part when it comes to protecting vets against deceptive recruiting practices, by for-profit schools. According to a memo from Yale Law School’s Veterans Legal Services Clinic, the Department of [...]
Yale Law School: Vets Clinic Highlights Need to Protect Veterans from Predatory Colleges
Senator Richard Blumenthal ’73 and the advocacy group Veterans Education Success have called on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to act against the deceptive recruitment of veterans by predatory colleges citing a recent legal [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Study Finds VA Fails to Protect Veterans From Deceptive Recruiting
A memo from Yale Law School's Veterans Legal Services Clinic finds that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs had the authority to protect veterans from institutions that use deceptive recruiting practices by denying GI Bill funds to [...]
Buzzfeed News: Students Ripped Off By For-Profit Colleges Discover They Can’t Sue
Jacob was promised a lot by UEI College, a for-profit technical school in California. They told him he’d get hands-on training, a qualified faculty, state-of-the art technology, and preparation for the certification exam he’d need [...]
Consumerist: Whistleblower Lawsuit Claims University of Phoenix Defrauded the Government
You can now add the University of Phoenix and its parent company, Apollo Education Group, to the list of for-profit educators who find themselves on the defendant end of a whistleblower lawsuit. A former Phoenix [...]
Press Release: Yale Law School Study Says VA Can – and Should – Deny G.I. Bill Funding to For-Profit Schools That Employ Deceptive Marketing Practices
March 1, 2016 For Immediate Release Contact: Carrie Wofford Yale Law School Study Says VA Can - and Should - Deny G.I. Bill Funding to For-Profit Schools That Employ Deceptive Marketing Practices Contradicts VA Position [...]
Consumerist: AGs Seek Better Protections For Servicemembers Deceived By For-Profit Colleges
Federal regulators must do more to protect servicemembers from unscrupulous colleges seeking to get their hands on their education benefits. That’s the message eight states want to get across to the secretary of Veteran Affairs [...]
Behind the Scenes: How We Protect You from Bad Actors
There are websites designed to extract information from you by appearing to be endorsed by VA or as the primary source of information about the GI Bill. That’s why in 2012 the President instructed us [...]
State Attorneys General Urge Greater Protections for Veterans Affected By Predatory For-Profit Schools
Dear Secretary McDonald: We, the undersigned Attorneys General, write to urge you to exercise the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (“VA’s”) authority under federal law to restore the educational and vocational rehabilitation benefits that thousands of [...]
Yale Law School: VA’s Failure to Protect Veterans from Deceptive College Recruiting Practices
In 2015 and 2016, Veterans Education Success contracted with Yale Law School's Veterans Legal Clinic to analyze VA's failure to adhere to a federal statute. This analysis proceeds in two parts. First, it explains the [...]
Politico: GI Bill Funds Still Flow to Troubled For-Profit Colleges
The Obama administration's crackdown on for-profit colleges has escaped the notice of one federal agency with an already poor management record: The Veterans Affairs Department takes little or no action when these colleges are punished [...]
Republic Report: Students Testify: For-Profit Colleges Stole Our Futures
After six years of engagement on the issue of America’s predatory for-profit colleges, I feel I’ve seen it all — every kind of account of students deceived and abused by cynical college operators who have taken billions [...]
HuffPost Education: Students Testify: For-Profit Colleges Stole Our Futures
After six years of engagement on the issue of America’s predatory for-profit colleges, I feel I’ve seen it all — every kind of account of students deceived and abused by cynical college operators who have [...]
MarketWatch: Whistleblower Suit Against For-Profit College Charges Schemes Against Students
A Florida campus of for-profit college chain ITT Tech enrolled a blind student in a computer networking program that required students to identify cords by color and read codes, according to an accusation by a [...]
FTC Files Suit Against DeVry University for Deceptive Recruiting
Defendant DeVry Education Group Inc. (DEG) is a publicly traded Delaware corporation with its principal place of business at 3005 Highland Parkway, Downers Grove, Illinois. DEG was formerly known as DeVry Inc. DEG transacts or [...]
WAVY-TV: State Agency Says GI Bill Can’t Be Used at Local University
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va (WAVY) -- The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) says students can't use their GI Bill benefits at the Medical Careers Institute at ECPI University in Virginia Beach anymore. DVS said the withdrawal [...]
Des Moines Register: Opinion: Do More to Stop Predatory For-Profit Schools
Last year, federal officials sued ITT Educational Services, which has campuses in Clive and Cedar Rapids, and accused the for-profit school of predatory student lending. That case is still pending, but several months ago, the [...]
Our Statement for the Record: Senate Hearing on Restoring GI Bill for Veterans at Closed Schools
Our statement for the record before the US Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs regarding legislation we proposed to restore GI Bill for veterans whose schools close.
The Spokesman Review: Editorial: For-profit colleges a bad bargain
Federal and state governments are intensifying efforts to ensure that taxpayer dollars spent at for-profit colleges are benefiting students as much as the businesses. Students at these colleges have a poor track record for achieving [...]
UPI: For-profit college must pay $200M to forgive loans, pay settlement
WASHINGTON, Nov. 17 (UPI) -- The for-profit college operator Education Management Corporation agreed to pay nearly $200 million to forgive student loans and resolve federal fraud claims in deals that have been lauded as "unprecedented" [...]
New York Times: For-Profit College Expected to Pay Millions
The nation’s second-largest for-profit college operator, Education Management Corporation, is expected to agree to pay nearly $90 million to settle a case accusing it of compensating employees based on how many students they enrolled, encouraging [...]
U.S. News & World Report: 3 Steps to Take Before Using GI Bill Benefits at For-Profit Colleges
Sarah Serrano, a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, got off to a rocky start when it came to pursuing a college degree. "Over the past 10 years, I have come and gone at University [...]
Media Matters: The Wall Street Journal Praises For-Profit Colleges That Prey On Veterans
Federal law allows for-profit colleges to access more federal funding by enrolling large numbers of military veterans, despite evidence that many of these schools do not prepare their students for the job market. In recent [...]
The Center for Investigative Reporting: Bill Would Limit For-Profit Colleges’ Access to Federal Funds
The White House today put its weight behind legislation seeking to rein in for-profit schools siphoning hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars annually by preying on veterans and military personnel eligible for the GI Bill [...]
Protecting Our Students and Taxpayers (POST) Act
Sen. Durbin's bill to close the 90/10 loophole and return it to its original 85/15 ratio.
Protecting Our Students and Taxpayers (POST) Act
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jack Reed (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) today introduced legislation in the Senate that would help put an end to the for-profit industry’s predatory [...]
Inside Higher Ed: For-Profit Settles with Illinois Attorney General for $15 Million
For-profit, Colorado-based Westwood College has reached a $15 million agreement with the Illinois attorney general, according to a report from a Chicago ABC News affiliate. The college voluntarily agreed to pay $15 million to wipe out loans [...]
The Bulletin: With GI Bill Veterans Still Accrue Student Debt
Despite the generous benefits of the latest GI Bill, military veterans attending college are taking out substantial student loans, raising concerns among veterans’ organizations that they are unnecessarily diving into debt.
Veterans Education Relief and Reinstatement Act
Washington DC – Reps. Mark Takano (D-CA), Mark Takai (D-HI), Chris Gibson (R-NY) and Mike Coffman (R-CO) introduced bipartisan legislation yesterday that would restore Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits to veterans affected by the permanent [...]
Full Measure: Cash Cows: Military Colleges
November 1, 2015 — Full Measure brings you our investigation into how for-profit colleges allegedly preying on our military troops. Veterans with benefits and a desire to build a new life become targets, even given a [...]
Military.com: Generous GI Bill Isn’t Keeping Veterans Out of Student Loan Debt
Despite the generous benefits of the latest GI Bill, military veterans attending college are taking out substantial student loans, raising concerns among veterans' organizations that they are unnecessarily diving into debt. For most veterans, the [...]
Los Angeles Times: Generous GI Bill Isn’t Keeping Today’s Veterans Out of Student Loan Debt
Despite the generous benefits of the latest GI Bill, military veterans attending college are taking out substantial student loans, raising concerns among veterans' organizations that they are unnecessarily diving into debt. For most veterans, the [...]
Veteran Organizations Thank DOD for Enforcing its Rules against University of Phoenix
National Organizations Thank Defense Department for Enforcing its Rules to Protect Service Members from Deceptive Recruiting
U.S. Government Accountability Office: Post-9/11 GI Bill: Additional Actions Needed to Help Reduce Overpayments and Increase Collections
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) identified $416 million in Post-9/11 GI Bill overpayments in fiscal year 2014, affecting approximately one in four veteran beneficiaries and about 6,000 schools. Overpayments most often occur when VA [...]
Trib Live: EDMC, Federal Government Close to Settling Multi-Billion Dollar Suit
Education Management Corp. is close to settling a lawsuit in which the government sought to recover billions of dollars it alleged the Downtown-based operator of for-profit colleges obtained by falsely saying it was in compliance [...]
Phoenix New Times: University of Phoenix Temporarily Banned From Recruiting New Military Service Members
Following allegations of illegal and predatory student recruitment on military bases, the University of Phoenix has been temporarily barred from enrolling new active-duty military personnel under the Department of Defense’s Tuition Assistance Program.
The Center for Investigative Reporting: University of Phoenix Probation Brings Calls for VA to Pull the Plug
Veterans groups today urged the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to follow the Defense Department’s lead in stemming the flow of federal education funds to the University of Phoenix, which was placed on probation this week by [...]
Press Release: Defense Department Puts University of Phoenix on Probation
October 9, 2015 For Immediate Release Contact: Carrie Wofford Defense Department Puts University of Phoenix on Probation Statement by Matthew Boulay, Executive Director, Veterans Student Loan Relief Fund and an Iraq War veteran Washington, D.C. [...]
DOD Puts University of Phoenix on Probation
The Defense Department put the University of Phoenix on probation, prohibited from enrolling military students, following several law enforcement actions and news exposes that University of Phoenix was circumventing Defense Department rules. Below is the [...]
Department of Defense Suspends University of Phoenix for Violations of Defense Department Rules on Recruiting Service Members
It has come to our attention that the University of Phoenix is under review by both the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the California State Attorney General. University of Phoenix, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary [...]
U.S. Department of Education, Strengthening the Student Loan System to Better Protect All Borrowers
Never before has higher education been so critical to ensuring a good future and a promising career. A postsecondary education and training credential continues to be the most important investment students can make in their [...]
Phoenix New Times: Veterans Student Group Demand That University of Phoenix Drop Cardinals Stadium Sponsorship
A student advocate group for veterans is insisting that the University of Phoenix drop sponsorship of its namesake stadium in Glendale and spend the millions of dollars on educating students. The outcry comes at a [...]
Our Statement for the Record: Senate Hearing on Career Ready Student Veterans Act
Veterans Education Success (VES) appreciates the opportunity to share its perspective on the Career-Ready Student Veterans Act (S. 1938). VES is a non-profit organization focused on protecting the integrity and promise of the GI Bill [...]
Letter from VA to Sen. Durbin on VA’s Authorities with Respect to State Approving Agencies
On September 4, 2015, the Undersecretary for Veterans Affairs for Benefits wrote to Sen. Durbin that the authority for the approval of educational programs that enroll GI Bill beneficiaries was specifically granted to State Approving [...]
The GI Bill Pays for Degrees That Do Not Lead To a Job
Unfortunately, some programs approved for GI Bill benefits leave graduates de facto ineligible to obtain a job in their field of study because the school (1) lacks the appropriate accreditation or (2) fails to meet [...]
Los Angeles Times: For-Profit Colleges Are Using the GI Bill To Make Money Off Veterans
Many of the nation's largest for-profit college chains have seen enrollments plummet amid investigations into questionable job placement rates and deceptive marketing practices. One crucial source of revenue, however, has remained a constant: military veterans.
The Center for Investigative Reporting: Defense Department Now Reviewing University of Phoenix Recruiting
Pressure continues to mount on the Pentagon and the Department of Veterans Affairs amid widening concern about the quality of education at for-profit colleges and unaccredited institutions, which together have siphoned billions of dollars in [...]
Fay Observer: Higher Education: Know the Pros and Cons of For-Profit Schools
Commercial schools have been around for centuries, providing training in fields such as accounting and construction that loftier educational institutions did not always offer. America’s first billionaire, John D. Rockefeller Sr., completed a course at [...]
PBS NewsHour: Are for-profit universities taking advantage of veterans?
Since 2009, the G.I. Bill has paid up to $21,000 a year of college tuition for those who served in Iraq or Afghanistan. Much of that money, though, goes to for-profit schools, which award degrees [...]
The Center for Investigative Reporting: GI Bill Pays for Unaccredited Sex, Bible and Massage Schools
Iraq War veteran David Rodriguez steps into a softly lit classroom at the Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality in San Francisco, crosses his legs and sits on a pillow in front of an [...]
Military Times: For-Profit Colleges: A Consumer’s Guide
Commercial schools have been around for centuries, providing training in fields like accounting and construction that loftier educational institutions did not always offer. America's first billionaire, John D. Rockefeller Sr., completed a course at one [...]
Politico: Vets snared in for-profit college collapse want GI Bill money back
The collapse of for-profit Corinthian Colleges has been a calamity for Afghanistan and Iraq veterans who not only lost their chance at a college degree from the shuttered schools but also can’t get back tens [...]
Center for Investigative Reporting: University of Phoenix Sidesteps Obama Order on Recruiting Veterans
Hundreds of soldiers and their families spread lawn chairs and blankets across the grassy parade ground at Fort Campbell, which straddles the state line between Tennessee and Kentucky. They’re here to see Big Smo, the [...]
S.1908: Protecting Financial Aid for Students and Taxpayers Act
Sen. Sherrod Brown's bill to stop deceptive marketing by colleges
Tampa Bay Times: Helping Students Left Behind by For-Profit Colleges
Through no fault of their own, tens of thousands of students were left high and dry — and broke — when the for-profit Corinthian Colleges closed and abandoned them. So U.S. Education Department officials are [...]
Justice Department Settles with Education Affiliates’ Fortis College and other Brands over False Claims
Education Affiliates (EA), a for-profit education company based in White Marsh, Maryland, has agreed to pay $13 million to the United States to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting false [...]
Stars and Stripes: Congress presses VA to identify high-risk colleges
WASHINGTON — Could tweaking the Department of Veterans Affairs website have saved some veterans from suffering through the collapse of Corinthian Colleges? A group of congressional Democrats think so and on Monday asked the VA [...]
Veteran Protection from Consumer Fraud
Veterans, Military, Education & Consumer Organizations Write to Education Secretary Requesting Action on Consumer Fraud
Veterans, Military, Education & Consumer Organizations Write to Education Secretary Requesting Action on Consumer Fraud
The widespread fraud over many years and ultimate collapse of Corinthian Colleges raise broad issues about how the government should address predatory and/or unstable for-profit colleges. This letter seeks to engage the Department of Education [...]
Our Statement for the Record: House Hearing on Career Ready Student Veterans Act
Veterans Education Success (VES) appreciates the opportunity to share its perspective on the Career-Ready Student Veterans Act (H.R. 2360). VES is a non-profit organization focused on protecting the integrity and promise of the GI Bill [...]
FTC Settles with Ashworth College over Misleading Recruiting Methods
Ashworth College has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges it misrepresented to students that they would get the training and credentials needed to switch careers or get a new job, and that the course [...]
Our Statement for the Record: House hearing on veteran higher education opportunities
Veterans Education Success (VES) appreciates the opportunity to share its perspective on the topic of today’s hearing—higher education opportunities for the newest generation of veterans. VES is a non-profit organization focused on protecting the integrity [...]
New York Times: When Colleges Use Veterans as Pawns
Editorial When Colleges Use Veterans as Pawns By The Editorial Board Feb. 10, 2015 For-profit colleges that burden students with crippling debt — often while giving them useless credentials in return — are luring veterans [...]
Pittsburgh Business Times: EDMC, For-Profits Could Lose Major Funding Source Under Obama’s 2016 Budget Proposal
A proposal in President Barack Obama's 2016 budget that would close a loophole in G.I. Bill funding could spell trouble for for-profit education providers if approved by Congress.
The Corinthian Sale: Lessons Learned & Dealing With Future Challenges
The February 2015 sale of about half of Corinthian campuses to Zenith Education Group—a brand-new subsidiary of the student loan guaranty agency and debt collector ECMC—provides an opportunity to reflect on lessons learned and prepare [...]
Massachusetts Attorney General Settles with Premier Education Group’s Salter College over Misleading Recruiting Practices
BOSTON – A for-profit school will pay students $3.75 million to resolve allegations of misrepresenting job placement numbers and using deceptive enrollment tactics, Attorney General Martha Coakley announced today. A total of $3.5 million will [...]
Taxpayer Funds are Lifeline for More Than 100 For-Profit Schools
"More than 100 for-profit colleges are so dependent on taxpayer money that they would be violating a law designed to prevent profiteering if not for a loophole that excludes GI Bill funds and Department of [...]
Military and Veterans Education Protection Act
Sen. Carper's bill to close the 90/10 loophole
Military and Veterans Education Protection Act
WASHINGTON - Today, Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, introduced the Military and Veterans Education Protection Act to close a loophole that allows for-profit schools to avoid having [...]
CFPB Sues For-Profit Corinthian Colleges for Predatory Lending
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) sued for-profit college chain Corinthian Colleges, Inc. for its illegal predatory lending scheme. The Bureau alleges that Corinthian lured tens of thousands of students to [...]
VA Releases New Version of the GI Bill® Comparison Tool
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today launched an improved version of the GI Bill®Comparison Tool, which was first launched in February 2014. The GI Bill Comparison Tool is designed to make [...]
U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions: Is the New GI Bill Working? For-Profit Colleges Increasing Veteran Enrollment and Federal Funds (2014)
Almost three years ago the HELP Committee determined that eight of the top 10 recipients of veterans’ educational benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits were large, publicly traded companies that operate for-profit colleges. A [...]
PBS NewsHour: Is the GI Bill benefiting for-profit colleges instead of helping veterans?
Veterans can receive the full cost of a college education under the GI Bill, but recently funds from the bill have flowed mostly to for-profit schools, even though veterans’ prospects are often not appreciably better [...]
NYT: Corinthian College Shut Down by Education Department. Had claimed to be Pentagon-approved
Facing heavy losses and a crackdown by government agencies, Corinthian Colleges, one of the largest for-profit operators of trade schools and colleges, will largely cease operating under an agreement with the federal Education Department.
City Attorney of San Francisco Settles with EDMC’s Art Institutes over Use of Illegal Marketing Practices
The California Art Institute, a for-profit school with campuses up and down the state, will offer scholarships and tighten its student-recruitment practices in a $4.4 million settlement between the school's parent company and San Francisco, [...]
Florida Attorney General Settles with Kaplan over Misleading Recruiting Practices
PURSUANT to the provisions of Chapter 501, Part II of the Florida Statutes, Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, the OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF LEGAL AFFAIRS (hereinafter referred to as the [...]
Our Public Comment on the Need for Gainful Employment Regulations
Veterans Education Success called for the Education Department to institute a strong Gainful Employment rule to protect students who are duped into extremely expensive, subpar educations. While the proposed rule is a good first step [...]
Irene Coons, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Use of Standardized Tests Within Nursing Education Programs
This study explored the use of standardized tests within nursing programs. Standardized tests have been used within nursing programs for several decades (Shultz, 2010), but recently their use has increased. This rise in utilization may be [...]
Iowa Attorney General Settles with Bridgepoint’s Ashford College over Misleading Recruiting Practices
(DES MOINES, Iowa) Ashford University and San Diego-based parent company Bridgepoint Education Inc. have agreed to a $7.25 million dollar payment and are required to change certain recruitment and enrollment practices after Attorney General Tom [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Backed Into A Corner
As the Obama administration weighs public comment on its second proposal to more tightly regulate for-profit colleges, the industry is once again fighting in earnest to fend off the regulations.
CFPB Sues For-Profit College Chain ITT For Predatory Lending
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) filed a lawsuit against ITT Educational Services, Inc., accusing the for-profit college chain of predatory student lending. The CFPB alleges that ITT exploited its students [...]
New Mexico Attorney General Sues ITT Technical Institute for Nursing Program
This action seeks to redress on behalf of the public in New Mexico unlawful business practices by Defendant ITT Educational Services, Inc. d/b/a ITT Technical Institute. Defendant, in the course of operating a for-profit education [...]
U.S. News & World Report: Veterans Benefit From the ‘Power of the Pen’
CRITICS DERIDED AS “small stuff” President Obama’s announcement in his State of the Union address that he would focus less time on Congress (given its current ineffectiveness) and more time on his executive power, wielding the [...]
Inside Higher Ed: Following Student Veterans
Veterans and their families have a new website to use as they shop around for colleges and try to make sense of their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs released the [...]
Public Comment On Proposed College Ratings System
In this public comment, by veterans and military organizations, on the Education Department's proposed college ratings system, options to protect servicemembers are presented.
Veterans, Military, Education & Consumer Organizations Write to President Obama Requesting Strong Rules on “Gainful Employment”
Your administration now has an opportunity to better protect taxpayers and students, including our nation’s veterans, service members and their families, from predatory career education programs. The Education Department is developing draft regulations to enforce [...]
New Online GI Bill Comparison Tool Available
WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs launched today an online GI Bill® Comparison Tool to make it easier for Veterans, Servicemembers and dependents to calculate their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits and learn more about [...]
Stars and Stripes: Online complaints system will police colleges over GI Bill benefits
WASHINGTON — Federal officials on Thursday launched an online complaints system designed to root out colleges taking advantage of student veterans and their military education benefits. Complaints will be reviewed by the departments of Veterans [...]
Federal Agencies Partner to Protect Veterans, Service Members and their Families Using GI Bill Education Benefits
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Departments of Veterans Affairs, Defense, Education and Justice, along with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission announced today the launch of a new online complaint system designed [...]
Public Comment by Veterans and Military Organizations on Deceptive Marketing by For-Profit Schools
Public Comment by Veterans & Military Organizations on the Massachusetts Attorney General's Proposed Regulations on Deceptive Marketing by For-Profit Schools
Why For-Profit Schools are Targeting Veterans Education Benefits
Why For-Profit Schools are Targeting Veterans Education Benefits “We’ve got to make sure you’ve got every tool you need to make an informed decision when it comes to picking a school…. Right now, it’s not [...]
Denver Post: Argosy University Denver fined $3.3 million for deceptive practices
Argosy University Denver, a for-profit school, will pay $3.3 million in restitution and fines for engaging in deceptive marketing practices, the Colorado attorney general’s office said Thursday. “Our investigation revealed a pattern of Argosy recklessly [...]
Counting Veterans in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
Veteran and Military organizations write a letter of support for actions taken by the Education Department
Public Comment by Veterans & Military Organizations Providing Suggestions for VA’s Student Complaint Intake System
Comment Tracking Number: 1jx-886m-6hff Public Comments regarding OMB Control No. 2900—NEW (Principles of Excellence Complaint System Intake) Filed Oct. 15, 2013 We applaud and thank VA for its work establishing the veterans’ student complaint system, [...]
California Attorney General Files Suit in Alleged For-Profit College Predatory Scheme that Included Inappropriately Using Military Seals
SAN FRANCISCO -- Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today filed a lawsuit against Corinthian Colleges, Inc. (CCI) and its subsidiaries that operate Everest, Heald and WyoTech colleges for false and predatory advertising, intentional misrepresentations to [...]
Public Comment by Veteran and Military Organizations on DOD’s Tuition Assistance MOU
Public Comment by Veterans & Military Organizations Providing Suggestions to Defense Department on Tuition Assistance MOU
New York Attorney General Announces $10.25 Million Dollar Settlement With For-Profit Education Company That Inflated Job Placement Rates To Attract Students
NEW YORK – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced a $10.25 million settlement with Career Education Corporation (“CEC”), a for-profit education company. The settlement resolves an investigation that revealed that in disclosures made to [...]
Justice Department Settles with ATI over Misleading Recruiting Practices
ATI Enterprises Inc. will pay the government $3.7 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations that it falsely certified compliance with federal student aid programs’ eligibility requirements and submitted claims for ineligible students, the Justice [...]
Public Comment by Veterans & Military Organizations on the Need to Count Veterans in the Education Department’s IPEDS System
We write to commend the Education Department for its proposals to improve its Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) data collection.
Testimony of Holly Petraeus before the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs
Testimony of Hollister K. Petraeus Assistant Director, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Office of Servicemember Affairs Before the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs July 31, 2013 Chairman Sanders, Ranking Member Burr, and distinguished Members of [...]
Protecting DoD Education Funds
A letter to Congress seeking greater protections of Department of Defense monies used as education funds.
No Accreditation, No DoD Money
American Legion writes a letter to Senator Durbin asking for greater protection of Defense Department education funds.
Dear Senator Cochran: Defend DoD Education Funds from Poachers
A Letter to Senator Cochran seeking greater protection of Department of Defense educational funds.
PBS Frontline: For-Profit Colleges Under Scrutiny, Again
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/for-profit-colleges-under-scrutiny-again/
U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security/Govt Affairs: The 90/10 Rule: Improving Educational Outcomes for our Military and Veterans
Today's hearing focuses on the considerable investments taxpayers are making in providing high quality education benefits to our service members and veterans. In examining this issue, the committee is asking the question: are we getting [...]
Former DeVry military recruiter/whistleblower testimony
Chris Neiweem, a former DeVry military recruiter, testified before the US Senate Committee on Defense Appropriations for its hearing on the Defense Department's Voluntary Education programs. The full hearing link is here (https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings/hearing-on-voluntary-military-education-programs) Chris Neiweem's [...]
Coalition Letter to Obama Calling for Strong Gainful Employment Rules
A joint letter to President Obama addressing concerns that for-profit schools hurt, rather than help, veterans' chances of gainful employment after service.
Our Letter to the Education Department Regarding its 2013 Strategic Plan
Our Letter to the Education Department Regarding its 2013 Strategic Plan
VA Registers “GI Bill” as a Trademark
WASHINGTON - The Department of Veterans Affairs announced that GI Bill is now a registered trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and VA is the sole owner of the mark.
U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions: For Profit Higher Education: The Failure to Safeguard the Federal Investment and Ensure Student Success
Between June 2010 and July 2012, Senate HELP Committee Chairman Tom Harkin conducted an in-depth oversight investigation focusing exclusively on the for-profit sector of higher education. Theinvestigation was undertaken to better understand the enormous growth [...]
SEC: GiBill.Com | Full Legal Settlement, QuinStreet
This Assurance of Voluntary Compliance (“AVC”) is entered into by the Attorneys General of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, [...]
States’ Attorneys General Action A Victory for Veterans and the GI Bill
WASHINGTON – Officials of the Department of Veterans Affairs applauded a decision by the attorneys general of several states to give VA the rights to use the GIBill.Com website, after the website’s original owners QuinStreet [...]
Kentucky Attorney General Announces Win for Veterans against Predatory Practices
Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway announced today that QuinStreet, Inc. will turn over the website GIBill.com to the Department of Veterans Affairs and pay $2.5 million to the states involved as part of a consumer [...]
Veterans Affairs: After Court Settlement, VA Takes Over GIBill.com and Other Sites
In a legal win for Veterans, VA is taking control of the formerly privately-owned website GIBill.com. This means Veterans will be better protected against deceptive marketing practices launched by businesses eager to cash in on [...]
WBTV: GIBill.com to stop misleading veterans, service members
Raleigh, NC - GIBill.com, an official-looking website that steered military veterans to expensive for-profit schools, will turn its site over to the Department of Veterans Affairs and pay $2.5 million to North Carolina and 19 [...]
USA Today Editorial: Veterans Are Not Dollar Signs in Uniforms
The 1944 GI bill helped catapult a generation of veterans into the middle class and beyond, financing the education of three future Supreme Court justices, three presidents and thousands of doctors and scientists while democratizing many [...]
Colorado Attorney General Announces $4.5 Million Settlement with Westwood College to Address Deceptive Business Practices
DENVER — Colorado Attorney General John Suthers announced today the state has reached an agreement with Westwood College, Inc. to address allegations that the institution violated the Consumer Protection Act by misleading prospective students, engaging [...]
Military & Veteran Education Bill of Rights
A Bill of Rights for veterans and service members to rein in harmful practices while promoting educational success
U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions: PowerPoint Slides on GI Bill & For-Profit Colleges (2012)
What Are Taxpayers and Veterans Getting For Their Money? Taxpayers Spend More than Twice as Much to Train Veterans at ForProfit Colleges
U.S. Education Department Data on For-Profit Colleges’ Violation of 90/10 Law
Explore the internal Department of Education analysis obtained by The Center for Investigative Reporting that shows 133 for-profit colleges are so dependent on taxpayer money that they would be violating a law designed to prevent [...]
U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions: Executive Summary: For Profit Higher Education: The Failure to Safeguard the Federal Investment and Ensure Student Success (2012)
A 2-year investigation by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions demonstrated that Federal taxpayers are investing billions of dollars a year, $32 billion in the mostrecent year, in companies that operate for-profit [...]
U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions: Charts on Defense Department & For-Profit Colleges (2012)
For‐Profit Colleges Collect Half of All Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Benefits
David Deming, Claudia Goldin & Lawrence Katz, The For-Profit Post-Secondary School Sector: Nimble Critters or Agile Predators? American Economic Association Journal of Economic Perspectives
Private for-profit institutions have become an increasingly visible part of the U.S. higher education sector. Within that sector, they are today the most diverse institutions by program and size, have been the fastest growing, have [...]
U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions: Department of Defense Data Reveals For-Profit Colleges Are Taking in the Bulk of Military Education Benefits (2012)
New information provided by the Department of Defense (DOD) and analyzed by the majority staff of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) shows that for-profit colleges are receiving one of [...]
U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions: Recruiting Training Manuals from Top for-Profit Colleges (2012)
The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions conducted an investigation into predatory behavior at the nation's largest for-profit schools, who receive hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer dollars and veterans benefits, and [...]
New York Times: With Lobbying Blitz, For-Profit Colleges Diluted New Rules
"The battle got so testy that Senator Tom Harkin, the Iowa Democrat who has led Congressional hearings into the colleges, got into a heated exchange with Avy Stein, the Education Corporation investor. The senator said [...]
New York Times: For-Profit Colleges, Vulnerable G.I.’s
MILITARY personnel and their families are finding themselves under siege from for-profit colleges. A number of these schools focus on members of the armed forces with aggressive and often misleading marketing, and then provide little [...]
New York Times: Education is the Last Thing on Their Minds
The for-profit education industry complained of excessive regulation last fall when the Obama administration issued new rules intended to curb abuses at profit-making colleges and trade schools. But lawsuits brought by whistle-blowers with firsthand knowledge [...]
U.S. Government Accountability Office: DOD Education Benefits: Increased Oversight of Tuition Assistance Program is Needed
GAO recommends that DOD (1) improve accountability for recommendations made by third- party quality reviews, (2) develop a centralized process to track complaints against schools, (3) conduct a systemic review of its oversight processes, (4) take actions [...]
U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions: Benefitting Whom? For-Profit Education Companies and the Growth of Military Educational Benefits (2011)
Serious questions have emerged about the share of the military educational benefit pool going to for- profit schools with questionable outcomes. Congress may have unintentionally subjected this new generation of veterans to the worst excesses [...]
New York Times: Preying on Veterans
The for-profit education industry has been pushing back hard against new Education Department rules that will make it easier to rein in predatory schools that strip students of financial aid, saddle them with crushing debt [...]
New York Times: Rules for Gainful Education
The Obama administration has already adopted several new rules that will give the Department of Education more authority to rein in corrupt practices by for-profit universities. But the most crucial rule, the “gainful employment” provision, [...]
New York Times: Let the Students Profit
The Obama administration has proposed tough and much-needed regulations for lucrative for-profit colleges. Industry is predictably pushing back hard, with legions of high-priced lobbyists and organized letter-writing campaigns. The administration must hold its ground.
U.S. Government Accountability Office: For-Profit Colleges: Undercover Testing Finds Colleges Encouraged Fraud and Engaged in Deceptive Marketing Practices
Enrollment in for-profit colleges has grown from about 365,000 students to almost 1.8 million in the last several years. These colleges offer degrees and certifications in programs ranging from business administration to cosmetology. In 2009, [...]
New York Times: Who Profits? Who Learns?
Enrollment at for-profit colleges and trade schools has tripled in the last decade to about 1.8 million, or nearly 10 percent of the nation’s higher education students. These schools, partly because they serve poorer students [...]
Business Week: For-Profit Colleges Target the Military
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2009-12-30/for-profit-colleges-target-the-military
Supporting Our Troops: The Post 9/11 GI Bill
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Obama celebrated the beginning of implementation of the Post 9/11 GI Bill. This bill, through its Yellow Ribbon Programs and partnerships with colleges and universities throughout the nation, will provide our [...]
Mettler, “‘The Only Good Thing Was the GI Bill’: Effects of the Education and Training Provisions on African American Veterans’ Political Participation”
Dr. Suzanne Mettler, a senior professor of government at Cornell University, and a well-regarded expert on the WWII GI Bill (author of Soldiers to Citizens: The GI Bill and the Making of the Greatest Generation) [...]
U.S. Senate Permanent SubCommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Governmental Affairs: Abuses in Federal Student Aid Programs (1991)
This report on abuses in federal student aid programs, particularly the Guaranteed Student Loan Program (GSLP), is based on information gathered by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations in the course of its overall investigation [...]
GAO Report on VA Debt Collection from 1981
The U.S. Government Accountability Office released the following report titled "Legislation Plus Aggressive Action Needed to Strengthen VA's Debt Collection."
U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, Report to Accompany S.2784 Vietnam-Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 (S. Rep. 907, 93d Congress) (1974) (see especially pages 71-72 and 126 re: 85-15 rule)
The Committee on Veterans' Affairs, to which was referred the bill (S. 2784) to amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the vocational rehabilitation subsistence allowance, educational assistance allowances, and the special training allowances [...]
U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee to Investigate Educational, Training, and Loan Guaranty Programs Under the GI Bill: Report: Investigating Educational and Training Programs Under GI Bill (1952) (H. Rep. 1375, 82d Congress) – led by “Mr. Veteran” Chairman Olin “Tiger” Teague
There was a rapid uncontrolled expansion of private profit schools during the first several years of the veterans' training programs. Many of these schools were without educational background and experience and offered training of doubtful quality...