Barrett Bogue

Q: 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 veterans. Ashford, which is based in San Diego, is a primarily online university that has a long history of battling to hold on to its access to tens of millions of dollars in GI Bill funds — a key source of revenue for the school. Veterans Education Success, an advocacy group primarily for student veterans, said the VA is violating the law for approving federal benefits to be used at a school that “engaged in deceptive advertising or recruiting.” "It is outrageous that VA continues to violate federal law in order to help for-profit colleges while throwing veterans under the bus," Carrie Wofford, president of Veterans Education Success, said in a prepared statement. "Veterans have legal rights to be protected from fraud and VA has a legal obligation to stop funding that fraud — but VA keeps refusing to follow the law." Read the full story by Stars & Stripes , "Vets group sounds the alarm after VA greenlights controversial Ashford University for GI Bill funds" published February 21, 2020.

Q: 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.

Q: 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 agency meant to serve as a gatekeeper for federal money gave the university approval to operate anyway. That accrediting agency, financially troubled and losing members fast, exists mainly because it was saved by the Education Department in 2018." Read the full story by USA Today, "This college was accredited by a DeVos-sanctioned group. We couldn’t find evidence of students or faculty." published February 15, 2020.

Q: 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 gone over and fought for GI bill benefits but we shouldn't have to come back and fight for a quality education. That's what some law makers want to change." Read the full story by WMAR Baltimore, "State lawmakers looking at bill that may help veterans with college" published February 4, 2020.

Q: 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 Mike Saunders, legal director for Veterans Education Success. While veterans’ groups did not raise the issue in their letter , Saunders said those veterans also should have their loans discharged. 'We shouldn’t just forget about them,' he said." Read the full story by Inside Higher Ed, "Student Loan Relief for Disabled Vets" published February 4, 2020.

Q: 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 government over the same period. Legislators have introduced three pieces of legislation regulating for-profit colleges, but some of the state’s schools ... Read the full story by the Maryland: The Daily Record, "Md. lawmakers look to add for-profit college regulations again this year" published February 4, 2020.

Q: 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 urges her to direct the Department of Education (DoE) to follow an executive order signed by President Donald Trump that ordered the department to forgive all outstanding student loans held by permanently and totally disabled veterans. More than 40,000 severely disabled veterans are still waiting on the DoE to automatically forgive their student loan debts, as directed by the administration. The average loan balance eligible for forgiveness is around $30,000. Of those 40,000 veterans, more than 25,000 are in default on their loans and face collection actions, including withholding of federal and civilian pay, disability benefits and tax refunds; bad credit reports; and other financial hardships." Read the full story by Military.com, "Veterans Groups Want Government to Expedite Forgiveness of Student Loans" published January 28, 2020.

Q: 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 with too much debt and limited job prospects." Read the fully story by NPR, "Teachers Union Lawsuit Claims DeVos 'Capriciously' Repealed Borrower Protections" published January 22, 2020.

Q: 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 Had a Rocky Start. Is It Growing Pains or a Sign of Trouble?" published January 21, 2020.

Q: 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 accreditors in the U.S., weakening its legitimacy in the higher education sector." Read the full story by Education Dive, "ACICS no longer seeking recognition from key oversight group" published January 21, 2020.

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So far Barrett Bogue has created 102 blog entries.

About Barrett Bogue

Stars & Stripes: Vets group sounds the alarm after VA greenlights controversial Ashford University for GI Bill funds

Press Release: Veterans Education Success Responds to VA’s Decision to Approve Ashford University for GI Bill Funds

Veterans Education Success Testifies Before Oregon Senate Committee on Closing the 90/10 Loophole

USA Today: This college was accredited by a DeVos-sanctioned group. We couldn’t find evidence of students or faculty

WMAR Baltimore: State lawmakers looking at bill that may help veterans with college

Inside Higher Ed: Student Loan Relief for Disabled Vets

Maryland: The Daily Record: Md. lawmakers look to add for-profit college regulations again this year

Politico Morning Ed: Nearly Two Dozen Veteran and Military Service Organizations Are Continuing to Press DeVos

Military.com: Veterans Groups Want Government to Expedite Forgiveness of Student Loans

NPR: Teachers Union Lawsuit Claims DeVos ‘Capriciously’ Repealed Borrower Protections

Chronicle of Higher Education: Purdue Global Has Had a Rocky Start. Is It Growing Pains or a Sign of Trouble?

Education Dive: ACICS no longer seeking recognition from key oversight group

Veterans Education Success