School Accountability & Student Protections – more news & info

Q: 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 to veterans, found that, owing to inaction by the V.A. and its state agents, degree programs that did not qualify students for state licensure in their fields of study were still receiving G.I. Bill money. The bipartisan Senate bill aimed at closing the 90/10 loophole stands a good chance of succeeding where similar bills, supported only by Democrats, have repeatedly failed. The Senate also ought to pass the Protect the G.I. Bill Act , which cleared the House by unanimous vote in November. Among other things, it would clamp down on deceptive recruiting and protect students from fake law schools that are not approved by the American Bar Association. Servicemen and women — and the taxpayers who fund their educations — deserve at least that much." Read the full editorial here .

Q: 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 Education Assistance Agency, before the Supreme Court of the State of Montana. [pdf-embedder url="https://vetsedsuccess.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/12.16.19-Amicus-Brief.pdf" title="12.16.19 Amicus Brief"]

Q: 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 of GI Bill benefits to train service canines and their handlers . . . On November 6, 2019, Judge Ezra convicted Croft of eight counts of wire fraud, four counts of aggravated identity theft, two counts of money laundering and two counts of making a false tax return. Testimony provided at trial revealed that beginning in 2013, Croft provided false information in applications to the Texas Veterans Commission, including instructors’ names, certifications and training documents indicating that certain individuals would be instructors at the school, to receive GI Bill educational benefit payments." See the full press release here .

Q: 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 every patriotic American," she said. “Enough is enough. It’s time to stop the fleecing of America’s veterans and service members by predatory colleges.” Read the full story here .

Q: 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,' she said. "For-profit schools cost on average twice as much as public colleges , and most of their revenues come directly from taxpayers through federal financial aid. The schools also spend heavily on marketing to recruit students who qualify for federal aid, especially veterans." Read the full story here .

Q: 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 student veteran Richard Baca's criticisms about quality and cost. "When Congress first passed the GI Bill, they didn't think about accountability, about measuring outcomes or returns on investment," said Walter Ochinko, research director at VES, which recently released a report on the confusing oversight statutes . "As a result, there are now gaping holes in the GI Bill." A series of changes in 2011 and 2016 meant to clarify oversight roles has only muddled things, according to the VES report. "I have paid out of pocket for a lot of my degree because [Ashford] cannot seem to work with our benefits like they said they could," one veteran said. "The school continuously maxed me out on student loans every semester even though I got [the] GI Bill," a disabled veteran wrote. "Now not only do I have two degrees that are almost practically useless, but I am over $70,000 in debt." Read the full story here .

Q: 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 every patriotic American," she said. “Enough is enough. It's time to stop the fleecing of America’s veterans and service members by predatory colleges.” Read the full story here : https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/u-phoenix-agrees-cancel-141-million-student-loan-debt-n1099681

Q: 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 every patriotic American," she said. “Enough is enough. It’s time to stop the fleecing of America’s veterans and service members by predatory colleges.” Read the full story here .

Q: 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 and servicemembers by predatory colleges,” she said. Read the full story at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/wesleywhistle/2019/12/10/university-of-phoenix-pays-191-million-for-deceiving-students/#792749173c3a

Q: 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 leadership and call on VA and the Defense Department to protect veterans and service members.” During the FTC investigation, the advocacy group connected the commission with half a dozen whistleblowers who served as recruiters for Phoenix. Wofford said the FTC settlement puts pressure on VA to enforce federal law requiring the agency to cut off GI Bill funds to schools that engage in deceptive and misleading recruiting and advertising. VA did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. Read the full story at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2019/12/10/ftc-reaches-million-settlement-with-university-phoenix-deceptive-advertising-probe/

VA’s Approval of Ashford for GI Bill (Feb. 2020)

Carrie Wofford2020-02-18T13:09:09+00:00February 18th, 2020|Categories: Deceptive Colleges, School Accountability & Student Protections - more news & info|

New York Times: Protect Veterans from Fraud

Carrie Wofford2020-01-05T13:42:10+00:00January 1st, 2020|Categories: 90/10, Deceptive Colleges, Editorials by Newspaper Editors, Quality of Education & Student Outcomes - more news & info, School Accountability & Student Protections - more news & info, We're In The News|

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

Carrie Wofford2019-12-14T14:01:26+00:00December 14th, 2019|Categories: Deceptive Colleges, School Accountability & Student Protections - more news & info, We're In The News|

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

Carrie Wofford2019-12-14T14:00:01+00:00December 11th, 2019|Categories: Deceptive Colleges, School Accountability & Student Protections - more news & info, We're In The News|

Forbes: University Of Phoenix Pays $191 Million For Deceiving Students

Carrie Wofford2019-12-10T23:52:37+00:00December 10th, 2019|Categories: Deceptive Colleges, School Accountability & Student Protections - more news & info, We're In The News|

Washington Post: FTC reaches $191 million settlement with University of Phoenix in deceptive-advertising probe

Carrie Wofford2019-12-10T23:48:45+00:00December 10th, 2019|Categories: Deceptive Colleges, School Accountability & Student Protections - more news & info, We're In The News|

VA’s Approval of Ashford for GI Bill (Feb. 2020)

New York Times: Protect Veterans from Fraud

Letter from Congress to VA regarding VA’s obligation to protect veterans from deceptive colleges

Our Amicus Brief in the Montana Supreme Court re Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Federal Judge Orders Owner of Dog Training School to Forfeit Assets from Fraud Scheme against GI Bill Benefits

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

NBC News: University of Phoenix Settlement “Drop in the Bucket” for Student Debt, Advocates Say

PBS NewsHour & Hechinger Report: For-Profit Colleges that Get GI Bill Money Need More Oversight, Veterans Say

NBC News: University of Phoenix to Cancel $141 Million in Student Debt

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

Forbes: University Of Phoenix Pays $191 Million For Deceiving Students

Washington Post: FTC reaches $191 million settlement with University of Phoenix in deceptive-advertising probe

Veterans Education Success