We work on a bipartisan basis to advocate on behalf of military-connected students to ensure they have access to high quality education, leading to viable career opportunities. We advocate for better college quality and student outcomes; strong accountability measures to ensure colleges provide a robust return on investment; student protections; and for the integrity and success of key federal programs that support military-connected students, such as the GI Bill, Vocational Rehabilitation, and Defense Department Tuition Assistance.
POLICY ISSUES
Learn more about the key policy issues. Read our reports and advocacy letters.
Students have rights and colleges must be held to a higher standard.
Disabled veterans’ right to student loan forgiveness
We had a major win in forcing the US Education Department to honor disabled veterans’ legal right to student loan forgiveness. Still more to do!
Loan Relief for Students Defrauded by a School
We fight for defrauded veterans to get their student loans forgiven by the Education Department, and their Pell Grants restored.
Integrity and Quality Standards by Colleges
We advocate for rules requiring colleges to abide by basic integrity rules and meet minimum quality standards.
VA’s Obligation to Stop Colleges’ Deceptive Recruiting
We have pushed VA for years to stop colleges’ deceptive recruiting. We helped bring to VA’s attention a Vietnam-era statute, 38 USC 3696, that requires VA to cut off GI Bill funding to schools that engage in deceptive recruiting. We continue to prod VA to comply with the law, including engaging Congressional pressure on VA.
GI Bill Reinstatement for Students Whose School Closed
The Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017 allows VA to restore entitlement to beneficiaries affected by school closure or disapproval (if the disapproval was due to a change in law or VA interpretation of statute).
National GI Bill Delays
We worked to ensure that GI Bill delays were addressed immediately, and has fought to make sure the VA makes back payments on all missed payments.
Specific Schools
We work with the VA to make sure bad-actor schools that rip off students are brought under proper oversight so that veterans get the best quality education and training for their hard-earned education benefits.
VA Proposes to Waive Ethics Rule for VA Employees
When the Department of Veterans Affairs announced a rule to waive federal ethics rules to legalize bribery of VA employees, we alerted and worked closely with ethics experts, and our military, veteran and education allies to organize opposition efforts to force VA to reverse its decision.
OUR ADVOCACY
See how we are working to advance higher education success, protecting the integrity and promise of the GI Bill.
Our Advocacy Letters
We collaborate with our veteran & military allies to maximize our collective advocacy impact. We frequently submit formal letters, with policy recommendations, to federal agencies and Congress.
We work with Congressional Committees and Members to introduce bills, hold hearings, and urge the executive branch to protect military-connected students.
Our Work with the Executive Branch
We work with federal agencies to ensure military-connected students’ hard-earned education benefits are successful and effective.
Our Work with the States
An emerging area of our work is helping state policymakers better understand and address the need to improve college quality and accountability.
Congressional Roundtable: From GI Bill Student to U.S. Representative
In 2020 we hosted a roundtable discussion featuring Members of Congress who used federal education benefit programs like the GI Bill to support their journey through higher education. Learn what they said about their experience and more.
