Postsecondary CTE opportunities are uniquely positioned to serve returning veterans by teaching them to apply their skills in the context of a traditional workplace and ensuring they have the necessary credentials to enter the labor market.
In many states, these important programs are offered at career and technical education centers – public, non-profit, non-degree granting institutions that award certificates to students demonstrating their technical competency. A key strategy to serve these non-traditional students is offering programs that will accommodate their circumstances, including offering distance learning and online components. However, the current Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act prohibits non-degree granting institutions from eligibility for consideration of veteran’s benefits if the associated program includes any form of independent study, including online learning.
ACTE has advocated for legislation that would allow for these innovative programs to prepare our veterans for career success through credential-granting programs, which boost graduates’ earnings by an average of 20 percent according to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. U.S. Senators Jim Inhofe (R-OK) and James Lankford (R-OK) and Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on Thursday, April 28, requesting comment and clarification on the issue, and are hopeful they can find a path forward to resolve this important issue.
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