Sec. 215. IMPROVING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS FOR PURPOSES OF VETERANS EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE
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## SEC. 215 IMPROVING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS FOR PURPOSES OF VETERANS EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE **[**[38 U.S.C. 3698 note](/us/usc/t38/s3698)**]** ###
(a)Requirement Relating to G.I. Bill Comparison Tool ####
(1)Requirement to maintain tool The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall maintain the G.I. Bill Comparison Tool that was established pursuant to Executive Order 13607 (77 Fed. Reg. 25861; relating to establishing principles of excellence for educational institutions serving service members, veterans, spouses, and other family members) and in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act, or a successor tool, to provide relevant and timely information about programs of education approved under chapter 36 of title 38, United States Code, and the educational institutions that offer such programs. ####
(2)Data retention The Secretary shall ensure that historical data that is reported via the tool maintained under paragraph
(1)remains easily and prominently accessible on the benefits.va.gov website, or a successor website, for a period of not less than six years from the date of initial publication. ###
(b)Providing Timely and Relevant Education Information to Veterans, Members of the Armed Forces, and Other Individuals ####
(1)In general Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall make such changes to the tool maintained under subsection
(a)as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines appropriate to ensure that such tool is an effective and efficient method for providing information pursuant to section 3698(b)(5) of title 38, United States Code. ####
(2)Memorandum of understanding required Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall seek to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Secretary of Education and the heads other relevant Federal agencies, as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines appropriate, to obtain information on outcomes with respect to individuals who are entitled to educational assistance under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and who are attending educational institutions. Such memorandum of understanding may include data sharing or computer matching agreements. ####
(3)Modification of scope of comprehensive policy on providing education information Section 3698 of title 38, United States Code, is amended— #####
(A)in subsection (a), by striking “veterans and members of the Armed Forces” and inserting “individuals entitled to educational assistance under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs”; and #####
(B)in subsection (b)(5)— ######
(i)by striking “veterans and members of the Armed Forces” and inserting “individuals described in subsection (a)”; and ######
(ii)by striking “the veteran or member” and inserting “the individual”. ####
(4)G.I. bill comparison tool required disclosures Paragraph
(1)of subsection
(c)of such section is amended— #####
(A)by striking subparagraph
(B)and inserting the following: > > ##### “(B) > > for each individual described in subsection
(a)seeking information provided under subsection (b)(5), the name of each Federal student aid program, and a description of each such program, from which the individual may receive educational assistance; and” > ; #####
(B)in subparagraph (C)— ######
(i)in clause (i), by inserting “and a definition of each type of institution” before the semicolon; ######
(ii)in clause (iv), by inserting “and if so, which programs” before the semicolon; ######
(iii)by striking clause
(v)and inserting the following: > > ### “(v) > > the average annual cost and the total cost to earn an associate’s degree and a bachelor’s degree, with available cost information on any other degree or credential the institution awards;” > ; ######
(iv)in clause (vi), by inserting before the semicolon the following: > “disaggregated by— > > > ###### “(I) > > the type of beneficiary of educational assistance; > > > ###### “(II) > > individuals who received a credential and individuals who did not; and > > > ###### “(III) > > individuals using educational assistance under laws administered by the Secretary and individuals who are not;” > ; ######
(v)in clause (xiv), by striking “and” at the end; ######
(vi)in clause (xv), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and ######
(vii)by adding at the end the following new clauses: > > ###### “(xvi) > > the number of veterans or members who completed covered education at the institution leading to— > > > ###### “(I) > > a degree, disaggregated by type of program, including— > > > ###### “(aa) > > an associate degree; > > > ###### “(bb) > > a bachelor’s degree; and > > > ###### “(cc) > > a postbaccalaureate degree; and > > > ###### “(II) > > a certificate or professional license, disaggregated by type of certificate or professional license; > > > ###### “(xvii) > > programs available and the average time for completion of each program; > > > ###### “(xviii) > > employment rate and median income of graduates of the institution in general two and five years after graduation, disaggregated by— > > > ###### “(I) > > specific program; and > > > ###### “(II) > > individuals using educational assistance under laws administered by the Secretary and individuals who are not; and > > > ###### “(xix) > > the number of individuals using educational assistance under laws administered by the Secretary who are enrolled in the both the institution and specific program per year.” > . ####
(5)Clarity and anonymity of information provided Paragraph
(2)of such subsection is amended— #####
(A)by inserting “(A)” before “To the extent”; and #####
(B)by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: > > ##### “(B) > > The Secretary shall ensure that information provided pursuant to subsection (b)(5) is provided in a manner that is easy for, and accessible to, individuals described in subsection (a). > > > ##### “(C) > > In providing information pursuant to subsection (b)(5), the Secretary shall maintain the anonymity of individuals described in subsection
(a)and, to the extent that a portion of any data would undermine such anonymity, ensure that such data is not made available pursuant to such subsection.” > . ###
(c)Improvements for Student Feedback ####
(1)In general Subsection (b)(2) of such section is amended— #####
(A)by amending subparagraph
(A)to read as follows: > > ##### “(A) > > provides institutions of higher learning— > > > ###### “(i) > > up to 30 days to review and respond to feedback from individuals described in subsection
(a)and address issues regarding the feedback before the feedback is published; and > > > ###### “(ii) > > if an institution of higher learning contests the accuracy of the feedback, the opportunity to challenge the inclusion of such data with an official appointed by the Secretary;” > ; #####
(B)in subparagraph (B), by striking “and” at the end; #####
(C)in subparagraph (C), by striking “that conforms with criteria for relevancy that the Secretary shall determine.” and inserting “, and responses from institutions of higher learning to such feedback, that conform with criteria for relevancy that the Secretary shall determine;”; and #####
(D)by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs: > > ##### “(D) > > for each institution of higher learning that is approved under this chapter, retains, maintains, and publishes all of such feedback for not less than six years; and > > > ##### “(E) > > is easily accessible to individuals described in subsection
(a)and to the general public.” > . ####
(2)Accessibility from g.i. bill comparison tool The Secretary shall ensure that— #####
(A)the feedback tracked and published under subsection (b)(2) of such section, as amended by paragraph (1), is prominently displayed in the tool maintained under subsection
(a)of this section; and #####
(B)when such tool displays information for an institution of higher learning, the applicable feedback is also displayed for such institution of higher learning. ###
(d)Training for Provision of Education Counseling Services ####
(1)In general Not less than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall ensure that personnel employed by the Department of Veteran Affairs, or a contractor of the Department, to provide education benefits counseling, vocational or transition assistance, or similar functions, including employees or contractors of the Department who provide such counseling or assistance as part of the Transition Assistance Program, are trained on how— #####
(A)to use properly the tool maintained under subsection (a); and #####
(B)to provide appropriate educational counseling services to individuals described in section 3698(a) of such title, as amended by subsection (b)(3)(A). ####
(2)Transition assistance program defined In this subsection, the term “Transition Assistance Program” means the program of counseling, information, and services under section 1142 of title 10, United States Code. ## Subtitle B Employment and Training
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- 77 FR 25861
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Sec. 215
IMPROVING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS FOR PURPOSES OF VETERANS EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE
Fed. Reg.77 FR 25861
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