These findings result from the work accomplished by the seven partner colleges and TWC. Additional lessons may be learned from activities in other states (see Sidebar on Other States).
• Entry into the civilian workforce is delayed when veterans are required to repeat coursework or training they had in the military. Projects designed to streamline the award of credit toward certificates, licenses, and degrees are cost-effective for the veteran or service member, and for state and federal government. By saving veterans time, they will be able to enter the workforce sooner, or they may be able to achieve higher levels of education as their GI education benefits are more efficiently spent.
• Our nation’s lack of consistent academic policies and procedures on the award of college credit for military training and experience presents unnecessary and costly barriers to degrees, licenses, and certificates that veterans need to enter the civilian workforce. Each project developed under College Credit for Heroes
demonstrates that streamlined programs can pass credentialing scrutiny and save funding as well. Military health training and experience can be translated into the civilian sector by ensuring that military health educators and college faculty work together, sharing common goals.
• TWC’s College Credit for Heroes program has been very cost-effective and will speed entry into the civilian workforce for veterans. Fiscal impact studies demonstrate that veterans and servicemembers, colleges and universities, and state and federal government will all benefit from continued work.
• Colleges can and will work together to find strategies that work for both the veterans and the institutions. Cooperation, rather than competition, is the remedy for finding solutions. Using the Texas Inter-College Council on Veterans as a communication and learning vehicle was a positive strategy that helped to develop solutions if problems arose and kept communication lines open.
• Small- to medium-size colleges can design cost-effective ways to enhance veterans’ achievement. It is not all about having lots of resources. Lee College efficiently used grant funding to establish an Individual Education Plan for veterans, tutoring, and other services to assist veterans. The college can now track veterans’ grade point averages. As a result, actions beyond grant activities happened. A new student veteran’s organization was formed on campus, and community and civic organizations and businesses have stepped forward to assist veterans and Lee College.
• State laws, as well as educational accreditation requirements, may pose limitations on the award of college credit for veterans and servicemembers. The potential limitation of elective credits under Texas state law may pose a barrier to the award of credit under College Credit for Heroes. CTC was concerned that issuing official CTC transcripts to students who have no affiliation with CTC, other than requesting that their military training and education be evaluated, may not be consistent with accreditation guidelines. Additionally, as demonstrated by the Accelerated Alternate
Projects
designed to
streamline
the award
of credit
toward
certificates,
licenses,
and
degrees
are cost-
effective
for the
veteran
or service-
member,
and for
state and
federal
government.
Delivery Surgical Technology Certificate Program at Houston Community College, the accreditation requirement that 25 percent of credits must be taken in residence at the degree-granting institution poses limitations to some accelerated programs.
• Military education goals and colleges’ educational goals share common characteristics and content, and may be more similar than previously thought. The three colleges that designed streamlined allied health programs studied military training in depth. Academic faculty examined learning goals and objectives, course content, and skills. They prepared crosswalk tables to compare military course content with civilian content. By studying the coursework, college officials can translate military training into academic civilian training, without having to assess each student. Alternatively, competency testing enables student veterans to skip known content and proceed to new learning experiences.
• The inventory of nursing and allied health programs across the state points to directions for further reforms. While three health programs were studied—surgical technology, associate degree nursing, and emergency medical services—a vast array of other health programs also can be studied with the intent of streamlining military training into civilian licensing, certification, or degree programs. The 64 health programs at METC provide a wide menu of choices for next steps.
• Nursing and allied health education can be streamlined for experienced veterans and servicemembers and still meet state and national licensing or certification guidelines. TWC, academic faculty, and the State of Texas want qualified health practitioners to enter into their profession. Yet, College Credit for Heroes projects have proven that streamlined civilian education courses for experienced veterans and servicemembers meet state and national licensing, certification, and accrediting guidelines.
• The lack of statewide data or regular reporting on veterans or servicemembers attending Texas colleges diminishes the
perception of the importance of veterans on college campuses. If Texas cannot clearly identify basic facts about veterans and servicemembers on college campuses today, the state and academic institutions cannot adequately plan for their education. Baseline numbers, degree plans, rates of increase, and other factors are key information points.
• Continued outreach to veterans, servicemembers, and colleges is key to encouraging other Texas institutions to adopt College Credit for Heroes best practices and to award credit for military training and experience. Other Texas colleges and institutions have been very receptive to beginning their own College Credit for Heroes projects. TWC plans to continue this outreach to benefit veterans and servicemembers.
Nursing
and allied
health
education
can be
streamlined
for
experienced
veterans
and
service-
members
and still
meet state
and
national
licensing or
certification
guidelines.
Other States
Before TWC initiated the College Credit for Heroes program, other states had taken some preliminary measures to enable veterans and service members to get credit for military experience and to ease their transition into college classrooms. At first, many initiatives originated with governors’ executive orders, and then state legislatures enacted additional measures. California and Ohio were among the first; Minnesota provides another example. California’s initiative, Troops to College, was announced in March 2006 by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Under Troops to College, the California community college system, the California State University system, and the University of California system worked together under an oversight committee appointed by the governor.26
Under policies adopted by the California State University system, passing scores on College- Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams will satisfy general education requirements at all institutions in the system.27
Under California law (SB 813, 2011), veterans have priority in registering for classes for four years after leaving active duty.28 This helps veterans stay on their program or degree paths,
without having to compete with other college students for in-demand classes or classes needed for degree completion.
Recently, the California legislature adopted a nonbinding resolution, ACR 159, which
encourages the three statewide college systems to adopt ACE credit recommendations giving veterans credit for their military experience.29
Recently, the Bureau of Investigative Affairs at the California Department of Consumer Affairs implemented the Veterans Come First program, enabling veterans to receive priority service in becoming licensed as security guards, private investigators, locksmiths, or other categories licensed under the Bureau’s authority.30
Under the Ohio GI Promise initiative, all 36 Ohio public colleges and universities are members of SOC. This means that Ohio colleges and universities accept ACE credit recommendations for military service and training. A statewide reporting system will be developed over time. Former Ohio Governor Ted Strickland issued Executive Order 2008-17S instituting the SOC requirement. The executive order also set up the GI Promise Council to promote educational opportunities for veterans.31
Ohio has a five-point policy on awarding college credit for military training and experience. 1. “College credit will be granted to students with military training, experience, or
coursework that is recognized by ACE.
2. All public institutions of higher education in Ohio will use ACE Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services in evaluating and awarding academic credit
for military training, experience, and coursework.
3. If the course to which the military training, experience, or coursework is equivalent fulfills a general education or major course or degree program requirement at the receiving institution, the credit should count towards graduation and meet a requirement accordingly. Otherwise, appropriate course credit including free elective course credit will be granted.
4. Credits earned via military training, experience, and coursework are transferable within public institutions of higher education in Ohio according to the state’s Transfer Module, Transfer Assurance Guides, Career-Technical Credit Transfer, and transfer policy. 5. Each public institution of higher education in Ohio will provide information on
awarding of college credit for military training, experience, and coursework, which should include the number of credits awarded and the course equivalents.”32
The only state with a centralized website resembling Texas’ College Credit for Heroes website is Minnesota. The Veterans Re-Entry Education Program (VREP) created the Veterans Education Transfer System (VETS), an online system that allows veterans and service
members to determine how military training can count for credit at all Minnesota state colleges and universities, including community colleges. Veterans and service members can search for academic programs and credit transfer information by military branch and occupation.33
In 2006, Minnesota enacted a statute requiring the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system to recognize courses and award credits for military training or service if the courses meet ACE standards or the equivalent. The statute encourages the University of
Minnesota and private colleges and universities in Minnesota to award similar credit, but does not require them to make the award.34
In addition, the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system adopted policies and procedures for member institutions to evaluate and grant undergraduate credit to a student
for successful college-level learning gained in noncredit or experiential settings. The policies enable students, including veterans, to earn credit by taking national or course-specific exams, developing portfolios, or demonstrating competency.35
Some states have recently enacted statutes that generally direct state licensing or certification entities to allow military training and experience to count toward civilian professional credentialing. According to Rodrigo Garcia, chairman of the Student Veterans of America, broad-based laws that generally direct licensing agencies to study how to account for military training in credentialing processes usually do not result in many, if any, changes.36
An emerging trend is for states to authorize temporary or reciprocal licenses for the spouses of military service members. This enables military families to transfer to other states and continue practicing in their professions. States that have enacted some version of this include Arizona, California, Florida, and Illinois.37
In Texas, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations provided that military personnel who gained electrical experience during military service were able to apply that training toward meeting experience requirements for a state journeyman electrician’s license during a statutory grandfathering period, following the enactment of House Bill 1487 passed by the 78th Texas
Senate Bill 1736, the enabling legislation for College Credit for Heroes, requires TWC to report to the Texas Legislature and the governor on:
• “measures needed to facilitate the award of academic or workforce education credit by institutions of higher education for military experience, education, and training obtained during military service; and
• other related measures needed to facilitate the entry of trained, qualified veterans and military servicemembers into the workforce.”39 To help develop the recommendations as required under Senate Bill 1736, the seven partner colleges convened for the Veterans Excellence Conference hosted by Lone Star College in August 2012. The conference focused on best practices, lessons learned, and remaining barriers.
Interactive sessions included input from representatives of 33 community colleges and
universities from across the state, military and veterans’ organizations, and governor’s office and state agency staff. The final conference panel discussion, attended by Senate Bill 1736 sponsor Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, focused on next steps. The following recommendations stem from discussions with member colleges, final project reports, TWC research, and, most importantly, input from the Veterans Excellence Conference.
Expand TWC’s College Credit for Heroes program to other colleges and universities, geographic areas, and other professions.
• TWC issued a new Request for Proposal that will be open to additional colleges, universities, and professions.
Continue to improve the College Credit for Heroes website (www.collegecreditforheroes. org). Identify a funding plan to expand Central Texas College’s (CTC) website and database to maintain and improve the college’s ability to provide official transcripts or evaluations to veterans and servicemembers. An expansion will enable more colleges and universities to assess credit evaluated, as well as reducing staff time currently necessary to conduct assessments at each college or university.
• TWC has enabled CTC to use unexpended funds resulting from the original grant and awarded additional funding to continue the availability of evaluation of military training in Fiscal Year 2013. Funding under a new contract will also enable CTC to seek favorable interpretations, needed changes, and any necessary approvals for the model of issuing official college transcripts that document military training and experience developed through the College Credit for Heroes website and program, while continuing to do evaluations of military training and experience.