California and the Post 9/11 GI Bill
Active duty, reserve, and veterans of the military have expressed concern over the tuition benefits of the Post 9/11 GI Bill in California–or rather, the lack thereof. California currently offers zero tuition to military personnel and family attending school with the Post 9/11 GI Bill due to the fact that they have flat enrollment fees for their in-state students instead of variable tuition.
The Post 9/11 GI Bill, dependent on tuition by state for a large portion of its benefits, does not have a clear-cut solution put aside for how to handle California’s method of educational expenses. NavyTimes reports California having recognized this issue; the state lawmakers have been trying to find a solution for the problem, but the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs has been discouraging immediate action in fear it will delay the Post 9/11 GI Bill.
This anomaly in California’s management of educational expenses was actually meant to be a benefit for students. In 1960, California declared it wanted to offer postsecondary education “tuition free,” so that students of the state could attend college simply by covering one standard fee. Unfortunately, with the legislation of the Post 9/11 GI Bill as it currently stands, the difference between the words “fee” and “tuition” have had a dramatic impact on thousands of dollars of benefits versus zero.
The VA Watchdog has a story about a member of the Marine Corps, Paul Miller, that qualified for music scholarships and planned on attending the San Francisco Conservatory of Music to study the clarinet–but with the loophole in the Post 9/11 GI Bill in California, even after all the generous scholarships were calculated into it, Miller would have to rely on student loans. The GI Bill would not benefit him.
McKeon, a Congressman of California, proposed on May 19, 2009 proposed the Veterans Educational Equality Act. The act tries to provide a benefit a military student attending a school in California by providing a flat grant of $6,586.51 (bill HR 2472).
Originally, the VA offered this $6,586.51 to cover the “fee” expenditure in California, but it could not be applied to tuition. For a student attending a government-funded California school, this worked fine, since those schools do not have tuition expenses. For students going to a private school in California, however, such as students attending Stanford University, the $6,586.51 covered the $1,000.00 fee cost of Stanford University, but did nothing for the remaining $37,000 in tuition.
The Veterans Educational Equality Act would allow the remaining $5,586.51 to be applied to a private school’s tuition rate. This means that instead of a student facing a bill of $37,000 at Stanford University, they would have bill of $31,413.49. Still a heavy price to pay, but an improvement from the previous lack of benefits the state provided.
Congressman McKeon describes it as: “California’s prohibition on tuition was meant to hold costs down, not unfairly drive them up for our state’s veterans.”
I am a veteran who is being affected by this “semantic error”. It seems that once again, Veterans get the short end of the stick here in California. I think it is unacceptable that this has not been fixed as of this time and I would urge our lawmakers to make this the highest-priority issues to be resolved.
Hi, I’m the guy from the SF Chronicle article quoted by the VA Watchdog. I’ve been in touch with the VA, with my Representatives, the CA Certification Office… hell, I even sent an email describing the situation to Glen Beck. The only people who seem to be helpful have been the fine folks at the IAVA, and the VA isn’t talking to them about this issue.
This “semantic error” is going to cost me $13,600 dollars next year. It will double the amount of outstanding debt that I currently hold. Our lawmakers have in their infinite wisdom referred this to Subcommittee. Which means, we don’t know when or if it will be considered by the House and Senate.
The VA ought to just fix this issue. The legal section cited by the VA does not ask the VA to make any distinction between “fees” and “tuition,” it directs to Secretary to pay “established charges.”
I don’t see what’s so frickin’ hard about it, and I don’t see why they’re not willing to talk about the issue.
To add to this matter, there is another loophole that will screw many veterans. Due to the California Budget Crisis, California State schools have met their max In-State Tuition applicants for the next year. Unless something is done, the Post 911 Gi Bill will not allow a Veteran to cover all of the expensed to a private or a state school. Basically, you have to use the original GI Bill or fund it yourself.
I recently separated from the Air Force. I came to California to be close to my girlfriend of four years and go to school. I was counting on Chapter 33 to help me with school. The GI Bills website said it would pay about $6,500 a term for “fees.” My schools website says it charges about $8000 for “fees.” I move here and am told it pays close to nothing for my out of state tuition. Had I known that it will pay hardly anything I would have stayed in Texas to go to school. I’m sure glad the GI Bills website said it would pay for the highest tuition in state……….liars…..
I have 9.5 years served in the military, however I’m 2 months short of the 3 years (after 9/11/09) required by the VA to be eligible for 100% of the post 911 benefit. Instead, I’m qualified at 90%. I live in California and want to go to school here but since 2 weeks ago they changed everything so that vets eligible for 90% only get the housing allowance and not the tuition. I was told if I take online courses they would pay my tuition but not give me the housing allowance. Does any of this make sense? This seems far from the original intent of the post 911 bill, something I was really looking forward to. How can they change it on the fly like that? It’s not an improvement.
have you guys noticed the amount they give per state has fluctuated. Last table had Oregon at 42800 now its down to 22000.??????????North Dakota was 6g now its in the 30s. Those are some big fluctuations.What gives?
RLTW
Anyone else notice that the rates for California on the va web site are pending until August 1st?..
A few months back I called the VA office at my school to figure out how I was going to pay the difference of out of state fees. They told me that there will not be any difference because the established cap (the $6500) would cover the tuition in state or out of state. The ball was set rolling and I am moving to California – well conveniently when I called the school to work out my payments (3 weeks prior to moving) they told me that they were no longer able to pay for my tuition and that I would have to pay in full, the out of state tuition with absolutely no assistance from the post 9/11 GI bill, however I will still receive the E5 BAH which is still more than what the chapter 30 has to offer. Its absolutely absurd that 3 weeks before I make a life changing move I find out that there is a “loophole” which has left many stranded. Luckily I am going to a junior college and will establish residency in a year so the tuition costs are not outrageous. I feel for my fellow vets who have been put in yet another compromising situation, even in the civilian world.
California is off the chart!
Well, now the fees and max per credit hour are completely removed. Is something currently being worked or what? This is absurd that they would leave veterans hanging…we can pay to bailout companies that never selflessly served the country a day in their existence…but we sacrifice all that we have and we have to fight to attend school in California. Just fix this please. Change the wording, make a decision…lives are riding on these important factors…the American public relies on us to keep them safe in their beds at night and we have a problem getting funding to attend school? Absurd. This is exactly why politics interest me because I hate them…the inefficiency, the private interest, the inability for action, the poor planning and the ‘band-aids’ – so to speak. Please help VETS so that we can finally continue with our dreams of solid educations, especially after our selfless service to our wonderful country. Write your congress, senate, president, colleges, VA, IAVA….get the word out. Thanks a million.
Truly, Shelby, from the Great State of California.
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