Transcript WACRAO FTA Presentation FY 14

Federal Tuition Assistance
Program
 Norris D Johnson
 Supervisory Education
Services Specialist Region IV
 WIARNG FTA Pgm Mgr
 DANTES TCO/ APT ATCO
2400 Wright Street
Madison, WI 53708
Cml: (608) 242-3454
Email:
[email protected]
Web:
http://wisconsinmilitary.org/benef
its/education/
Federal Tuition Assistance
Program
1) Introduction
6) Segregated Fees
2) Region IV FTA States
7) The Soldier Process
(GAE)
3) Federal Tuition
Assistance Program
4) Things you need to know
about FTA
5) FTA Recoupment
8) GAE Help for Soldiers?
9) Putting it all together
10) Comments/Compliments?
2
Region 4
Education Services Specialist
Department of Education Accredited Schools vs. GoArmyEd
RESS Norris Johnson
Schools
[email protected]
ESS Amber Manke
[email protected]
DOE Schools: 156
GAE Schools: 81
ESS Michael Robinson
michael.p.robinson1.civ@mail.
mil
DOE Schools: 108
GAE Schools: 53
Vacant
DOE Schools: 361
GAE Schools: 127
DOE Schools: 149
GAE Schools: 60
ESS Joshua Fenner
[email protected]
DOE Schools: 212
GAE Schools: 77
Federal Tuition Assistance (FTA) Program
Financial assistance provided to Soldiers for taking
voluntary off-duty education programs in support of:
1) A Soldier’s professional and personal self-development
goals
2) Retaining quality Soldiers
3) Enhancing their career progression
4) Increasing the combat readiness of the Army
5) Preparing Soldiers to return to civilian careers
The Department of the Army provides TA support for its
Own members but not for those of other Services.
Things you need to know about
FTA
 All Soldiers must access the GAE portal to use
FTA
 FTA must be requested prior to class start date
 FTA pays up to $250 per semester hour or $166
per quarter hour
 FTA does not exceed $4500 per FY (Oct-Sep)
Things you need to know about
FTA
 FTA will fund one credential at any level up to a Masters
Degree
 FTA will fund a BA/BS or up to 130 SH of undergraduate
credit
 FTA can be authorized only after successful completion of the
first year of service after graduating from either AIT, OCS or
BOLC.
 FTA will fund a Masters or up to 39 SH of graduate credit…
“whichever comes first”
Things you need to know (Con’t)
• Soldiers are eligible for up to 16 semester hours per
fiscal year
• Can use TA for a second, higher-level post-bachelor’s
degree after completion of 10 years of service.
 The second degree time in service requirement applies to
movement from a bachelor’s to a master’s degree and not from
an associate’s to a bachelor’s degree.
 Also, the 10-year requirement only applies if Army TA was used
to pay for any portion of the undergraduate coursework.
7
Things you need to know about
FTA
 The Helpdesk has limited capability to assist Soldiers
(uploading docs to efile and create CRM cases)
 The school GAE POC can assist with the rejection of
FTA classes prior to invoicing. Avoids recoupment.
 FTA can not be requested to repeat classes for which
Soldier received a poor grade (C- or D)
 FTA is free…but not really.
FTA Recoupment
Soldiers agree when signing the Annual Statement of Understanding
 The Soldier withdraws from or does not complete a course for
personal reasons
 The Soldier receives a failing grade for academics
 The Soldier receives a failing grade for nonattendance
 The Soldier fails to make up an "incomplete" grade within the time
limits stipulated by the institution or 120 calendar days after the
completion of the class, whichever comes first
 A commissioned officer or commissioned warrant officer fails to fulfill
the service obligation
Fees (Segregated or Other)
• Fees = To be paid with FTA must meet the
following criteria:
• Should never be “bundled” with the tuition cost.
• Directly related to the specific course
enrollment.
• Should be charged to all Students
• 100 percent refundable
• Must be itemized
The Soldier Process
 All NG Soldiers have a
base role created in
GAE
 Soldier completes six
step activation process
and requests GAE
activation
 Requests sent to CRM
queue
 FTA Manager retrieves
from queue and either
activates or rejects
 If rejected, Soldier is
sent an email
explanation
 If activated Soldier
requests TA for classes
prior to start date
 FTA manager reviews
TA requests and either
approves or rejects
 If rejected Soldier is
sent an email
explanation
The Soldier Process Con’t
 If approved, Soldier prints TA authorization form and
submits to school
There are some critical documents the Soldier
needs to attach to their TA request in order to get
approval:
 1) Documented degree plan, degree audit report
 2) Course verification document (Start and end
dates/SH)
 3) Cost verification document (Tuition identified)
 4) Current Statement of Understanding
GAE Help for Soldiers
 Complete the Quick
Start Training on GAE
before requesting:
a) account activation (
and periodically
afterwards)
b) Tuition Assistance
More help for Soldiers
Direct them to use the Helpdesk link on the GoArmyEd Webpage by clicking on helpdesk
and then helpdesk resources
Click on
And more Help for Soldiers
After they click on Helpdesk resources this is the page they will see!
How Soldiers can help Themselves
 No late FTA requests (after 7 days from the
start date).
 Do not “switch out” classes after FTA has
already been approved.
 Do not submit “0” SH and/or “0” $ Cost FTA
requests.
How Soldiers can help Themselves?
 Encourage Soldiers to submit FTA requests in
advance of the class start date.
 Encourage use of FTA as a viable funding source.
 Encourage Soldiers to take “free” CLEP or
DANTES exams to minimize costs.
 Encourage Soldiers to monitor their GAE account
and correct, inaccuracies.
Putting it All Together
• Federal Tuition Assistance Program
• Region IV FTA States
• Things you need to know about FTA
• FTA Recoupment
• Segregated Fees
• The Soldier Process (GAE)
• Help for Soldiers?
Questions/Comments on the FTA
Program??
 Norris D Johnson
 Supervisory Education
Services Specialist
 WIARNG FTA Pgm Mgr
 DANTES TCO/ APT ATCO
2400 Wright Street
Madison, WI 53708
Cml: (608) 242-3454
Email:
[email protected]
Web:
http://wisconsinmilitary.org/benef
its/education/