ALAMO • BRAZOS VALLEY •
CAMERON COUNTY • CAPITAL AREA •
CENTRAL TEXAS • COASTAL BEND • CONCHO
VALLEY • GREATER DALLAS • DEEP EAST
TEXAS • EAST TEXAS • GOLDEN CRESCENT
• GULF COAST • HEART OF TEXAS • LOWER
RIO GRANDE VALLEY • MIDDLE RIO GRANDE
• NORTH CENTRAL • NORTHEAST TEXAS •
NORTH TEXAS • PANHANDLE •
PERMIAN BASIN • RURAL CAPITAL AREA
• SOUTHEAST TEXAS • SOUTH PLAINS
• SOUTH TEXAS • TARRANT COUNTY •
TEXOMA • UPPER RIO GRANDE •
WEST CENTRAL
Helping veterans and
service members move from
the military to the workforce
Report to the 83rd Legislature
and Governor Rick Perry
Texas Workforce Commission Mission
To promote and support an effective workforce
system that offers employers, individuals,
and communities the opportunity
to achieve and sustain
economic prosperity.
Texas Workforce Commission
101 East 15th Street
Austin, Texas 78778-0001
(512) 463-2222
Equal Opportunity Employer/Program
Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.
Relay Texas: 800-735-2989 (TTY) and 711 (Voice).
Copies of this publication (11/2012) have been distributed in compliance with the State
Depository Law, and are available for public use through the Texas State Publication
Depository Program at the Texas State Library and other state depository libraries.
http://www.texasworkforce.org
College CrediT for Heroes
reporT To THe 83rd Texas legislaTure
and governor riCk perry
Table of
ConTenTs
Letter from the Commissioners.........................2
Appendices
Executive Summary...........................................4
Appendix 1 Senate Bill 1736...........................42
Background........................................................7
Appendix 2 Best Practices..............................44
Critical Timing: Opportunities for Veterans,
Colleges, and Employers..................................9
Appendix 3 Meetings of the
Inter-College Council on Veterans................48
Barriers to Award of College Credit:
Initial Analysis....................................................13
Appendix 4 Outreach Meetings....................49
Texas Statutes Regarding Credit for
Military Service..................................................16
College Credit for Heroes Project
Summaries........................................................18
Fiscal Impact of College Credit for Heroes..27
Lessons Learned: Findings from College
Credit for Heroes Projects...............................32
Recommendations: Additional
Measures Needed...........................................36
Statement of Acknowledgement.................40
Appendix 5 Texas Colleges in
Attendance at Veterans Excellence
Conference......................................................54
Endnotes............................................................55
The honorable rick Perry
The honorable DaviD DewhursT
The honorable Joe sTraus
MeMbers of The Texas legislaTure
This report is presented as directed by Senate Bill (SB) 1736, 82nd Texas Legislature, Regular
Session (2011). The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) is honored to continue its record of
assisting thousands of Texas veterans to find civilian careers with the College Credit for Heroes
program. Since initial grants were made in July 2011, the College Credit for Heroes program
has directly assisted hundreds of veterans and active servicemembers, and has prepared for
expediting the transition of thousands more into the Texas workforce.
In administering College Credit for Heroes, TWC partnered with seven community colleges
in areas of the state with the highest numbers or concentrations of veterans—Houston, San
Antonio, and Killeen/Temple. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board provided
expert consultation early on and during the project.
Working with TWC, our seven partner colleges developed innovative and collaborative programs
designed to maximize the award of college or workforce credit for military training and
experience, and to speed entry into the workforce for hundreds of returning servicemembers.
The initial focus for the College Credit for Heroes program has been on allied health careers—
high-pay, high-demand jobs in our state’s economy. Partnering colleges have revised academic
curricula, adopted pioneering practices, and challenged existing assumptions about the award
of college credit, proving that collaboration can result in system-wide changes that benefit
the thousands of military men and women who are seeking civilian careers in Texas. The
second phase of the program will expand to other regions of the state, additional colleges and
universities, and expand to more occupations.
2
College Credit for Heroes
A key part of the program created a website for veterans and servicemembers to use in
translating military experience into Texas college credit. Based on an initial analysis of the new
College Credit for Heroes website, for veterans receiving academic, workforce, and other credit,
the average participant received 34 semester hours of college credit—about a year’s worth of
college.
TWC and the seven partnering community colleges will continue to work to ensure that
veterans and servicemembers will benefit from the College Credit for Heroes program.
TWC is pleased to present this report on the success of the College Credit for Heroes program.
We look forward to your continued support.
Andres Alcantar, TWC Chairman and Commissioner Representing the Public
Ronald G. Congleton, TWC Commissioner Representing Labor
Tom Pauken, TWC Commissioner Representing Employers
Report to the legislature
3
exeCuTive summary
On
average,
veterans
and servicemembers
received
34 semester
hours of
college
credit in
academic,
workforce,
and other
credit—
about
a year’s
worth of
college—
when their
military
training was
evaluated
through the
College
Credit for
Heroes
website.
Senate Bill 1736, passed by the 82nd Texas Legislature, authorized the College Credit for Heroes
program to identify, develop, and support methods to maximize college credit awarded to
veterans and military servicemembers for their military experience, education, and training. The
legislation also requires the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), in consultation with the Texas
Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), to report to the Legislature and the Governor
on:
• Results of the grants awarded;
• Best practices for veterans and military servicemembers to achieve maximum academic
and workforce credit for military education and training;
• Measures needed to facilitate the award of academic or workforce education credit by
institutions of higher education for military experience, education, and the training; and
• Other related measures needed to facilitate entry of trained, qualified veterans and
military servicemembers into the workforce.
The goal of the College Credit for Heroes program is to create a statewide system that ensures
all student veterans and servicemembers are awarded maximum college credit in our state
colleges and universities for military training, education, and experience. The system should
eliminate obstacles to attaining licensing, certification and accreditation, and degree awards at
state and national levels so that veterans transition more quickly from college classrooms to
the workforce. Seven community colleges are participating in the College Credit for Heroes
program, including Central Texas College, the Lone Star College System, Lee College, the
Houston Community College System, Alamo Colleges, Temple College and San Jacinto College.
Faculty and staff at institutions of higher education already have methods to translate military
training and experience into college credit. College Credit for Heroes builds on existing methods,
expanding the possibilities of higher education and employment for thousands of men and
women who have put their lives on the line for their country.
findings
On average, veterans and servicemembers received 34 semester hours of college credit in academic,
workforce, and other credit—about a year’s worth of college—when their military training was
evaluated through the College Credit for Heroes website (www.collegecreditforheroes.org).
Federal and state savings resulted from streamlined health training programs. For veterans and
servicemembers, saving time spent in college classrooms and speeding entry into the workforce
is invaluable.
Entry into the civilian workforce is delayed when veterans are required to needlessly repeat
coursework or training they received in the military.
Best practices to prevent such repetition, as developed by College Credit for Heroes partner
colleges, are outlined in Appendix 2. Widespread adoption of College Credit for Heroes best
practices and recommendations in this report position Texas as the national model for translating
military training into college credit, and for accelerating veterans’ entry into civilian careers.
4
College Credit for Heroes
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.
State laws and regulatory and educational accreditation requirements pose additional limitations
on the award of college credit for veterans and servicemembers. Late in the project, several
participating colleges identified concerns requiring coordination with the regional accrediting
body for Texas colleges and universities to ensure their actions will benefit veterans and
servicemembers. THECB, TWC, and participating colleges will seek to ensure that accreditation
guidelines will allow the best interpretations and options for the award of academic credit based
on military training and experience from the College Credit for Heroes website.
TWC’s College Credit for Heroes program has been a very cost-effective program that will
hasten entry into the civilian workforce for veterans. In seven initial projects, nursing and allied
health education was streamlined for experienced veterans and servicemembers. Moreover,
these programs can provide a qualified health care workforce, and high-demand, high-pay
civilian jobs for veterans.
Additional Measures Needed
The following recommendations stem from research by partner colleges and TWC and are
discussed further in the report. These actions will enhance veterans’ college, certification or
licensure, and provide greater opportunities for workforce success.
• Expand TWC’s College Credit for Heroes program to other colleges and universities,
geographic areas, and other professions.
• Continue to improve the College Credit for Heroes website
(www.collegecreditforheroes.org). Identify a funding plan to expand Central Texas
College’s 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.
• Work with participating institutions on their efforts
to seek the Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS) support
for statewide efforts to eliminate barriers to the
award of credit for veterans and servicemembers.
College
Credit for
Heroes
program
has been a
very
costeffective
program
that will
speed
entry into
the civilian
workforce
for
veterans.
These
programs
can
provide a
qualified
health care
workforce,
and highdemand,
high-pay
civilian
jobs for
veterans.
• Encourage Texas colleges and universities to adopt
streamlined College Credit for Heroes curricula
for associate degree registered nursing, surgical
technology certificate programs, and emergency
medical services programs.
Report to the legislature
5
• Encourage greater use of prior learning assessments and other competency-based
models to maximize award of credit for military experience and training.
• Encourage Texas colleges and universities to adopt streamlined College Credit
for Heroes curricula for Associate of Applied Sciences (AAS) degrees in Health
Information Technology: Health Management Medical Laboratory Technician Specialty,
Health Management Occupational Therapy Assistant Specialty, and Health Management
Radiography Technologist Specialty.
• Ensure continued communication among colleges, universities, TWC, THECB, and local
employers and businesses on the award of college credit for veterans and servicemembers.
• Disseminate information statewide on College Credit for Heroes projects and encourage
Texas colleges and universities to adopt College Credit for Heroes best practices.
• Encourage Texas colleges and universities to develop articulation agreements and
memoranda of understanding with Central Texas College to accept all credit evaluated
or awarded for military service under the College Credit for Heroes program.
• Continue progress made in allied health and address limitations for military obtaining
licensing or certification in other allied health professions.
• Expand College Credit for Heroes outreach to Texas veterans and active servicemembers
who enlisted in the military from Texas or who are willing to relocate to Texas.
• Continue collaboration among TWC and THECB, military bases and installations in
Texas (including the Medical Education and Training Campus (METC), Fort Hood, Fort
Sam Houston, Fort Bliss, and others), and colleges and universities to improve the award
of college credit and the transition to the civilian workforce.
• Clarify Texas’ statutory provisions on the award of credit for military service and training.
• Improve public awareness of the impact and opportunities presented by thousands of
veterans on Texas’ college and university campuses.
• Encourage other schools to become members of the Servicemembers Opportunity
Colleges (SOC) Consortium and to use American Council on Education (ACE) credit
recommendations and accept transcripts or evaluations of military experience and
training from Central Texas College on the award of college credit.
• Consider ways to help veterans and servicemembers determine if Texas colleges and
universities are military-friendly.
• Initiate activities to identify licensing or certification barriers for veterans and
servicemembers across additional professions, including barriers for their spouses who
hold professional certificates or licenses from other states.
6
College Credit for Heroes
Background
On April 13, 2010, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC)
approved the $3 million Workforce Investment Act (WIA) statewide
initiative designed to maximize a veteran’s military experiences for
college credit and employment, especially for allied health careers.
On June 3, 2010, Governor Rick Perry announced the
Comprehensive Veterans Initiative, with TWC providing funding for
three areas of Texas—San Antonio, Houston, and Temple—with
the highest number or greatest concentration of veterans. Bexar
and Harris counties had the highest number of veterans in the 17–44 age group, the age group
most likely to attend college, and Bell County had the highest concentration of veterans in that
age group among Texas counties with the greatest number of veterans.
Texas Counties with the Highest Number and Concentration of Veterans
Ages 17–44
County
Estimated Number of
Veterans Ages 17–44 as
Veterans, 2012
Percentage of County Population
Bexar
46,869
2.7%
Harris
39,760
1.0%
Bell
16,262
Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
5.2%
Seven community colleges in these areas were selected to develop model programs for veterans
and servicemembers to obtain the maximum credit from their military experience toward a
degree or a professional certification. Colleges participating in Phase I of the initiative were:
• Bell County: Central Texas College and Temple College
• Bexar County: Alamo Colleges
• Harris County: Houston Community College System, Lee College, Lone Star College
System, and San Jacinto College
Initially, the project focused on high-demand
allied health careers. Allied health includes
occupations such as physical therapy, x-ray
and pharmacy technicians, licensed vocational
nursing, and similar professions.
In May 2011, Texas state Sen. Leticia Van de
Putte successfully sponsored Senate Bill 1736
(see Appendix 1) that authorized the program
to identify, develop, and support methods to
maximize college credit awarded to veterans
and military servicemembers for their military
experience, education, and training in order to
expedite entry into the workforce.
Report to the legislature
7
Governor Rick Perry signed into law SB 1736, and TWC awarded contracts to seven
participating community colleges in June and July 2011. These projects are described in College
Credit for Heroes Project Summaries.
Since then, each of
the seven colleges has
worked individually on
its own project, and
collectively as part of
the newly formed Texas
Inter-College Council
on Veterans, to develop
and test models for
maximizing college
and workforce credit
awarded from military
training and experience.
The formation of the
Texas Inter-College
Council on Veterans
enabled the colleges to
meet monthly to discuss
challenges, report on progress, and to exchange ideas and information. TWC and THECB
participated in meetings, with TWC hosting several of them.
During development, TWC and partner colleges conducted multiple outreach activities to other
Texas institutions to inform them of the projects and encourage others to replicate or design
new projects. (See Appendix 4 for a list of outreach activities.)
Phase II of College Credit for Heroes began on September 4, 2012, with approval from TWC’s
three-member Commission to set aside $1.3 million in federal WIA performance incentive funds
to continue this initiative through a competitive Request for Proposals process.
Approximately $950,000 has been directed toward Phase II projects to be generated from
competitive proposals that address certificate, license, or degree programs in any of the
following six industry clusters:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Advanced technologies and manufacturing
Aerospace and defense
Biotechnology and life sciences, including health care
Information and computer technology
Petroleum refining and chemical products
Energy
The remaining funding, up to $350,000, was designated to continue and expand College Credit
for Heroes services, including the website and database at Central Texas College over the next 12
months.
8
College Credit for Heroes
Critical Timing: Opportunities for Veterans,
Colleges, and Employers
TWC’s College Credit for Heroes program was established at a critical time for veterans,
colleges and universities, allied health training, employers, and the state of Texas.
Veterans deserve recognition of their hard-earned, often battle-tested skills. They can translate
skills learned in military courses into high-demand civilian careers. Still, they face employment
challenges. The unemployment rate for veterans who served in active duty at any time since
September 2001 was 12.1 percent in 2011, above the average rate of the general U.S. population
at the time.
A closer look at the data reveals a difficult picture for younger veterans. For younger male
veterans—ages 18 to 24—who served since September 2001, the national unemployment rate
was 29.1 percent, compared to their civilian counterparts national unemployment rate of 17.6
percent. Younger female veterans faced even higher national unemployment rates. Women ages
18 to 24 had a 36.1 percent unemployment rate compared to 14.5 percent among nonveterans.
When male and female veterans are combined,
looking at all veterans age 18 to 24, 30.2 percent
were unemployed versus 16.1 percent of the total
population. This means young veterans were almost
twice as likely to be unemployed as their peers.1
Sheer numbers of veterans make the timing of
this program critical to Texas. Texas has deployed
approximately 303,000, or 12.4 percent, of the total
active military, guard, or reserve forces in the Iraq
and Afghanistan wars—the greatest number of all
states.2
Overall, Texas has about 1.7 million veterans. Of
these, approximately 393,000 are between the
ages of 17 and 44, the ages most likely to attend
college.3 In federal Fiscal Year 2011, nearly 77,000
Texas veterans received federal educational aid,
generally known as the GI Bill. Most Texas veterans
using the GI Bill, about 50,000, or 65 percent of
the total, participated in the newest GI Bill, called
the Post-9/11 GI Bill.4
On behalf of Texas veterans, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) spent about
$987 million on educational benefits, vocational rehabilitation, automobiles and adaptive
equipment for disabled veterans, and specially adapted housing for disabled veterans in FFY
2011.5 Breakdowns of expenditures beyond this level of detail, to separately identify federal
educational benefits alone, are not readily available at the state level.6
Report to the legislature
The
unemployment rate
for veterans
who served
in active
duty at any
time since
Sept. 2001
was 12.1
percent
in 2011,
above the
average
rate of the
general U.S.
population
at the time.
The
national
unemployment rate
among
young
male
veterans
age 18-24
was 29.1
percent
and
female
veterans
age 18-24
had a 36.1
percent
unemployment rate.
9
For Federal
Fiscal Year
2013, the
VA
estimates
that more
than
606,000
people,
including
more than
508,000
veterans,
will use
Post-9/11
GI Bill
education
benefits.
The total
estimated
2013
national
cost of the
Post-9/11
GI Bill
benefits
is $9.9
billion;
the
average
cost per
recipient is
$16,314.14
As they return from combat and international and domestic posts, veterans will seek to use one
of the seven federal education benefits for which they qualify. The Post-9/11 GI Bill became
effective August 2009. For veterans with at least 36 months of active duty, it provides 100
percent funding of full-time college tuition and fees sufficient to cover all in-state tuition and
fees for public schools, and up to $18,077.50 per academic year for private schools.7
Veterans who are discharged with a service-related disability also qualify for 100 percent coverage
of tuition and fees. Veterans who have served less than 36 months in military service qualify for
between 40 and 90 percent funding of college tuition and fees, if they have served at least 90 days
in the military. The exact percentage depends on the number of months they have served.8
In addition, veterans earn a monthly housing allowance and an annual book and supplies stipend
of $1,000 while enrolled.9
In comparison, the older Montgomery GI Bill educational benefits pay a fixed amount of tuition
assistance—$1,564 monthly for FFY 2013 for veterans serving at least 36 months of active duty.
Benefits last for up to 36 months of education and training, and are good for 10 years following
a service member’s release from active duty. Some veterans participating in the Montgomery GI
Bill program may have paid into a “buy-up” program that entitles them to additional educational
benefits.10
The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides the single best opportunity for veterans of the Iraq and
Afghanistan wars to obtain certificates, licenses, and associate and bachelor’s degrees, as well as
graduate educations, paid by federal taxpayers. Indeed, the benefits provided by the Post-9/11
GI Bill are the most widely used education benefits offered by the VA.11
Yet, veterans traditionally have not maximized their GI Bill education benefits. Nationally, between
1985 and 1994, only about eight percent (52,000) of veterans used all of their GI Bill benefits.12
A greater percentage of veterans do use some of their GI Bill education benefits. From 1985 to
2001, less than 50 percent of veterans used some of their GI Bill education benefits. Prior to the
enactment of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and between 2001 and 2008, about 70 percent of veterans
used some education benefits.13
For FFY 2013, the VA estimates that more than 606,000 people, including more than 508,000
veterans (the remainder are eligible spouses or dependents), will use Post-9/11 GI Bill education
benefits. The total estimated 2013 national cost of the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits is $9.9 billion;
the average cost per recipient is $16,314.14
Six Texas colleges are among the top 30 U.S. institutions of higher education that have the most
veterans using the Post-9/11 GI Bill since its beginning in 2009:
•
•
•
•
•
•
10
Central Texas College
Austin Community College
Lone Star College System
San Antonio College
Tarrant County College
University of Texas at San Antonio15
College Credit for Heroes
Moreover, the number of veterans attending Texas institutions of higher education is growing
and expected to grow larger. While there is no systematic statewide, college-by-college reporting
of veterans in Texas colleges and universities, the Texas State Auditor’s Office survey found
that 42,312 veterans, current military servicemembers, and their dependents were enrolled in
Texas colleges in fall 2009, representing an increase of 31 percent from fall 2008.16
Demand for health care professionals, the initial target for TWC’s College Credit for Heroes
program, is also growing. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates about 5.7 million
new jobs in the health care and social service sector will be created between 2010–2020,
representing nearly a third of all new jobs in service industries, and about 28 percent of all new
jobs in the U.S. economy. Health care professions represent seven out of the top 20 fastestgrowing occupations.17
Moreover, average earnings of health care workers are high. For example, full-time health care
practitioner and technical occupations earned a mean of $30.23 per hour in 2008. This includes
registered nurses at all levels earning a mean of $31.54, and surgical technologists earning a
mean of $19.32.18
The expansion of military health education in Texas also provided an important factor. In 2010,
the Medical Education and Training Campus (METC) at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio
began enrolling students in its 64 health training programs for enlisted members of the U.S.
armed services—the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard. (Marines receive health care
from Navy health practitioners.)
METC consolidated all U.S. military allied health training programs for enlisted military
members, combining programs from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard.19 (See
METC sidebar for more information.)
Partnership with METC provided a mutual benefit to both METC and College Credit for
Heroes.
College Credit for Heroes partner colleges worked with METC officials to develop detailed
knowledge of military health training. Faculty at the colleges developed comparisons with
civilian health training, and then decided how to accept military training in lieu of making
veterans and servicemembers repeat coursework. They found that many learning objectives and
skills were identical between some military and civilian training.
The Texas
State
Auditor’s
Office
survey
found that
42,312
veterans,
current
military
servicemembers,
and their
dependents
were
enrolled in
Texas
colleges in
fall 2009,
representing an
increase of
31 percent
from fall
2008.16
For METC, Alamo and Houston Community College System developed programs that will
enable METC instructors to obtain associate degrees. To maintain accreditation with the
Community College of the Air Force (accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS), METC instructors are required to have at least an
associate degree within a year of arrival at the base.
Report to the legislature
11
Medical Education and Training Campus (METC)
Under the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process (BRAC), U.S. military forces (Army,
Navy, Air Force, and Guard) relocated all enlisted medical education into one location at
Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. This entailed a massive transfer of military allied health
education personnel, programs, and students from multiple locations across the country to San
Antonio, building campus facilities like dorms, dining halls, and five state-of-the-art medical
instructional facilities, including clinical simulation rooms.
METC has 64 health training programs. About 7,000 students live and study on-site at any one
time, and 21,000 students are trained annually. METC employs 1,400 faculty and staff. METC
has five medical instructional facilities, the largest Department of Defense fully functioning
pharmacy, and the largest Department of Defense dining facility in the world. To construct the
campus, 42 new facilities were built at Fort Sam Houston, at a cost of about $880 million.
By 2010, students were enrolled in initial classes and by 2011, METC was operating fully. Army,
Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard enlisted members are now training to become:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
cardiopulmonary technicians;
combat medics (Army);
corpsmen (Navy);
cytotechnologists;
dental assistants;
laboratory technicians;
medical technicians (Air Force);
occupational therapy technicians;
orthopedic technicians;
pharmacy technicians;
physical therapy technicians;
radiographers;
respiratory technicians;
surgical technologists;
veterinary technicians; and
many more allied health professionals
Realizing that METC would provide a
valuable resource for Texas and allied health
professions, TWC contacted METC officials.
On April 6, 2011, METC officials traveled to
Austin to meet for the first time with TWC and representatives of the seven College Credit for
Heroes partner schools.
Since then, College Credit for Heroes partner colleges have worked with METC officials to
streamline surgical technology, registered nursing (associate degree), and emergency medical
technician training, as well as to develop other streamlined associate degree programs.
Source: Medical Education and Training Campus, Dr. Mitchell J. Seal
12
College Credit for Heroes
Barriers to Award of College Credit: Initial Analysis
Overall, Texas institutions highly value the veterans in
attendance at their campuses and want to work on their
behalf. As TWC began developing College Credit for
Heroes, staff visited with college officials in all seven
partner schools and attended statewide meetings on
veterans’ issues. These meetings helped identify barriers
to the award of credit for military education and training.
TWC and its partner colleges continued to identify other
barriers throughout the project.
Based on those discussions, TWC analyzed a number
of issues relating to translating military training and
experience into college credit. As TWC worked with
partner colleges to create College Credit for Heroes
projects, these findings, which describe barriers to the
award of college credit, helped guide decisions and
recommendations for additional measures needed.
• Military transcript evaluation varies dramatically from college to college. Most
colleges have no shortcuts or automated systems. Every transcript must be evaluated
manually on an individual basis. Thus, veterans receive inconsistent awards of credit,
and do not get maximum awards because the process is difficult. Evaluations are done
by an assortment of college administrative offices. Evaluators may be housed in offices
for veterans, registrars, student affairs, admissions, or others.
• Many hours of military training that a veteran has earned may not easily
translate into college credit. Frequently, military training counts only toward electives
credit, not core curriculum studies. The official arbiter of coursework, the American
Council on Education (ACE), may recommend two credit hours where four credit
hours are required for full credit.
• The regional accreditation guidelines for Texas colleges and universities may limit
some actions colleges have undertaken to benefit veterans and servicemembers.
Central Texas College (CTC) raised potential accreditation questions regarding the
use of official CTC transcripts to award credit for military training and experience.
Houston Community College will add an additional course to its five-credit hour surgical
technology course in order to meet accreditation regulations (see HCC profile).
• Colleges are experiencing exponential growth in the number of veterans
attending college. The dramatic increase in veterans at Texas institutions is fueled
by the number of servicemembers leaving the military and the generous benefits of
the new Post-9/11 GI Bill. Yet, no central educational reporting or data collection is
done. While colleges must certify a veteran’s enrollment with the VA, some veterans
do not identify themselves as such to the college. Now the Apply Texas application, an
electronic common state application for college admission, has a checkbox for veterans
or servicemembers to indicate military status.
Report to the legislature
13
The Texas State Auditor’s Office (State Auditor) report on veterans issued in 2010 was
the first attempt to quantify, by institution, the number of veterans attending Texas
institutions.20
• Colleges want innovations, and improvements are beginning. Every college is
seeking to find ways to address veterans’ academic, social, and health issues.
• Not every Texas college is a Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges school.
Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) affiliation means that institutions agree
to recognize and use the American Council on Education (ACE) recommendations for
academic credit. Colleges are not bound by ACE recommendations; they may award as
many or as few credit hours as they see fit.
American Council on Education
The American Council on Education (ACE), a major coordinating body for higher education
institutions, translates courses and examinations taken outside traditional degree programs into
academic credit. In association with the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges Consortium,
ACE evaluates individual military training courses and determines how they translate into credit
at civilian colleges and universities.
ACE has evaluated thousands of
military courses in all branches
of the armed forces since 1945.
Sending teams of civilian collegelevel instructors to complete
evaluations, ACE develops credithour recommendations and works
with branches of the military to issue
transcripts that document training,
experience, and recommended credit
hours. Service members request
transcripts of their military training
and experience to send to colleges
when they enroll.
However, not all military courses are
evaluated. Evaluations depend on scheduling and available faculty. For example, College Credit
for Heroes found that many allied health courses had not been evaluated for years.
Central Texas College (CTC) used ACE credit recommendations as the basis to translate military
educational experiences into Texas workforce and academic common courses and unspecified
credits. The College Credit for Heroes website uses Texas’ course-numbering systems, making it
easier for Texas colleges and military alike to understand the award of credit for military training.
Between April 1, 2012 and June 30, 2012, of the evaluations completed at CTC under College
Credit for Heroes, a service member or veteran was awarded an average of 16 courses
generating 34 semester credit hours and 874 contact hours.
Sources: American Council on Education and Central Texas College
14
College Credit for Heroes
Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges Consortium
The Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Consortium was created in 1972 to help
improve college-level education for service members. SOC encourages colleges and universities
to understand and respond to the unique educational needs of service members, and advocates
for the necessary flexibility they need to access and complete coursework. SOC works with the
military to educate service members on selecting colleges that will evaluate military training and
experience and award college credit.
SOC members agree to recognize and use the American Council on Education (ACE)
recommendations for academic credit. However, SOC members are not mandated to accept all
course recommendations for credit.
About 1,900 U.S. colleges and universities providing associate, bachelor’s, and advanced degrees
for service members and their adult family members are SOC members.
To become SOC members, colleges and universities must agree to:
• Reasonable transfers of credit: enable service members to prevent excessive loss of
previously earned credit and to avoid coursework duplication;
• Reduced academic residency: limit to no more than 25 percent of degree
requirements with no final year or semester in residence (may require 30 percent for
undergraduate degrees offered 100 percent online);
• Credit for military training and experience: recognize and use the ACE Guide to
the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services in evaluating and awarding
academic credit for military training and experience; and
• Credit for nationally recognized testing programs: award credit for at least one
nationally recognized testing program such as College-Level Examination Program
(CLEP), DSST (subject matter) Examinations, or Excelsior College Examinations (ECE).
As a requirement of College Credit for Heroes, all contracts between the seven participating
colleges and TWC require membership in SOC.
Source: Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges Consortium
Report to the legislature
15
Texas Statutes Regarding Credit for Military Service
Two primary statutes govern Texas’ award of credit for military service.
Texas Education Code §51.3041 outlines what institutions of higher education should consider in
awarding credit toward degree plans. Award of credit is not mandated.
For the
first three
months of
operation,
the
average
veteran
or servicemember
requesting
evaluations
from the
College
Credit for
Heroes
website
has earned
17 credit
hours of
electives,
out of a
total of 34
semester
hours.21
Texas Education Code §51.3042 requires institutions to award credit for physical education courses,
generally two credit hours, but §51.3042(b) places a limit (12 semester hours) on the number of
credits that may be awarded for elective courses outside a student’s major or minor.
Texas Education Code §51.3042(c) provides that the section does not prohibit an institution of
higher education from awarding additional course credit for a student’s military service as the
institution considers appropriate.
With the enactment of these statutes, Texas began
to award credit for military service, a notable step
for veterans and servicemembers returning to
college to begin or continue their education.
However, under §51.3042(b), the limit of 12 hours
on elective courses may need to be examined
because it is not clear whether §51.3042(c) would
allow institutions of higher education to award
credit from electives in excess of 12 hours.
For the first three months of operation, the
average veteran or service member requesting
evaluations from the College Credit for Heroes
website has earned 17 credit hours of electives,
out of a total of 34 semester hours.21 Texas
Education Code §51.3042(b) may prevent
veterans or servicemembers from fully gaining
elective credit awarded under College Credit for
Heroes.
While the number of elective credits may
fluctuate as other veterans and servicemembers
request evaluations, the Texas Legislature, institutions of higher learning, and THECB may wish
to reexamine policies that led to the establishment of the 12-hour limit to determine if changes
should be made to further encourage colleges and universities to adopt consistent, uniform policies
on the award of credit.
In today’s world of marketing, many commercial enterprises eagerly attract institutions to
participate in military-friendly or veteran-friendly surveys. Often, standards of what constitutes
being veteran-friendly may not be readily apparent. The veteran-friendly label may be entirely true
for some institutions, but may mislead veterans or servicemembers as to what works best for them.
The Texas Legislature may want to examine definitions of being veteran-friendly for Texas
16
College Credit for Heroes
institutions of higher education to give veterans a consistent, clear message of what they can
expect of Texas institutions of higher learning. At one end of the spectrum, veteran-friendly
Texas institutions could be those that obtain and maintain SOC membership.
Alternatively, a more detailed “College Credit for Heroes Military-Friendly” designation could be
designed for institutions that:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
obtain and maintain SOC membership;
agree to allow military students to use the College Credit for Heroes website;
accept all credit evaluated by CTC applicable to a student’s degree plan and electives;
develop articulation agreements or memoranda of understanding;
develop streamlined courses for veterans and servicemembers;
utilize at least five or more College Credit for Heroes best practices; and
enter into a memorandum of understanding with THECB.
Report to the legislature
17
Introduction to College Credit for Heroes
Project Summaries
As TWC and the seven partner colleges worked together, each project was especially designed
to address one or more of the barriers to the award of credit. Three projects have system-wide
impact and four address allied health issues.
Each project was designed to:
• maximize the award of credit;
• ensure that each veteran or service member received an equal amount of credit for
similar experience and training;
• eliminate obstacles at state or national licensing, certification, or accreditation entities; and
• help veterans move quickly from classroom to the civilian workforce.
CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE
Texas College Credit for Heroes:
Online Military Training Evaluation System
Central Texas College (CTC) developed a web-based application
and database for Texas veterans and servicemembers to get college
credit hours with an evaluation and official transcript that can
be used at all Texas colleges (www.collegecreditforheroes.org).
Pending resolution of questions on accreditation guidelines, CTC
will issue official evaluations of experience and training. These
evaluations include translating ACE recommendations into the
Texas common course-numbering system for credits and entering the credits electronically into
CTC’s Student Information System.
Fiscal Impact: Savings to state and federal governments will occur as other Texas colleges accept
the workforce, academic, and elective credit evaluated by CTC.
• Estimated average cost savings per student of $2,089 by awarding credit to a veteran
or service member for military experience and training based on the first quarter of
operations of CTC evaluations
Outcomes
• Average of 34 semester credit hours evaluated for a veteran or service member in first
quarter of operations
• Half of the 34 credit hours count as workforce or academic classes, and the other half
of the credit hours count as open electives or electives in a student’s area of study
18
College Credit for Heroes
From April to October 2012:
•
•
•
•
•
12,256 hits on website with nearly 7,650 unique visitors
1,260 accounts established
582 requests for evaluations of credit
528 military courses evaluated
340 military occupations evaluated
Project Summary
CTC’s project was twofold. The first phase was to develop and implement the Texas College
Credit for Heroes system, an online, user-friendly tool designed to evaluate military experience,
www.collegecreditforheroes.org. The second phase was to evaluate the military education
and experience of Texas veterans and active military, culminating in credits on an official
transcript. Currently, CTC will issue official evaluations. Veterans and servicemembers can use
the evaluations and transcripts, if issued, to pursue further education or for credentialing or
licensing purposes when applying for employment, as well as for advancement purposes while
still in the service. CTC is required to sustain the College Credit for Heroes online unofficial
credit information for five years.
Individuals create accounts to view searchable databases, which display college credits that can
be awarded for military occupations, military and Community College of the Air Force (CCAF)
courses, and examinations. Anyone can register as a guest. Only veterans and servicemembers
living in Texas, intending to relocate to Texas within 120 days, or who are Texas residents may
establish an official account.
CTC’s web-based application serves as a model for other states and will assist thousands
of Texas veterans and servicemembers. In the initial months of the program, veterans and
servicemembers received an average of 34 credit hours in workforce, academic, and elective
credits, the equivalent of approximately one year of college.
CTC is in the process of developing articulation agreements or memoranda of understanding
with colleges and universities across the state. CTC will continue to report on website usage,
evaluations of military experience and training, accreditation questions, and estimated savings.
Report to the legislature
19
LONE STAR COLLEGE SYSTEM
Texas Inter-College Council
on Veterans and Best Practices
Lone Star College System (LSCS) convened and organized the Texas
Inter-College Council on Veterans (Council) and hosted the Veterans
Excellence Conference, in August 2012, where Council members
presented findings from each College Credit for Heroes project. In
addition, LSCS supported, tested, and evaluated the College Credit
for Heroes website to ensure the appropriate functioning and award
of college credit for veterans and servicemembers.
Outcomes
• Convened the Texas Inter-College Council on Veterans for members to share
information and collaborate on issues
• Identified barriers, challenges, and gaps for veterans and servicemembers in receiving
college credit
• Identified best practices and models that can be replicated by other colleges and
universities
• Convened the Veterans Excellence Conference with 33 Texas colleges and universities in
attendance (see Appendix 5 for a list of attendees)
• Executed memoranda of agreement with seven partner colleges
Project Summary
LSCS coordinated the formation of the Council to study and make recommendations on
streamlining the awarding of college credits for military training and educational experience.
The Council is composed of representatives from each of the participating seven colleges.
Representatives from TWC, METC, THECB, and the Texas Veterans Commission also
participated. LSCS conducted surveys and gathered information to develop a best practices
report and convened the Veterans Excellence Conference.
LSCS also coordinated the technology evaluation of the College Credit for Heroes online system
developed by CTC, including the feasibility and use of the system. For the academic evaluation,
LSCS used subject matter experts to examine the credits awarded on transcripts.
LSCS plans to continue to work with the other six partner colleges, as well as work with CTC
to sign an articulation agreement to accept credits recommended through the College Credit for
Heroes website and evaluations.
LSCS’s participation provided extremely valuable methods so that all partner colleges could
communicate, exchange information, and resolve issues as College Credit for Heroes progressed.
20
College Credit for Heroes
Lee COLLEGE
Model Program for Individual Education
Plan for Veterans
Lee College developed an Individual Education
Plan (IEP) to identify, develop, and support
methods to maximize college credit for veterans and
servicemembers using prior-learning assessment
and credit by examination. Lee College serves as a
model for small- to medium-size colleges in assisting
veterans and servicemembers.
Outcomes
•
•
•
•
•
Increased veterans’ enrollment at Lee College by 9 percent
Gave priority registration to veterans and servicemembers
Had 61 student veterans complete an IEP
Tutored for veterans and servicemembers to assist in class and degree completion
Developed an English Composition 1 course with a portfolio development component
in order to award additional academic credit for military training and experience
• Began development of a Manufacturing Skills Standards Certification (MSSC) program
with a hands-on component
Project Summary
Lee College developed the IEP to identify, develop, and support methods to maximize
college credit for veterans and servicemembers using prior-learning assessment and credit by
examination. Beyond the scope of the project, the college created a veterans’ student center
on campus and hired its first veterans’ student advisor. Services available to veterans and
servicemembers now include:
• instruction and assistance on how to navigate the Lee College system in coordination
with VA benefits;
• instruction and assistance on financial aid for the purposes of college attendance and
course credit; and
• individualized mentoring services including tutoring, financial aid, VA benefits, and
registration.
Lee College worked with the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) to
incorporate prior-learning assessment into the college’s own curricula so that veterans and
servicemembers can obtain additional college credit. Faculty and staff received CAEL training
in prior-learning assessment.
Recognizing the benefits and service to veterans, Lee College will keep the veterans’ student
center open and hire two full-time veteran’s advisors, and will continue to work with the other
six partner colleges to expand the scope of services such as articulation and transferability of
credits.
Report to the legislature
21
HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE System
Accelerated Alternate Delivery
Surgical Technology Certificate
Houston Community College’s (HCC)-Coleman
College for Health Sciences developed and
implemented an accelerated alternate delivery
surgical technology certificate program for
veterans and servicemembers who were trained
as surgical technologists, but who were originally
barred from taking the national Certified Surgical
Technologist (CST) exam.
Two distance education courses, SRGT 1405—Introduction to Surgical Technology and SRGT
2130—Professional Readiness, delivered over eight weeks, prepared students to take the CST
exam. A one-semester hour preparation course was developed to help students sharpen their
exam skills, and some students may take only the refresher course.
Fiscal Impact: Estimated $3,109, or 82 percent, savings per student, by reducing the time required
from 37 semester hours to five semester hours
Outcomes
• Changed national rules to allow military-trained surgical technologists trained in
unaccredited military programs to sit for certification exams
• Enrolled eight participants in the five-semester hour accelerated National Board of
Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) CST Exam Preparation program
• Enrolled 28 participants in the one-semester hour Professional Readiness course
(includes those previously enrolled in the NBSTSA CST Exam Preparation program)
• Expect 23 participants to take the NBSTSA CST Exam so they can practice as certified
surgical technologists in Texas
Project Summary
The Accelerated Alternate Delivery Surgical Technology Certificate Program was developed
because many military-trained surgical technologists were not eligible to take the national CST
exam. In 2000, some military programs dropped national accreditation, and NBSTSA rules
barred surgical technologists trained in unaccredited programs from taking the CST exam.
In Texas, surgical technologists were required to obtain national certification with the passage
of House Bill 643 in 2009. Although this legislation exempts those who have completed a
military training program for surgical technology, health care employers have adopted a culture
of only hiring surgical technologists who hold CST certificates. Veterans and active duty surgical
technologists who practiced in operating rooms daily, often with years of experience, faced
unemployment because their employers wanted only certified surgical technologists.
22
College Credit for Heroes
When TWC approached HCC about College Credit for Heroes in 2010, HCC-Coleman College
faculty began discussions with the Association of Surgical Technologists (AST) and NBSTSA
to determine if the accelerated alternate program would meet national standards. These
discussions influenced national policy changes. Effective January 2012, NBSTSA revised its
eligibility criteria and allowed military-trained surgical technologists who were ineligible after
March 1, 2000, to sit for the CST exam. As a result, HCC, working with TWC, redesigned its
program so that military-trained surgical technologists could ensure their skills and knowledge
met national exam standards.
However, in order to meet the residency requirement of the Southern Association of Colleges
and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS), HCC will add an additional course to the fivecredit hour course for future students. SACS accreditation standards require that a minimum of
25 percent of credits be taken in residence at the institution that awards the degree.22
Today, surgical technologists who are veterans and servicemembers, and who completed one
of HCC’s accelerated courses, are waiting to take the national exam and continue to practice in
military, private, and public hospitals across the state. HCC continues to outreach to veterans
and servicemembers who can benefit from the program.
Report to the legislature
23
Alamo COLLEGES
Career Mobility Registered Nursing and
Associate Degree Opportunities
Alamo Colleges worked with the Medical
Education and Training Campus (METC) at
Fort Sam Houston to create a career mobility
registered nursing (RN) program to accelerate a
veteran’s path to nursing licensure. Medics and corpsmen are eligible to participate.
Additionally, the college developed three Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees in health
management to streamline transferable credits and accelerate attainment of the degree by
veterans and servicemembers already certified in a health profession.
Fiscal Impact: Estimated average cost savings per student of $2,451 to $4,697 in the selected
nursing and allied health specialties
Outcomes
• Created a national model, usable by all Texas community colleges, for maximizing
transfer credit awards for military allied health care training and experience
• Developed, refined, and planned pathways to accelerated AAS degree programs for
qualified military allied health care professionals
• Broadened options open to graduates of the accelerated AAS degree in Health
Information Technology with three Health Management Specialty tracks by exploring
articulation agreements with four-year colleges and universities
Project Summary
Alamo Colleges developed accelerated pathways to AAS degrees for Texas veterans and active
duty military servicemembers with selected allied health specialties. The AAS degree in nursing,
through the accelerated Military to RN Career Mobility Track program, is the pathway for
the target student population who were trained and served as Army combat medics, Navy
corpsmen, and Air Force medics.
The pathway for the target student population who were trained and served as medical
laboratory technicians, occupational therapy assistants, and radiography technologists is
the accelerated AAS degree in Health Information Technology with three tracks: Health
Management Medical Laboratory Technician Specialty, Health Management Occupational
Therapy Assistant Specialty, or Health Management Radiography Technologist Specialty.
Veterans and active duty military servicemembers pursuing these career paths receive transfer
credit awards for their military training.
The accelerated pathways serve as a national model for translating additional medical specialties
training at METC into degree plans.
24
College Credit for Heroes
Temple COLLEGE
Accelerated Emergency Services
Program for Veterans
Temple College developed and implemented an
accelerated program in Emergency Medical Services
(EMS) for veterans and servicemembers with military
medical experience. The project consisted of streamlined
pathways for Level I and Level II EMS certification,
and outreach to Texas community colleges to adopt their
streamlined model for qualified veterans.
Fiscal Impact:
• Estimated $2,060, or 77 percent, savings per student by reducing the time required
from three semester hours to one semester hour for the Level 1 EMT Intermediate
certification
• Estimated $2,000, or 38 percent, savings per student, by reducing the time required
from five semester hours to three semester hours for the Level 2 Paramedic certification
• Potential 30 percent increase in earnings for certified EMS personnel
Outcomes
• Created standard curriculum, usable by all Texas community colleges, for accelerated
EMS Level 1 and Level 2 certification
• Developed a competency testing model for ensuring medics and corpsmen are qualified
in college-level academic health care courses
• Shared the streamlined curriculum with other Texas community colleges
Project Summary
The purpose of Temple College’s accelerated program in Emergency Medical Services was to
transition active military and veterans with medical experience into the civilian EMS workforce.
The program consisted of three parts: (1) credit for previous learning, (2) credit by exam, and
(3) matriculation into ongoing classes.
With the curriculum plan in place and the credit by exams established, the continued
implementation of the accelerated curriculum for veterans and active duty military will be
performed through regular college policy and procedures. Prior to adopting the credit exam
portion of the accelerated curriculum, the college revisited its testing fee structure and lowered
the cost per exam.
The college is exploring additional articulation agreements to benefit veterans and
servicemembers and continues working with the other College Credit for Heroes college
partners to share information and disseminate curriculum.
Report to the legislature
25
SAN JACINTO COLLEGE
Allied Health Programs and Military Service
Credit Analysis Project and Summit
San Jacinto College developed a comprehensive
analysis of allied health offerings at all Texas
community colleges, Lamar University, and Texas
State Technical College, identifying a geographical
analysis of training gaps, existing and needed transfer
credit opportunities, barriers to awarding credit
for military training and experience, and external barriers such as certification, licensing, or
accreditation processes. Findings were presented to the public at a summit on April 26, 2012.
Outcomes
• Convened the Allied Health Programs and Military Service Credit Comprehensive
Analysis Project Summit
• Developed a comprehensive list of all allied health programs offered at Texas’ two-year
educational institutions at the certificate and degree level
• Produced geographic maps of the analysis of allied health training gaps
• Developed a comprehensive database of relevant contacts at all Texas community
colleges
Project Summary
The purpose of the Allied Health Programs and Military Service Credit Project and Summit
was to prepare a comprehensive report on how best to meet the needs of veterans and
servicemembers already trained in military health training programs and to conduct a statewide
summit meeting on issues posed to transition to civilian health careers. This study looked at the
military and veterans in Texas, including number of veterans, their use of VA benefits, current
enlistment trends, and the new joint-service allied health training facility in San Antonio—
METC—as well as how it affects Texas’ allied health education.
The study includes state and federal labor projections and data sources, yielding a clear picture
of the demands for key allied health careers, projected growth rates, and the various mean
wages currently offered to allied health professionals in key fields. San Jacinto examined health
programs offered at Texas’ community colleges and created a matrix of colleges and programs.
The frequency of offerings throughout the state enabled San Jacinto to geographically map the
gaps in service by program. The study identified the top 23 most frequently offered programs
and compared the programs to a list of METC graduation numbers. By cross-indexing the
programs from both lists, the study was able to match the most numerous community college
allied health programs with the largest METC graduating classes.
San Jacinto College’s directory and study lead the way to further identification of occupationspecific barriers faced by veterans and servicemembers in becoming certified allied health
professionals practicing in Texas.
26
College Credit for Heroes
F
sTaTe savings
State savings from College
Credit for Heroes projects
occur because state payments to
community colleges for contact
hours will be reduced. Simply,
as the number of contact hours
required to complete a program
are reduced, so are the state
payments required to support
a veteran’s coursework. These
savings are calculated on a
per-student basis.
State Payments for Community College
Classes
Texas community colleges receive state payments for
contact hours—a unit of time during which a student
has contact with an instructor, including lecture and
laboratory time. This is part of Texas’ payments
to community colleges. Each biennium, the Texas
Legislature establishes the appropriation rate for contact
hours. This amount varies according to the type of
academic program taught.
For example, for State Fiscal Years 2012–2013, the state
would reimburse a program for surgical technology $3.22
for each contact hour. For an associate degree nursing
program, such as Alamo Colleges’ Accelerated Military to
Registered Nurse Career Mobility Track, colleges would
receive $4.06 per contact hour.
Over time, it is likely that
the number of veterans and
servicemembers in Texas
Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
colleges and universities will rise.
This will have the overall effect
of increasing overall contact
hours; yet per-student savings will remain efficient, and more students will receive degrees,
certificates, or licenses for the same state costs.
Community colleges in Texas also receive local ad valorem property tax revenues to support
education. Streamlined programs for educating veterans and servicemembers will enable
more efficient use of local tax revenues, but no specific savings was attributed solely to these
revenues.
F
Report to the legislature
27
More efficient use of time-limited GI Bill benefits may encourage veterans to seek higher levels
of education or certification and licensure.
Savings to
the federal
government
under the
federal GI
Bill or tuition
assistance
for each
student in
the
accelerated
surgical
technology
five-credit
hour
program is
an
estimated
$3,109, or
82 percent.
State
savings
due to
reduced
state
contacthour
reimbursement is an
estimated
$4,019 per
veteran
or servicemember.
The federal government will also save money on behalf of active duty servicemembers who receive
tuition assistance for education while in the military. As active duty servicemembers participate in
streamlined programs, time needed to complete educational programs will be reduced.
sTaTe and federal savings due To sTreamlined
HealTH programs
Surgical Technologists
Houston Community College’s Accelerated Alternate Delivery Surgical Technology Certificate
Program reduces the number of credit hours required for veterans or servicemembers who need
to take a national exam from 37 credit hours in the traditional program, to five credit hours in
the accelerated program.
Savings to the federal government under the federal GI Bill or tuition assistance for each student
in the accelerated surgical technology five-credit hour program is an estimated $3,109, or 82
percent.
State savings due to reduced state contact-hour reimbursement is an estimated $4,019 per
veteran or servicemember. This represents 91 percent state savings over the traditional
program.23
Registered Nurses
Alamo Colleges’ accelerated path for medics or corpsmen enables veterans or servicemembers
to become registered nurses (RNs), one of the most in-demand professions in Texas and the
nation.
The Accelerated Military to Registered Nurse Career Mobility Track reduced the number of
college credits needed to obtain an AAS degree from 41 to 30 semester hours.
For each veteran medic or corpsman pursing a degree as an RN in the accelerated path the
federal government will save an estimated $2,451, or 32 percent, in tuition, fees, and books,
assuming full eligibility under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
For active duty servicemembers, the federal government would save an estimated $1,451, or
25 percent, in tuition assistance for each student. The difference in federal savings for veterans
versus active duty servicemembers is attributed to different educational benefits.
State savings in contact-hour reimbursement for the RN Career Mobility Track is an estimated
$1,235, or 25 percent, for each veteran or service member receiving an associate degree as a
registered nurse.24
28
College Credit for Heroes
Emergency Medical Services Level I and II Certification
Temple College’s streamlined curricula for Level I and II Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
certification enables veterans or servicemembers with basic medic or corpsman training to
become certified EMS practitioners in Texas.
For Level I certification, veterans and servicemembers who pass competency exams cut
their educational requirements from three semesters to one. For Level II Paramedic training,
educational requirements are cut from five semesters to three.
Estimated federal savings for the Level I streamlined EMS curriculum are $2,060, or 77
percent, per student.
Estimated state savings in contact-hour reimbursement for the Level I accelerated program is
$2,639, or 89 percent, per student.
Federal savings for the Level II
Paramedic streamlined curriculum
are an estimated $2,000, or 38
percent, per student.
State savings in contact-hour
reimbursement for the Level
II accelerated program is an
estimated $2,718, or 43 percent,
per student.
In these estimates, testing costs
were paid under the TWC College
Credit for Heroes grant award.
Because the grant has ended,
testing fees would be paid by
students enrolling in the programs
or by the federal government and
thus savings would be reduced.
However, as students’ test results
are evaluated over time, Temple
College anticipates that articulated
credit will be awarded to students with the appropriate background without additional testing.
Then, savings per student would return to the original estimates.25
Report to the legislature
Temple
College’s
streamlined
curricula
for Level
I and II
Emergency
Medical
Services
(EMS)
certification
enables
veterans
or servicemembers
with basic
medic or
corpsman
training to
become
certified
EMS
practitioners
in Texas.
29
Accelerated Associate of Applied Sciences Degree Plans
Alamo Colleges developed three accelerated Associate of Applied Sciences (AAS) degree
paths for medical laboratory technicians, occupational therapy assistants, and radiography
technologists. Each accelerated path will result in an AAS in Health Information Technology–
Health Management.
These accelerated paths will enable certified or licensed allied health instructors at METC to
attain their two-year college degrees. METC instructors are required to have, at minimum, a
two-year associate degree in order to maintain or achieve accreditation. These accelerated paths
will assist servicemembers in achieving higher levels of education, and will assist in training
additional active duty military students at METC.
• AAS degree track, Medical Laboratory Technician: Estimated total federal savings
in tuition, lab fees, and books for each veteran student in this program is $4,641, or 60
percent. Estimated total federal savings per active duty military student is $3,641, or 64
percent. Educational benefits for veterans include $1,000 annual coverage for books and
supplies, while active duty servicemembers do not receive such reimbursement. Thus,
cost savings vary.
The accelerated program reduces the number of semester hours required from 61
credit hours to 30 credit hours. Thus, state contact-hour savings amount to an estimated
$3,447, or 63 percent, per student.
• AAS degree track, Occupational Therapy Assistant: Total federal savings in tuition,
lab fees, and books for each veteran student in this program is an estimated $4,641, or 60
percent. Total federal savings per active duty military student is an estimated $3,641, or
64 percent.
The accelerated program reduces the number of semester hours required from 61
credit hours to 30 credit hours. Thus, state contact-hour savings amount to an estimated
$3,344, or 63 percent, per student.
• AAS degree track, Radiography Technologist: Total federal savings in tuition, lab
fees, and books for each veteran student in this program is an estimated $4,697, or 64
percent. Total federal savings per active duty military student is an estimated $3,697, or
64 percent.
The accelerated program reduces the number of semester hours required from 62
credit hours to 30 credit hours. Thus, state contact-hour savings amount to an estimated
$3,962, or 66 percent, per student.
30
College Credit for Heroes
College Credit for Heroes, Streamlined Health Certifications and Degrees
Estimated Federal and State Savings per Student
Program
Savings to
Federal
Government
per Veteran
Percent
Savings
Savings to
Federal
Government
per Active
Duty Service
Member
Surgical
Technology
$3,109
82
Not
Calculated*
Registered
Nurse, AAS
$2,451
32
$1,451
EMS Level I
$2,060
77
EMS Level II
$2,000
AAS, Health
Information
Technology–
Health
Management
Medical Lab.
Tech.
Percent
Savings
Savings to State
Government per Percent
Contact-Hour
Savings
Appropriation
$4,019
91
$1,235
25
Not
Calculated*
$2,639
89
38
Not
Calculated*
$2,718
43
$4,641
60
$3,641
64
$3,447
63
AAS, Health
Information
Technology–
Health
Management
Occupational
Therapy Asst.
$4,641
60
$3,641
64
$3,344
63
AAS, Health
Information
Technology–
Health
Management
Radiography
Tech.
$4,697
64
$3,697
64
$3,962
66
25
*Note: The federal government does not reimburse active duty servicemembers for books and supplies, but the Post-9/11
GI bill does provide $1,000 per year allowance for books and supplies.
Report to the legislature
31
Lessons Learned:
Findings from College Credit for Heroes Projects
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).
Projects
designed to
streamline
the award
of credit
toward
certificates,
licenses,
and
degrees
are costeffective
for the
veteran
or servicemember,
and for
state and
federal
government.
• 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
32
College Credit for Heroes
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.
Nursing
and allied
health
education
can be
streamlined
for
experienced
veterans
and
servicemembers
and still
meet state
and
national
licensing or
certification
guidelines.
• 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.
Report to the legislature
33
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 CollegeLevel 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.
34
College Credit for Heroes
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
Legislature.38
Report to the legislature
35
Recommendations: Additional Measures Needed
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.
36
College Credit for Heroes
• Possible upgrades for the CTC website include mapping military occupations into
civilian careers, linking to a degree audit system, adding military officer training, adding
upper-level courses, and adding more information about military training.
Work with participating institutions on their efforts to seek SACS support for statewide
efforts to eliminate barriers to the award of credit for veterans and servicemembers.
• Participating colleges, in cooperation with THECB and TWC, will seek approval to
ensure that accreditation guidelines allow the best interpretations and options for the
award of academic credit based on military training and experience from the College
Credit for Heroes website.
• CTC will issue official transcripts upon favorable resolution of accreditation questions.
Encourage Texas colleges and universities to adopt streamlined College Credit for
Heroes curricula for associate degree registered nursing, surgical technology certificate
programs, and emergency medical services programs.
• Temple College is making the EMS curriculum available to any college and is in
discussions with Grayson College about starting a program in spring 2013.
• Alamo Colleges is developing articulation agreements with four-year institutions.
• Alamo Colleges will start accepting veterans and servicemembers into the associate
degree registered nursing program in spring 2013.
• Adding more colleges that adopt the curricula or articulate the credit to higher degrees
will increase savings and speed veterans’ entry into the workforce.
Encourage greater use of prior learning assessments and other competency-based
models to maximize award of credit for military experience and training.
Encourage Texas colleges and universities to adopt streamlined College Credit
for Heroes curricula for Associate of Applied Sciences (AAS) degrees in Health
Information Technology: Health Management Medical Laboratory Technician
Specialty, Health Management Occupational Therapy Assistant Specialty, and Health
Management Radiography Technologist Specialty.
• Alamo Colleges will begin accepting veterans and servicemembers into the associate
degree programs in spring 2013.
• Adding more colleges that adopt the curricula or articulate the credit to higher degrees
will increase savings and speed veterans’ entry into the workforce.
Report to the legislature
37
Ensure continued communication between colleges, universities, TWC, THECB,
and local employers and businesses on the award of college credit for veterans and
servicemembers.
• Continue the Texas Inter-College Council on Veterans and methods to award academic
and workforce credit for veterans and servicemembers.
• Continue working together to promote opportunities to improve policies and procedures
for veterans and servicemembers.
Disseminate information statewide on College Credit for Heroes projects and encourage
Texas colleges and universities to adopt College Credit for Heroes best practices.
• Continue and update the College Credit for Heroes website
• Provide best practices information to Texas colleges and universities
• Continue and update the TWC College Credit for Heroes Web page.
Encourage Texas colleges and universities to develop articulation agreements and
memoranda of understanding with Central Texas College to accept all credit evaluated
or awarded for military service under the College Credit for Heroes program.
• CTC and partner colleges are developing draft articulation agreements.
• Tracking and accounting for articulation agreements adopted will enable Texas to
determine how widespread College Credit for Heroes practices and programs are, as well
as how state and federal savings are rising.
Continue progress made in allied health and address limitations for military obtaining
licensing or certification in other allied health professions.
• Houston Community College is on a Texas Medical Center task force to look at other
allied health professions and determine if degree, licensing, or certification processes can
be streamlined.
• Alamo Colleges is looking at additional health training programs at METC that could be
streamlined.
• Initiate regional studies/inventories of the availability of nursing and allied health clinical
teaching space and ways to overcome limitations.
Expand College Credit for Heroes outreach to Texas veterans and active servicemembers
who enlisted in the military from Texas or who are willing to relocate to Texas.
38
College Credit for Heroes
Continue collaboration between TWC and THECB, military bases and installations in
Texas (including the Medical Education and Training Campus (METC), Fort Hood,
Fort Sam Houston, Fort Bliss, and others), and colleges and universities to improve the
award of college credit and the transition to the civilian workforce.
Clarify Texas’ statutory provisions on the award of credit for military service and
training.
• It is not clear whether Texas statutes place a limit of 12 hours on the award of elective
credit. Under initial statistics available from the College Credit for Heroes website, an
average of 17 hours of elective credit has been recorded on transcripts issued to date.
Improve public awareness of the impact and opportunities presented by thousands of
veterans on Texas’ college and university campuses.
• Consider instituting a central repository for regular reporting on the number of
veterans using VA benefits and the number of servicemembers using tuition assistance
benefits.
Encourage other schools to become members of the Servicemembers Opportunity
Colleges (SOC) Consortium and to use American Council on Education (ACE) credit
recommendations and accept transcripts or evaluations of military service from Central
Texas College on the award of college credit.
• Lee College prepared a report on how it became an SOC school, which can be made
available to other schools.
• TWC required all schools participating in the College Credit for Heroes grant to obtain
or maintain SOC membership.
Consider ways to help veterans and servicemembers determine if Texas colleges and
universities are military-friendly.
• Consider a spectrum of options, ranging from labeling institutions that obtain and
maintain SOC membership, to establishing a “College Credit for Heroes MilitaryFriendly” designation.
Initiate activities to identify licensing or certification barriers for veterans and
servicemembers across additional professions, including barriers for their spouses who
hold professional certificates or licenses from other states.
• Other states and the federal government have recently initiated efforts to identify and
remove licensing and certification barriers to servicemembers relocating to other states
or exiting the military into civilian life.
• Consider ways to identify licensing and certification issues for military spouses who
relocate to Texas, including reciprocity with other states.
Report to the legislature
39
Statement of Acknowledgement
TWC and College Credit for Heroes extend thanks to many people across the state of Texas for
their dedicated work on behalf of veterans and servicemembers. Many colleges and universities
have taken steps on their own campuses to enable men and women to make an easier transition
from military service to education and to the workforce.
We are most grateful to the seven college partners who led projects, participated in the Texas
Inter-College Council on Veterans, and worked tirelessly to resolve issues and develop best
practices. The Office of the Governor, state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board, Texas Veterans Commission, and members and civilian employees
of the national and state armed forces worked with us to ensure that College Credit for
Heroes benefited veterans and servicemembers as much as possible. Texas Local Workforce
Development Boards, Workforce Solutions Offices, other organizations, and colleges and
universities participating in outreach events and conferences added their expertise to the
program. Please know that your contributions will be recognized for decades as veterans and
servicemembers achieve academic and workforce credit, entering civilian workplaces sooner,
saving time for themselves and their families, and saving taxpayer dollars for all.
40
College Credit for Heroes
Appendices
Report to the legislature
41
Appendix 1
S.B. No. 1736
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of the College Credit for Heroes program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is amended by adding Section
302.0031 to read as follows:
Sec. 302.0031. COLLEGE CREDIT FOR HEROES PROGRAM. (a) In this section,
«institution of higher education» has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code.
(b) The commission shall establish and administer the College Credit for Heroes
demonstration program to identify, develop, and support methods to maximize academic or
workforce education credit awarded by institutions of higher education to veterans and military
servicemembers for military experience, education, and training obtained during military service
in order to expedite the entry of veterans and military servicemembers into the workforce.
(c) The commission shall work cooperatively with other state agencies, including the
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, public junior colleges, and other institutions of
higher education, to accomplish the purposes of this section.
(d) The commission may award grants to state, local, or private entities that perform
activities related to the purposes of this section.
(e) The commission shall administer the program using money previously appropriated
to the commission or received from federal or other sources.
(f) The commission may adopt rules as necessary for the administration of this section.
(g) Not later than November 1, 2012, the commission, after consultation with the Texas
Higher Education Coordinating Board, shall report to the legislature and the governor on:
(1) the results of any grants awarded under this section;
(2) the best practices for veterans and military servicemembers to achieve
maximum academic or workforce education credit at institutions of higher education for military
experience, education, and training obtained during military service;
(3) 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
(4) other related measures needed to facilitate the entry of trained, qualified
veterans and military servicemembers into the workforce.
(h) This subsection and Subsection (g) expire January 1, 2013.
42
College Credit for Heroes
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all
the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.
If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect
September 1, 2011.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1736 passed the Senate on April 21, 2011, by the following
vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 27, 2011, by
the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1736 passed the House, with amendment, on May 20, 2011, by the
following vote: Yeas 149, Nays 0, one present not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________
Date
______________________________
Governor
Report to the legislature
43
Appendix 2
College Credit for Heroes Best Practices
College Credit for Heroes identifies, develops, and supports methods to maximize college
or workforce education credit awarded to veterans and servicemembers for their military
experience, education, and training to expedite entry into the workforce. The primary focus is on
the award of college and workforce credit to speed workforce entry.
Each of these best practices stems from innovations, lessons learned, and the creativity of the
seven member colleges working with TWC in the College Credit for Heroes program. These
practices exemplify how Texas colleges can best prepare to educate returning veterans and
prepare servicemembers to find jobs in the civilian workforce.
Other Texas colleges and universities should replicate these practices to benefit veterans and
servicemembers and speed their entry into the civilian workforce.
These practices fall into seven general areas: Workforce, Accreditation and Certification,
Military-Related, Education, Intercollegiate, Resource, and Evaluation.
Workforce Best Practices
1. Design programs and practices that will move veterans and help transition
servicemembers into the workforce quickly. Eliminate repetitive coursework that
delays entry into the civilian workforce. Repeating coursework costs federal and state
taxpayers, while streamlining coursework saves tax dollars and enables the veteran and
service member to become a wage earner sooner.
2. Ensure new curricula are approved by national or state accrediting or licensing
bodies. Once trained, veterans and servicemembers must be able to practice or work
in civilian professions. If they cannot get required credentials, they cannot work in their
chosen profession.
3. Prioritize occupations with high or rapidly growing workforce demand.
Streamlined programs should focus on occupations with sufficient workforce demand to
ensure students will be employed upon successful completion of the program.
4. Maximize early outreach. Taking steps to ensure that veterans and servicemembers
learn about programs early will help ensure that you have a sufficient number of
students at the start, and that they will complete training and education in order to enter
the workforce. Outreach should include working with entities such as Local Workforce
Development Boards, employers, other colleges, military bases, and veterans.
Accreditation and Certification Best Practices
1. Assess military training. Military education has many of the same learning objectives
and content as education in colleges and universities. Assessing the training saves
resources that would otherwise be used to evaluate individual transcripts. Assessments
can also be used to address barriers posed by accreditation, certification, or licensing
processes.
44
College Credit for Heroes
2. Question national or state certification/accreditation/licensing requirements
that pose barriers for veterans and servicemembers. Assess and propose changes
to requirements that do not account for military training. Military training is updated on
an ongoing basis, and often civilian licensing or certification processes do not recognize
the value of military training.
3. Develop alternative pathways to meet national or state certification or
accreditation standards. Competency testing, review of military training and skills,
award of academic credit, and modular testing are a few ways colleges have developed
alternative pathways to getting college credit for veterans and servicemembers.
4. Understand internal and external processes and time frames at the beginning
of the project. Developing a new degree program or pathway may require multiple
approval processes within an institution as well as for outside licensing or accreditation
entities.
Military-Related Best Practices
1. Ask the military. Military education leaders and officers who work daily with
veterans and servicemembers know the content of military training and education
and understand how to outreach to veterans and servicemembers. Ask the military for
information on training, advice on program development, guidance on enrollment, and
other issues as you develop and implement programs.
2. Communicate early and effectively with the military. Veterans and servicemembers
have an effective communications network. Base education service offices and officers,
job fairs, education fairs, and similar networks can communicate information effectively
throughout the military system.
3. Know your potential population of veterans and servicemembers. Conduct
research on veterans and servicemembers, their experience, and training to determine
the expected enrollment in the program.
4. Make changes that include all branches of the military, to the extent possible.
Training and experience may vary across military branches, but every veteran and
service member deserves an equal chance at getting college credit.
5. Use veteran-specific events and services. Special veterans’ events, sponsoring
student veteran organizations, and attending veteran or service member education fairs
can help spread the word. Many Texas colleges find that having a veteran’s office or a
designated central point of contact for veterans is helpful.
Education Best Practices
1. Become a Servicemembers Opportunity College. Becoming a member of the
Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Consortium means that a college agrees
to evaluate military training and award academic credit. All schools in the College Credit
for Heroes program are SOC members.
2. Use multiple methods to award maximum college credit. Use of the College Credit
for Heroes website and acceptance of transcripts issued under the program is key.
Prior-learning assessment, portfolio assessment, standardized exams, and customized or
modular course design are a few of the ways colleges can award credit. Colleges can also
assess programs in military training to document how they translate into college courses.
Report to the legislature
45
3. Design programs and practices that will increase the uniform award of college
credit. Currently, many Texas colleges cannot ensure that the evaluation of equally
similar military transcripts will receive equal awards of academic credit. This preparation
work can be the foundation for articulation agreements between colleges.
4. Design programs and practices to ensure speedy and inclusive award of credit
hours. Some schools may delay any assessment of military training until the student
has completed a certain number of credit hours. An award of credit hours at the start
is necessary so the student does not enroll in classes that duplicate existing training.
Including as many courses as possible toward a student’s degree plan, as opposed
to general electives, also assists in getting the student closer to degree/certificate
completion.
5. Consider using online or blended courses. Working veterans can earn college credit,
and servicemembers can study while still in the military.
6. Adapt existing streamlined programs for veteran-specific education. Some existing
streamlined courses assist lower-level practitioners achieve licensing or certification,
or assist them to reach higher levels of education and licensing. These courses may be
adapted to fit veterans or servicemembers.
7. Ensure practices are uniform among colleges with multiple campuses. Uniform
practices, as in the system-wide evaluation and award of academic credit, helps veterans
and servicemembers avoid pitfalls or delays in reaching academic goals.
8. Award full credit for courses where possible. Sometimes credit recommendations are
for partial course credit, such as a two-hour recommendation for a three-hour course.
Find a way, such as working with faculty members, to turn the partial credit into full
course credit so that students will not have to retake the course.
9. Involve top administrators, academic faculty, registrars, and staff in the process.
Top-down involvement is key to making system-wide changes.
10. Identify and eliminate barriers to degree/certificate completion. For example,
some Texas colleges adopt practices such as priority or early registration for veterans.
This practice enables veterans to timely register for courses they need to complete their
degree or certificate programs.
11. Play to your strengths. Each institution has advantages. Small institutions can
customize or take more personal approaches to achieve big system reforms. Larger
institutions may have more resources available for students and faculty.
Intercollegiate Best Practices
1. Collaborate with other colleges. Everyone wins, including the veterans and
servicemembers, when colleges collaborate to solve problems, communicate among
faculty members, and find common ground.
2. Memoranda of Understanding or similar agreements can assist in overcoming
intercollegiate barriers. Establishing ground rules up front can define roles and
responsibilities and eliminate potential problems.
3. Develop articulation agreements to enhance the award of credit. Servicemembers
frequently move, and are likely to receive college credits from multiple institutions.
Articulation agreements among Texas colleges can help eliminate military students from
having to unnecessarily repeat coursework.
46
College Credit for Heroes
4. Establish clear and open communications. Regular meetings, including
teleconferences and other communication means, add to communication successes.
Sharing of ideas, challenges, and best practices will help other colleges replicate
programs statewide.
Resource Best Practices
1. Involve community and external groups. Community employers, businesses,
and veterans’ support groups can leverage limited resources and provide valuable
information on program design.
2. Make full use of VA work-study students. The VA will pay for work-study students.
3. Use current technology. Technology can enhance outreach, increase enrollments, and
be used to support instruction, distance learning, and online classes.
4. Use external resources to their full extent. Become a member of the SOC
Consortium, attend military or veterans’ conferences, and join listservs, and use these
resources to create an effective program for veterans. College registrars, veterans’
certifying officials, and veterans’ student groups are useful in implementation.
5. Use existing resources as a starting point. Central Texas College used an existing
manual, created over years of practice, to create the College Credit for Heroes website
and transcript generator. Houston Community College transformed an existing
program to train practicing civilian surgical technologists for the national accreditation
exam into new courses to help military surgical technologists achieve the same
accreditation.
Evaluation Best Practices
1. Design and include evaluation processes for the program up front. Knowing how
your program performs helps you redesign, if necessary, or can help you design the
next project.
2. Assess the fiscal impact of the program. Fiscal impact assessments inform
policymakers and potential funders of program success and give the college an
understanding of all components of the program.
3. Evaluate student performance. Student performance is the ultimate test of a
program’s success. Did they pass the test or get their license? Did they obtain a job in
their course of study?
4. Record, document, and share best practices. Thousands of servicemembers will be
exiting the military as the announced drawdown of forces occurs and will be ready to
use their GI education benefits. Every Texas college can adapt programs and processes
to welcome them, provide training, and assist them to enter the civilian workforce.
Report to the legislature
47
Appendix 3
Texas Inter-Collegiate Council on Veterans Meetings, 2011–2012
48
Date
Host
Location
September 16, 2011
Texas Workforce Commission
Austin, Texas
October 20, 2011
San Jacinto College
Pasadena, Texas
November 10, 2011
Lee College
Baytown, Texas
January 17, 2012
Military Education and Training Campus (METC); Fort Sam
Houston
San Antonio, Texas
February 13, 2012
Houston Community College
Houston, Texas
March 22, 2012
Lone Star College
Houston, Texas
April 26, 2012
San Jacinto College (Allied
Health Programs Analysis
Project and Summit)
Pasadena, Texas
May 16, 2012
Central Texas College
Killeen, Texas
June 15, 2012
Alamo Colleges
San Antonio, Texas
July 19, 2012
Texas Workforce Commission
Austin, Texas
August 29–31, 2012
Lone Star College (Veterans
Excellence Conference)
Houston, Texas
College Credit for Heroes
Appendix 4
College Credit for Heroes Outreach Events
Date
Event
Location
Details
August 24,
2010
Texas Workforce
Commission Forum
Austin,
Texas
Informational breakout
session at Workforce
Forum.
November
17–19, 2010
Texas Workforce
Commission Annual
Conference
Dallas,
Texas
Informational breakout
session at annual
conference.
July 14, 2011
Press Conference and
Bill Signing
San
Antonio,
Texas
Governor Rick Perry
signed Senate Bill 1736
ceremoniously with
Senator Leticia Van de
Putte in attendance at
St. Philip’s College.
August 29–31,
2011
Texas Workforce
Commission Forum
Austin,
Texas
Informational breakout
session at Workforce
Forum.
September 22,
2011
Heart of Texas
Veteran’s Job Fair and
Conference
Waco,
Texas
Presentation on project
to Central Texas veterans
at McLennan College.
September
28–30, 2011
Military Friendly
Symposium
Killeen,
Texas
Conference outlining
best practices for
institutions of higher
education regarding
veterans at Texas
A&M–Central.
November 4,
2011
Fort Hood Briefing
Killeen,
Texas
Briefing to education
service providers at Fort
Hood.
November 7,
2011
Momentum Texas
Briefing
Irving, Texas Briefing to nationwide
nonprofit veterans’
services provider.
November 30–
December 2,
2011
Texas Workforce
Commission Annual
Conference
Houston,
Texas
December 15,
2011
Military Education and
San
Training Campus Briefing Antonio,
Texas
Briefing to military
instructors at METC
campus at Fort Sam
Houston.
January 10,
2012
Council of Public
Austin,
University Presidents and Texas
Chancellors Briefing
Briefing to council to
encourage articulation
with Texas institutions of
higher education.
Informational breakout
session at annual
conference.
Report to the legislature
49
Date
Event
Location
Details
February 1,
2012
Northeast Texas
Workforce Board
College Credit for
Heroes Consortium
Texarkana,
Texas
Briefing and guidance
to consortium of higher
education partners
interested in using CCH
as model project.
February 8,
2012
Texas Veterans
Commission Committee
on Higher Education
Briefing
Austin,
Texas
Briefing to committee
of veterans’ higher
education service
providers and TVC.
March 2, 2012
Fort Hood Education Fair Killeen,
Texas
Outreach event to
active servicemembers
at Fort Hood regarding
opportunities available
through CCH.
April 2, 2012
Fort Hood College Fair
Killeen,
Texas
Outreach event to
active servicemembers
at Fort Hood regarding
opportunities available
through CCH.
April 2–4, 2012
Texas Workforce
Commission Forum
Austin,
Texas
Informational breakout
session at Workforce
Forum.
April 11, 2012
Northeast Texas
Workforce Board
College Credit for
Heroes Consortium
Texarkana,
Texas
Guidance to regional
consortium of higher
education partners
interested in using CCH
as model project.
April 16–18, 2012 Council on Military and
Education in Texas and
the South (COMETS)
Conference
Fort Worth,
Texas
Outreach and
networking to institutions
of higher education.
All seven CCH partner
colleges attended.
April 26, 2012
Allied Health Programs
Analysis and Summit
Pasadena,
Texas
Findings from San Jacinto
College’s CCH statewide
allied health programs
analysis study.
May 10, 2012
Texas Veterans
Commission Committee
on Higher Education
Briefing
Austin,
Texas
Briefing to committee
of veterans’ higher
education service
providers and TVC.
May 17, 2012
College Credit for
Heroes Governor’s Press
Conference
Killeen,
Texas
Press Conference to
announce launch of
CCH website (www.
collegecreditforheroes.org).
50
College Credit for Heroes
Date
Event
Location
Details
May 22, 2012
Outreach/Articulation
Amarillo,
Meeting with West Texas Texas
schools
Informational meeting
with Amarillo College,
Clarendon College, West
Texas A&M University.
May 23, 2012
Outreach/Articulation
Lubbock,
Meeting with West Texas Texas
schools
Informational meeting
with South Plains College,
Texas State Technical
College–West Texas,
Texas Tech University.
May 24, 2012
Outreach/Articulation
El Paso,
Meeting with West Texas Texas
schools
Informational meeting
with El Paso Community
College, University of
Texas at El Paso, Western
Technical College.
June 4, 2012
Outreach/Articulation
Meeting with DFW
schools
Dallas,
Texas
Informational meeting
with Dallas County
Community College
District: Brookhaven
College, Cedar Valley
College, East Field
College, El Centro
College, Mountain
View College, North
Lake College, Richland
College.
June 5, 2012
Outreach/Articulation
Meeting with DFW
schools
Fort Worth,
Texas
Informational meeting
with Tarrant County
College, Grayson County
College, Vernon College.
June 6, 2012
Outreach/Articulation
Meeting with DFW
schools
Dallas,
Texas
Informational meeting
with Collin Community
College, University of
Texas at Dallas, Richland
College.
June 13, 2012
Outreach/Articulation
Meeting with Permian
Basin schools
Odessa,
Texas
Informational meeting
with Midland College,
Odessa College, Howard
College, University of
Texas–Permian Basin.
Report to the legislature
51
52
Date
Event
June 19, 2012
Outreach/Articulation
Houston,
Meeting with Gulf Coast Texas
area schools
Informational meeting
with Alvin College,
Brazosport College,
College of the Mainland,
Galveston College,
Wharton College,
Houston Community
College–Southeast,
Lone Star College–
Kingwood, Prairie View
A&M University College
of Nursing, University of
Texas Health Sciences
Center.
June 20, 2012
Outreach/Articulation
Meeting with South
Texas schools
Harlingen,
Texas
Informational meeting
with South Texas College,
Texas Southmost, Texas
State Technical CollegeHarlingen, University of
Texas at Brownsville.
June 21, 2012
Outreach/Articulation
Meeting with South
Texas Schools
Corpus
Christi,
Texas
Informational meeting
with Coastal Bend
College, Del Mar
College, Victoria
College, Texas A&M
University–Corpus Christi,
University of Texas–
Kingsville.
June 27, 2012
Outreach/Articulation
Meeting with Central
Texas Schools
Waco,
Texas
Informational meeting
with McLennan College,
Texas State Technical
College–Waco, Baylor
University, Hill College.
July 10, 2012
Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board
Briefing
Austin,
Texas
Briefing to agency
regarding status of
project.
August 8, 2012
Lone Star College
Veteran Students Panel
Briefing
Houston,
Texas
Briefing to panel of
veteran students on
project.
August 28,
2012
Texas Senate
Committee on Veteran
Affairs and Military
Installations Hearing
Killeen,
Texas
Testimony by Texas
Workforce Commission
Chairman Andres
Alcantar and Central
Texas College Chancellor
Thomas Klincar.
August 29–31,
2012
Veterans Excellence
Conference
Houston,
Texas
Conference highlighting
accomplishments and
findings from project.
College Credit for Heroes
Location
Details
Date
Event
Location
Details
September 13,
2012
Dallas County
Community College
District Briefing
McKinney,
Texas
Briefing to district on
status of project.
October 16–19, Veterans Civic Council
2012
Conference
Galveston,
Texas
Presentation at
conference hosted by
veterans’ education
organization.
October 23–24, Military Friendly
2012
Symposium
Bryan,
Texas
Participate in panel
discussion outlining best
practices for institutions
of higher education
regarding veterans.
November 15,
2012
Hiring Red, White & You!
Job Fair
Statewide
Statewide job fair for
veterans hosted by Local
Workforce Development
Boards in Texas.
November
28–30, 2012
Texas Workforce
Commission Annual
Conference
Grapevine, Informational breakout
Texas
session at annual
conference.
Report to the legislature
53
Appendix 5
Higher Education Participation at Veterans Excellence Conference
August 29–31, 2012
Colleges
Universities
Alamo Colleges
Angelo State University
Alvin Community College
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
Amarillo College
Prairie View A&M University
Baker College
Sam Houston State University
Blinn College
Texas A&M University System
Central Texas College
Texas A&M University Central Texas
Dallas County Community College District
(Richland College, Collin Community
College)
Texas Southern University
Del Mar College
University of Houston Northwest
El Paso Community College
University of Texas at Austin
Houston Community College
University of Texas Pan American
Kaplan College
University of Texas at San Antonio
Lee College
University of Texas at Tyler
Lone Star College
San Jacinto College
South Texas College
St. Philip’s College
Texarkana College
Texas State Technical College Waco
Texas State Technical College West Texas
54
College Credit for Heroes
University of Houston
Endnotes
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Situation of
Veterans—2011 (Washington, D.C., March 20, 2012), http://www.bls.gov/news.release/
pdf/vet.pdf. (Last visited September 22, 2012).
1
U.S. Department of Defense, Manpower Data Center, Legal Residence/Home Address
for Service Members Ever Deployed as of May 31, 2012 (Washington, D.C., June 29, 2012),
http://dva.state.wi.us/WebForms/Data_Factsheets/ResDistribution-May12.pdf. (Last
visited September 24, 2012).
2
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for Veterans Analysis and
Statistics, Veteran Population (Washington, D.C.), http://www.va.gov/vetdata/Veteran_
Population.asp. (Last visited September 22, 2012).
3
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefit Administration, Annual Benefits
Report, Fiscal Year 2011, (Washington, D.C., 2011), http://www.vba.va.gov/REPORTS/
abr/2011_abr.pdf. (Last visited September 22, 2012).
4
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for Veterans Analysis and
Statistics, FY 11 Geographic Distribution of VA Expenditures (GDX), (Washington, D.C.,
2012), http://www.va.gov/VETDATA/docs/GDX/GDX_FY11.xls. (Last visited
September 22, 2012).
5
Email from Mike Wells, Office of Policy and Planning, National Center for Veterans
Analysis & Statistics, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, August 22, 2012.
6
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) Payment Rates For
2012 Academic Year (August 1, 2012–July 31, 2013), (Washington, D.C., 2012) http://
www.gibill.va.gov/resources/benefits_resources/rates/CH33/Ch33rates080112.
html#TUITION. (Last visited September 14, 2012).
7
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Post-9/11 GI Bill: It’s Your Future, (Washington,
D.C., 2012) http://www.gibill.va.gov/documents/pamphlets/ch33_pamphlet.pdf. (Last
visited September 22, 2012).
8
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) Payment Rates For
2012 Academic Year (August 1, 2012–July 31, 2013), http://www.gibill.va.gov/resources/
benefits_resources/rates/CH33/Ch33rates080112.html#BOOKS. (Last visited
September 22, 2012).
9
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty (Chapter 30)
Increased Educational Benefit, (Washington, D.C. 2012) http://www.gibill.va.gov/
resources/benefits_resources/rates/CH30/ch30rates100112.htm. (Last visited
September 22, 2012.)
10
Report to the legislature
55
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Volume III: Benefits and Burial Programs and
Departmental Administration, Congressional Submission, FY 2013, (Washington, D.C., 2012)
http://www.va.gov/budget/docs/summary/Fy2013_Volume_III-Benefits_Burial_
Dept_Admin.pdf. (Last visited September 14, 2012).
11
Dr. John Schupp, “Supportive Education for the Returning Vet (SERV): Helping
America’s Best, Brightest and Bravest get their degree,” Presentation to Educator’s
Forum, Maryland National Guard Forum on Veterans Reintegration,
January 12, 2010, http://www.towson.edu/nationalguardexpo/higherexpo/documents/
presentationSchuppjan122010finalversion.pdf. (Last visited September 24, 2012).
12
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, The Post-9/11 GI Bill: An Overview, (Washington,
D.C., June 2009), http://www.gibill.va.gov/documents/presentations/post-911_
overview.pdf. (Last visited September 14, 2012).
13
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Volume III: Benefits and Burial Programs and
Departmental Administration, Congressional Submission, FY 2013.
14
Email from Mike Wells, Office of Policy and Planning, National Center for Veterans
Analysis & Statistics, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, October 5, 2012.
15
Texas State Auditor’s Office, An Audit Report on Veterans’ Services at Selected Institutions
of Higher Education and Survey Results Related to Veterans’ Services at All Texas Public Higher
Education Institutions, (Austin, Texas, September 2010), http://www.sao.state.tx.us/
reports/main/11-004.pdf. (Last visited September 22, 2012).
16
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook,
2012-13 Edition, Projections Overview, (Washington, D.C., 2012), http://www.bls.gov/ooh/
about/projections-overview.htm. (Last visited September 23, 2012).
17
Miguel Lugo, U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of
Compensation and Working Conditions, Data Analysis and Planning, Division
of Compensation, “Earnings of Healthcare Workers by Level of Duties and
Responsibilities, 2008,” (Washington, D.C., April 21, 2010), http://www.bls.gov/opub/
cwc/cm20100415ar01p1.htm. (Last visited September 22, 2012).
18
Dr. Mitchell J. Seal, Commander, Nurse Corps, U.S. Navy, Director of Institutional
Research, Medical Education and Training Campus, Presentation to Veterans Excellence
Conference, (Houston, Texas, August 30, 2012).
19
Texas State Auditor’s Office, An Audit Report on Veterans’ Services at Selected Institutions
of Higher Education and Survey Results Related to Veterans’ Services at All Texas Public Higher
Education Institutions.
20
Central Texas College, Final Return on Investment, TWC Contract Number 2011WS006,
(Killeen, Texas, July 2012).
21
56
College Credit for Heroes
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges, The Principles
of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement, (Decatur, Georgia, 2012) http://
sacscoc.org/pdf/2012PrinciplesOfAcreditation.pdf. (Last visited September 25, 2012).
22
Houston Community College, Coleman College for Health Sciences, Fiscal Impact
Study, College Credit for Heroes Initiative, Accelerated Alternate Delivery Surgical Technology
Certificate Program, (Houston, Texas, August 31, 2012).
23
Alamo Colleges, Fiscal Impact Study: Phase 4, College Credit for Heroes Initiative, Alamo
Colleges Initiative, TWC Contract Number: 2011WSW000, (San Antonio, Texas, August
2012).
24
Temple College, Fiscal Impact Study, Accelerated Emergency Medical Services Program,
(Temple, Texas, September 2012).
25
Allison G. Jones, Assistant Vice Chancellor, California State University System,
Testimony to U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs (Washington, D.C., July 17, 2007),
http://www.veterans.senate.gov/hearings.cfm?action=release.display&release_
id=02bc141c-b1ce-4374-b613-5a0d256e8661. (Last visited October 1, 2012).
26
College Board, California State University Announces Systemwide Policy to Grant Credit for
CLEP, (New York, New York, May 2010), http://www.connection-collegeboard.com/
home/programs-and-services/414-california-state-university-announces-systemwidepolicy-to-grant-credit-for-clepr. (Last visited October 1, 2012.)
27
28
California SB 813, Chapter 375, (2011).
29
California ACR 159, Passed by Senate, (August 29, 2012).
California Department of Consumer Affairs, Bureau of Security and Investigative
Affairs, “Veterans Come First Program,” (Sacramento, California, 2012), http://www.
bsis.ca.gov/customer_service/faqs/veterans.shtml. (Last visited September 14, 2012.)
30
Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, Executive Order 2008-17S, Ohio GI Promise,
(Columbus, Ohio, July 8, 2008.
31
Dr. Paula Compton and Hideo Tsuchida, OBOR Updates on the Statewide Policies on
Military Credit and CLEP Exams, (Columbus, Ohio, April 5–8, 2011), https://www.
ohiohighered.org/transfer/military. (Last visited September 14, 2012).
32
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, “Military credit transfer for veterans
and service members,” (St. Paul, Minnesota, 2012). http://www.students.mnscu.edu/
military/transfer.html. (Last visited September 14, 2012).
33
34
Minnesota Statutes, 197.775 Higher Education Fairness, (2006).
Report to the legislature
57
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, System Procedures, Chapter 3 –
Educational Policies, Procedure 3.35.1 Credit for Prior Learning, (St. Paul, Minnesota, 2008
and 2009), http://www.mnscu.edu/board/procedure/335p1.html. (Last visited October
1, 2012).
35
Interview with Rodrigo Garcia, Student Veterans of America National Board
Chairman, Houston, Texas, August 30, 2012.
36
National Conference of State Legislatures, Military and Veterans Affairs State
Legislation Database, http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/labor/military-veteransaffairs-state-leg-database.aspx. (Last visited October 1, 2012).
37
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, “News Release, Military Experience
Approved for Electrical License: Military May Qualify for Grandfathered State License Without
Testing (Austin, Texas, May 10, 2004). http://www.license.state.tx.us/PressReleases/
eleclicenses051004.htm.
38
39
58
SB 1736, 82nd Texas Legislature, Regular Session.
College Credit for Heroes
Texas Workforce Commission Mission
To promote and support an effective workforce
system that offers employers, individuals,
and communities the opportunity
to achieve and sustain
economic prosperity.
Texas Workforce Commission
101 East 15th Street
Austin, Texas 78778-0001
(512) 463-2222
Equal Opportunity Employer/Program
Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.
Relay Texas: 800-735-2989 (TTY) and 711 (Voice).
Copies of this publication (11/2012) have been distributed in compliance with the State
Depository Law, and are available for public use through the Texas State Publication
Depository Program at the Texas State Library and other state depository libraries.
http://www.texasworkforce.org
ALAMO • BRAZOS VALLEY •
CAMERON COUNTY • CAPITAL AREA •
CENTRAL TEXAS • COASTAL BEND • CONCHO
VALLEY • GREATER DALLAS • DEEP EAST
TEXAS • EAST TEXAS • GOLDEN CRESCENT
• GULF COAST • HEART OF TEXAS • LOWER
RIO GRANDE VALLEY • MIDDLE RIO GRANDE
• NORTH CENTRAL • NORTHEAST TEXAS •
NORTH TEXAS • PANHANDLE •
PERMIAN BASIN • RURAL CAPITAL AREA
• SOUTHEAST TEXAS • SOUTH PLAINS
• SOUTH TEXAS • TARRANT COUNTY •
TEXOMA • UPPER RIO GRANDE •
WEST CENTRAL
Helping veterans and
service members move from
the military to the workforce
Report to the 83rd Legislature
and Governor Rick Perry