The documentation is then forwarded to the Department of Veteran's Affairs (DVA) for processing. Upon completion of the first day of class, the enrollment certification is reported by the VA Certifying Official to the DVA for processing. Allow a minimum of 4-8 weeks to activate benefits. The DVA will send the benefit check directly to the entitled individual. The student must pay all fees upon registration. The student is eligible for educational benefits for the length of the program as approved by the DVA. The student must check with the school's VA Certifying Official to verify the DVA approval of his/her program length. All veterans receiving educational benefits while attending TECO is subject to the policies and procedures of the school. The following regulations apply:
Standards of Progress and Attendance
- All students receiving Veterans' Educational benefits must maintain satisfactory academic progress in accordance with the regularly prescribed standards and practices of TECO. If the student is not making satisfactory academic progress according to those standards and practices, educational benefits will be discontinued for the students. Veteran and non-veteran students alike will be referred back to Student Services for counseling to a program that may offer the possibility of success.
- Attendance reports must be submitted monthly to the schools' VA Certifying Official.
- Students must attend classes regularly; all absences will be recorded and maintained by the school. Veterans are allowed three (3) unexcused absences and three (3) excused absences within a calendar month. DVA will be notified when seven (7) absences and/or four (4) unexcused absences have been recorded within a calendar month and VA benefits will be terminated. All absences are considered unexcused unless otherwise documented. These criteria are considered excused absences: illness of self, illness or dearth of immediate family member, jury duty or active military service. Documentation supporting absences must be given to the VA Certifying Official immediately upon student returning to school.
- Satisfactory attendance is defined as compliance with existing school attendance policy and the VA attendance policy. One may be stricter than the other. It is the students' responsibility to adhere to BOTH, in order to continue the educational program and receive monetary VA benefits.
- Satisfactory academic progress is defined as mastery of at least 75 percent of assigned program competencies for the particular evaluation period and an overall performance rating of average or above. Academic progress will be reviewed by a VA Certifying Official at the end of each nine week marking period or term.
- Two unsatisfactory progress reports will result in termination of Veterans' Educational benefits for program enrolled.
- The DVA will be notified by the school's VA Certifying Official if
the veteran does not maintain satisfactory academic progress or
satisfactory attendance
- VA Educational benefits discontinued due to unsatisfactory attendance may be reinstated upon completion of one calendar month of satisfactory attendance. VA Educational benefits discontinued due to unsatisfactory academic progress may be reinstated upon completion of a nine week marking period or term of satisfactory academic progress. Documentation must be in the student's file before VA benefits are reinstated.
- A VA benefited student may receive additional hours toward a program length for basic remediation that is required for program completion. The student may receive up to an additional 300 hours credit if the student is attending a program of 750 hours or greater in length. The student may receive up to an additional 150 hours credit if the student is attending a program less than 750 hours in length.
- A VA benefited student is required to transfer previous training credits from an accredited institution to TECO. Credit for previous training will be evaluated by the instructor and granted, if appropriate. Upon acceptance of the transfer credits, the training time may be reduced. The DVA and the student will be notified if previous training credit is granted. The evaluation will be performed within the first 90 days of enrollment.
- Any veteran or other eligible student who receives VA benefits may be granted a deferment, if warranted, once per academic year. If, however, there is a break in training or a delay in the receipt of VA benefits, an additional deferment may be granted. The veteran will make a partial payment based on TECO's established procedures at the time of registration and the balance as scheduled by the Business Office. Failure to meet this obligation will result in the student being withdrawn from classes. For short term programs, balance is due no later than the last day of enrollment prior to receiving a completion certificate. Deferments will not be granted when there are outstanding fees on a student's account.