Isakson & Roe

Isakson and Roe Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020

On January 5, 2021, the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 was enacted. The law will have a transformative effect on the mission of Education Service to provide ready access to, and timely and accurate delivery of, education benefits to Veterans, Servicemembers, and their families, as well as further enable VA to empower GI BIll® beneficiaries to achieve their vocational and career goals.

This new law features 32 provisions that impact the administration and oversight of GI BIll® benefits including new requirements for enrollment verification, expanded restoration of entitlement opportunities, the sunsetting of the Montgomery GI BIll®, and substantial changes to our oversight of GI BIll®-approved schools and other education-related issues.

Isakson and Roe (va.gov)

Bakersfield College does not provide commissions, bonuses, or other incentive payments based directly or indirectly on securing enrollments or federal financial aid (including Tuition Assistance funds) to any persons or entities engaged in any student recruiting, admission activities, or making decisions regarding the award of student financial assistance.

Bakersfield College prohibits staff and faculty from engaging in high-pressure recruitment tactics such as making multiple unsolicited contacts (3 or more), including contacts by phone, email, or in-person, and engaging in same-day recruitment and registration for the purpose of securing Service member enrollments.

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College Policy on acceptance of transfer credits including military credits.

Military Credit

Bakersfield College will grant veterans 12 elective credits for military service. A review of the Joint Services Transcript (JST) will be made by the Office of Admissions & Records. Credit evaluations will conform to the regulations set forth by the State Approval Agency of the California State Department of Education and the recommendations of the American Council on Education. A Veteran student who has successfully completed Basic Military Training/Recruit Training, with any character discharge, excluding dishonorable, will be awarded 12-semester units as listed below:
  • HLEDB1 (3 Units),
  • Physical Education (2 Units), and;
  • General Education (7 Units)
Submission of a copy of the veteran's DD-214, member page 4 (Report of Separation from the Armed Forces) to Admissions & Records is required. Military credit granted by Bakersfield College is currently accepted only by the CSU system.

Credit for Prior Learning

Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) is college credit awarded for validated college-level skills and knowledge gained outside of a college classroom. Students' knowledge and skills might be gained through experiences such as:
  • Military training
  • Industry training
  • State/federal government training
  • Apprenticeships, internships, work-based learning, or other industry-based experiential learning
  • Validated volunteer and civic activities (e.g. Peace Corps)
For veteran and active-duty students, we are utilizing the recommendations of the American Council on Education (ACE), paired with the service member's Joint Service Transcript to crosswalk military education that aligns with courses offered here at Bakersfield College. Credit for Military Service/Training Students interested in Credit for Prior Learning using Joint Service Transcripts shall receive credit as recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE) 111 Directory and approved by the appropriate discipline faculty of the college under the following circumstances: 
  • The student shall complete the Credit for Prior Learning assessment petition available in the Counseling or Records Office
  • Official transcripts must be on file in the Records Office. These may include Joint Services Transcript (JST), Sailor/Marine American Council on Education Registry Transcript (SMART), Army and American Council on Education Registry Transcript Service (AARTS), Community College of the Air Force (CCAF), Coast Guard Institute (CGI), DANTES/USAFI, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Transcripts (DLIFLC), Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), DLPT Examinee Results, DA Form 330 Language Proficiency Questionnaire, or verified copies of DD214 or DD295 military records.
  • Credit course equivalency shall be determined by the faculty of the appropriate discipline.

VA Monthly Enrollment Verification

Enrollment verification is a new requirement for Post-9/11 GI BIll® (Chapter 33) students to verify every month that they are still enrolled in the same courses or training that the school-certified to VA. It's not about verifying that students are attending classes, but whether the student's certified enrollment has changed.

Requirements for In-State Tuition

Students eligible for GI BIll® educational benefits including the Montgomery GI BIll®-Active Duty program (Chapter 30), the Veterans Readiness and Employment program (formerly called Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment) (Chapter 31), or the Post-9/11 GI BIll® program (Chapter 33) are exempt from paying nonresident tuition regardless of when the veteran separated from the military.

Prohibition of automatic enrollment certification

Veteran students and students using VA educational benefits at Bakersfield College are not certified automatically. Students must request to be certified for each term they wish to use their educational benefits.

Absence due to Military Service

MILITARY WITHDRAWAL (MW) grades are given to students who are called up to active duty in the military. Upon presentation of orders, an ‘MW' grade is awarded for each class for which you are enrolled, regardless of when you stopped attending. ‘MW' grades are non-evaluative and do not count in computing the grade point average, nor are they used in calculating progress probation/dismissal. Upon returning from active duty, you are considered a continuing student with no break in attendance. You retain original catalog rights and resume the same level of priority registration.

 

Designated Campus Employees for Military Affiliated Students

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