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Education and Training

December Education Office Hours FY 2023 Presentation

SCO Training Logo                          National Training Team logo


December Office Hours Agenda

  • Digital GI Bill® (DGIB) Updates: Enrollment Manager 
  • Veteran Rapid Retraining Assistance Program (VRRAP) Updates 
  • VA Forms 22-1995 (Request for Change of Program or Place of Training) and 22-5495 (Dependents’ Request for Change of Program or Place of Training) 
  • School Certifying Official (SCO) Annual Training Requirements 
  • Debt Management Center (DMC) Submission Tips 
  • School Certifying Official(s) can view this entire Office Hours presentation at the following YouTube link: December Office Hours

Digital GI Bill® Updates
 

Enrollment manager Workshop-Executive Summary 

On November 15, 2022, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hosted an Enrollment Manager Workshop to allow School Certifying Officials (SCOs) the opportunity to learn about and experience the new system that they will have to use to certify GI Bill® student enrollments. In-person attendees received hands-on demonstrations and were able to click through the new features on their own time. Over 150 SCOs attended in-person and over 9,700 participants tuned in virtually.  

Enrollment Manager Workshop:  VA leadership walked through an overview of Enrollment Manager, upcoming events and deadlines, communications and training materials, Questions and Answers (Q&A) sessions, and how the system fits into VA’s overall modernization efforts. 

Teams Livestream: A Livestream was available for those that could not attend the workshop in person. The day of the workshop, over 9,700 individuals tuned in virtually to hear from VA Leaders. A recording will be posted in the coming weeks to the VA’s Training & Webinar webpage.  

Enrollment Manager Modernization: The workshop provided SCOs an opportunity to get a hands-on preview of the new system and its features prior to its launch. They were able to walk through three stations: Student Profile, Adding Enrollments, and Amending Enrollments. 

Key Stats: 

Two-hour Main Presentation:​ Livestream 

  • 8K Attendance
  • 7K Views
  • 900+ Comments 

Two-hour Modernization: In-Person 

  • 156 Attendees
  • 35 States
  • 3 Activity Pathways Tested​ 


Looking Ahead-GI Bill® Roadshow 

In response to popular demand for the Enrollment Manager Workshop, we are hosting a GI Bill Roadshow to visit universities and help spread the news. The visits will consist of two events, a GI Bill Town Hall for Veterans, Service members, and GI Bill students, followed by an Enrollment Manager Workshop for SCOs.  

The following are scheduled workshop dates:

  • George Mason University (GMU), Fairfax, VA on Thursday, December 1, 2022. 
  • University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) on Thursday, December 8, 2022. 

GI Bill Town Hall: 

  • Audience: GI Bill students, Veterans, and Servicemembers
  • ​Purpose: Share how Veterans Affairs is improving the GI Bill® experience
  • ​Logistics:  Host in-person, 1-hour events at public universities 
  • ​Content: Post-9/11 GI Bill updates (programs, modernization), and Q&A
  • Please respond (RSVPs): 71 from GMU and 21 from UMBC 

SCO Enrollment Manager Workshop: 

  • Audience: School Certifying Officials (SCOs), School
  • Purpose: Show SCOs the new Enrollment Manager System and answer questions
  • Logistics: Host in-person, 1-hour workshops at public universities
  • Content: Enrollment Manager presentation showcasing new features and Q&A
  • Please respond (RSVPs): 29 from GMU and 28 from UMBC 


Enrollment Manager Workshop-Initial Takeaways 

1. Continue to provide hands-on engagement for SCOs: 

  • SCOs appreciated the opportunity to engage with VA in-person and test out the new system before launch
  • Attendee Quotes: “It was nice to have hands-on experience not only demoing the system, but having face to face interaction with VA.”
  • In 2023, SCOs would like VA to host additional events beyond the East Coast.
  • Required Enrollment manager training will be interactive. 

2. Alleviate anxiety about change: 

  • Providing demos of the new system and answering questions helped instill trust in the Enrollment manager launch and VA.
  • Attendee Quotes: “It’s always nice to see something updated, and the right way.” “Appreciate everything you guys do…Seeing the change you promised has been groundbreaking.”
  • Important to continue to distribute comprehensive communications in advance, with one aligned message.
  • Continue to capture and address SCO ‘wish-list’ of future changes. 

3. Create excitement around Enrollment Manager: 

  • The Workshop created excitement and resulted in high engagement
  • Enrollment Manager Workshop Facebook Post received 89 likes and 4 times more impressions than other posts on average.
  • Attendee Quote: “I can’t wait for Enrollment Manager to go live. It will be so nice.”
  • Attendees provided feedback that the audio was low. For future events, we will use a handheld microphone.
  • SCOs would like a copy of the presentation and demo recording, which will be available on the website.

 

Enrollment Manager Multifactor Authentication (MFA) 

Visit the following link to learn how to create an ID.me or Login.gov account: Enrollment Manger Multifactor Authentication Video

Enrollment Manager Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

Access and Logging In: 

  • As a legacy VA-ONCE user, do I still need to create a Login.gov or Id.me account? Yes, all SCOs will need to log in to the VA Education Platform Portal and Enrollment Manager with their Login.gov or ID.me account. When logging in for the first time only, SCOs who have legacy VA-ONCE credentials will need to provide those credentials to bypass requesting access from their ELR. When logging in all subsequent times, SCOs will just use their ID.me or Login.gov credentials to log in.
  • Will read only users have to request permission to be added to Enrollment Manager from the ELR or will SCOs be able to add read only users as we can currently? SCOs will be able to manage read only users and SCO assistant access
  • If I already have an Id.me account for another platform (Ask VA, ArmyIgnited, etc.) do I need to create a new one? No, you will be able to use your existing account

 Data Migration: 

  • Will a school’s individual standard remarks be migrated to Enrollment Manager? No. It is recommended to use VBA standard remarks as much as possible
  • Will there be down time to migrate the data from VA-ONCE to Enrollment Manager? Yes, VA-ONCE will sunset before Enrollment Manager goes live. Please make sure to submit enrollments in VA-ONCE by the sunset date so they are migrated to Enrollment Manager. 

General Functionality: 

  • What do the Enrollment Statuses in Enrollment Manager mean?

Sequence

Enrollment Status

Definition

1

In Progress

Enrollment/Amendment/Certification is in draft state

 

2

Pending SCO Review*

Draft must be verified and submitted by a SCO 

 

3

Submitted

Enrollment/Amendment/Certification was sent for processing

 

4

Under Review

Enrollment/Amendment/Certification was off-ramped for manual review

 

5

Processed

Enrollment/Amendment/Certification has been adjudicated

*Pending SCO Review = Status 2 from VA-ONCE 

  • How will the new enrollment management system affect the dual certification process? SCOs will still be required to verify enrollment certifications in Enrollment Manager as done in VA-ONCE. Future system enhancements may include additional features for the dual certification process.
  • Will Enrollment Manager have the ability to generate reports? Yes, Enrollment Manager will have the ability to generate weekly reports in the initial release and reporting capability will be expanded over time.
  • Will Enrollment Manager time out after 20 minutes, similar to VA-ONCE?
  • Will SCOs need to wait 24 hours before amending an enrollment certification? 

Enrollment Manager Transition 

VA-ONCE will sunset on January 13, 2023 to start the Enrollment Manager Transition Period to migrate the data from VA-ONCE to Enrollment Manager. The following is a preview of some of the Transition Week activities to prepare for go-live: 

  • VA-ONCE Sunset: Please submit all enrollments in VA-ONCE by 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on January 13, 2023.
  • Tip of the Week: The Tip of the Week campaign will begin giving Enrollment Manager users insight on helpful actions they can take to efficiently navigate Enrollment Manager. 
  • Office Hours: Office Hour sessions will be held giving detailed live instructions on how to use specific Enrollment Manager features.
  • Enrollment Manager Goes Live: Once Enrollment Manager is live, you will resume submitting enrollments using the new and improved system. 

Training Overview: To inform and prepare you for using Enrollment Manager, the team is taking a comprehensive training approach. Listed below are a few upcoming trainings and resources to expect over the next few months leading up to Enrollment Manager go-live. 

Enrollment Manger Captivate Module Series

EM 100, 101, and 102 required trainings and post-training assessment will be available on the training portal.

FAQs Document

Searchable document that will house answers to frequently asked questions about Enrollment Manager. Available on Resources for Schools Page on December 8. 

Job Aids

Quick references for VA Education Platform Portal. Available on Resources for Schools Page on December 8.

SCO Office Hours

Sessions to present updates about Enrollment Manager, new resources and trainings.

Workshops

Provide in-person and virtual opportunities to learn and engage with Enrollment Manager.

Enrollment Manager Roadmap

Your resource guide for all things Enrollment Manager. Will be distributed to SCOs via email on November 16. 

Resources for Schools Webpage

Reflect the latest updates on Enrollment Manager and store key resources.

Communications Overview: Below are the channels, content, and cadence where we will communicate Enrollment Manager updates. 

Content

Cadence

Emails:  Direct emails to targeted audiences about VA-ONCE Sunset, Readiness Emails​

2 – 3 times a month

Newsletters: Provide the latest updates via SCO in the Know newsletter articles.​

Bi-monthly

Videos: Provide interactive, easy to follow, informative how-to videos for visual learners.

After go-live

Web Updates: Reflect the latest updates on EM and store key resources. ​

Updated on a consistent basis, as needed.

SCO Office Hours: Present updates about EM, new resources and trainings. ​

Monthly

Workshops: Provide in-person and virtual opportunities to learn and engage with EM.

Prior to go-live

Social Posts: Share posts about Enrollment Manager updates, events and feedback.

1-2 times a month

VA-ONCE Banner Updates: Announce important dates and deadlines related to EM.

Updated on a consistent basis, as needed.

Communications About Enrollment Manager: To inform and prepare you for the upcoming EM improvements, we will send you communications every step of the way.  Stay up to date on the Veterans Benefits Administration’s social media platforms. The following are a few upcoming communications you can expect leading up to Enrollment Manager go-live:  

  • Emails & SCO in the Know Newsletter Updates
  • Videos: YouTube Channel; Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA)
  • Facebook@GIBillEducation; Twitter@VAVetBenefits; and Instagram@VABenefits

Authenticated Log In Process: VA strongly encourages you to create an ID.me or Login.gov account as soon as possible to gain access to Enrollment Manager. All SCOs need to create an ID.me or Login.gov account to access Enrollment Manager. 

Step 1: Sign up for a new account
Step 2: Confirming your email address
Step 3: Securing your account
Step 4: Verifying your identify 

I.D.me Help:


Veteran Rapid Retraining Assistance Program (VRRAP) Reminder 

Important Information about VRRAP:

  • On December 02, 2022, the final VRRAP Outreach notification letter was sent to Veterans.
  • Students seeking to participate in VRRAP must be actively enrolled in an approved program prior to December 10, 2022. ​
  • Please be advised that the deadline for VRRAP is quickly approaching; the program will expire on December 10, 2022 (this date is on a Saturday).


VA Forms 22-1995 (Request for Change of Program or Place of Training) and 22-5495 (Dependents’ Request for Change of Program or Place of Training)

Effective August 19, 2022, Education Training Institutions do not need to submit the Change of Program or Place of Training forms 22-1995 or 22-5495, when a beneficiary changes their program and place of training prior to issuing payments. 

The enrollment certification received from a new school for a program in a different academic or career field fulfills the requirements necessary to approve a request for a change (38 U.S.C. § 3691); and the enrollment verification process is another means of communication by the beneficiary verifying the change in program and/or place of training as requested by the student. This change will reduce processing time as fewer changes in program will require manual updates.

SCO Fiscal Year 2023 Annual Training Requirements

October 1, 2022: Annual Training Window Opens. Updated training requirements for all new SCOs and continuing education requirements for existing SCOs are effective.

June 1, 2023: 90-Day Training Alert: 90 Day Notifications and reminders for the approaching August 31st continuing education deadline will be posted on the GI Bill® Website and sent to SCOs via GOV Delivery Notice.

July 1, 2023: 60-Day Training Alert: 60 Day Notifications and reminders for the approaching August 31st continuing education deadline will be posted on the GI Bill® Website and sent to SCOs via Gov Delivery Notice.

August 1, 2023: 30-Day Training Alert: 30 Day Notifications and reminders for the approaching August 31st continuing education deadline will be posted on the GI Bill® Website and sent to SCOs via Gov Delivery Notice.

August 15, 2023: 15-Day Training Alert: 15 Day Notifications and reminders for the approaching August 31st continuing education deadline will be posted on the GI Bill® Website and sent to SCOs via Gov Delivery Notice.

August 31, 2023: Annual Training Window Closes! Continuing education requirements for existing SCOs completed.

September 1st-30th, 2023: Existing SCOs - No Training in Progress; new SCOs – Training is continuous throughout the year.


SCO Portal Completion Status

Certifying Officials can keep pace of their annual training requirements by viewing the Training Requirement Countdown, checking Annual Training Schedule, required modules, and annual training completion status. Visit our School Certifying Official (SCO) Training webpage for this and more information.

*The SCO Online Training Portal has been updated to show training modules requirements based on an SCOs facility type and their experience as an existing SCO or new SCO. Fiscal Year 2023, SCO Annual Training requirements will be calculated by modules and completion; SCO Annual Training requirements are no longer calculated by hours.

SCO Type

Number of Modules

Existing SCO Institution of Higher Learning (IHL)

4

Existing SCO Non-College Degree (NCD)

4

Existing SCO Institution of Higher Learning with Non-College Degree (NCD)

4

Existing SCO Institution of Higher Learning (IHL) with Flight

4

 

SCO Type

Number of Modules

Existing SCO On-the-Job Training (OJT)

1

Existing SCO Apprenticeship Program

1

Existing SCO Vocational Flight

1

Existing SCO High School Program

1

Existing SCO Residency Program

1

 

SCO Type

Number of Modules

New SCO On-the-Job Training (OJT)

1

New SCO Apprenticeship Program

1

New SCO Vocational Flight Facilities

1

New SCO High School and Residency Facilities

1

New SCO Residency Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL)

10

New SCO Non-College Degree Facilities

10

 

Certifying Official Resource Guide

School Certifying Officials, please contact the designated party if you are having issues on the following topics:

Contact your ELR

  • Updating Certifying Officials; VA Form 22-8794 (Designation of Certifying Official(s))
  • Technical assistance with reporting enrollments
  • Access to VA-ONCE and related technical guidance
  • 85/15 reporting matters
  • Clarification on Web Enabled Approval management System (WEAMS) 1998 Reports

Contact the Certifying Official Hotline

  • Status of Tuition & Fee or Yellow Ribbon payments
  • Explanation of school debt creation
  • Individual student benefit information and hardship cases

Contact your SAA

  • Program revisions; new/suspended/cancelled programs 
  • Updated catalogs and related publications 
  • School address updates – including branch/extension 
  • Changes in accreditation status 
  • Change of ownership and change of address

Contacting the Education Liaison Representative (ELR):

Contacting the State Approving Agency (SAA):

Please contact your ELR for the Certifying Official Hotline phone number.  

Certifying Official Resource Links 

Certifying Official Annual Training Resources 

National Training Mailbox:  edutraining.vbaco@va.gov

  • Certifying Official training portal access and use
  • Certifying Official approved training credit and progress tracking
  • Adobe Connect registration and access 

Office Hours Question and Answer: VBA Education Office Hours - Q&A Webpage​

  • Review previous Office Hours' questions and answers
  • Respond to questions posed during monthly Office Hours sessions
  • Link to Annual Training requirements and step-by-step directions self-certifying training 

SCO Portal Technical Support:  support@VBATraining.org

  • Certifying Official training portal technical assistance
  • Report Training Portal issues and outages 

All webinars and training sessions are announced via the GovDelivery, please click the following link: GovDelivery  

SCOs be sure to register and update your information as needed; GovDelivery Support can be found by clicking here 

Certifying Official Training Resources Self-Certification Step-By-Step Procedure 

  1. Click on the URL or Copy and Paste in your web browser https://vba-tpss.vbatraining.org/assess/trkSignIn?refid=XSCO
  2. Enter your email address and eight (8) digit facility code, then click Next
  3. Scroll down and click the Office Hours or Conference Sessions tab
  4. Select the applicable training session from the list of topics that appears on the right side of the screen by clicking Begin
  5. To enter Conference/Workshop/Virtual Training Title, click the dropdown arrow, select SCO Virtual Training Session and click Submit
  6. Enter the start date and the end date
  7. Enter your Facility Name, City and State (Main Campus) and click Submit
  8. Certify your attendance by clicking Agree and then submit
  9. Print your training certificate and keep for your records

 
Debt Management Center

Ask VA (AVA) School Inquiries:

  • All school inquiries and disputes should be submitted using Ask VA at the following link: AVA 
  • Select “Veterans Affairs- Debt” as the category and “A School Official” as the topic.
  • Selecting these options is critical to ensure routing to DMC
  • Under “My inquiry is” select “On behalf of a Veteran”- this enables you to select School Certifying Official or Other (Business) under “relationship to Veteran”.
  • Selecting on behalf of a Veteran and then a business relationship will ensure the inquiries show up in a business dashboard.
  • You must log in to receive a response that receives specific debt information.

Tips for Submissions via Ask VA (AVA)

When submitting disputes and inquiries via AVA:

  • One inquiry per student
  • Identifying information for the student (not in the subject line)
  • School name and facility code
  • Debt amount
  • Supporting details (front and back of cashed check, when was updated certification sent, etc.)

 

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