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GAO Report Looks at Student Veterans Affected by School Closures

July 17, 2019

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Title: Post-9/11 GI Bill: Veterans Affected by School Closures

Source: United States Government Accountability Office

Author: Melissa Emrey-Arras

A recent report released by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) looks at how college closures impact the academic outcomes of student veterans.

The report highlights the challenges that arise when an institution abruptly closes, including the difficulties for veterans in transferring credits and completing their education, and the costs to the federal government and taxpayers when discharging federal student loans for these students.

It also addresses the distribution of Post-9/11 GI Bill tuition and fee payments across sectors, outcomes for student veterans at institutions that receive the most Post-9/11 GI Bill dollars, and outcomes for students enrolled at closed institutions.

Melissa Emrey-Arras, director of Education, Workforce, and Income Security for GAO, presented findings from the report to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, Committee on Veterans’ Affairs at a hearing June 19.

Click here to read the full report, and here to watch the hearing.

—Ben Schaap

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