By the Numbers - Jan. 6, 2014
$90 billion +
Estimated program costs of the Post 9/11 GI Bill over its 15-year lifespan, according to a new report from the RAND Corporation -- Understanding the Cost and Quality of Military-Related Education Benefit Programs. The gist of the report is that there needs to be more research done regarding the efficacy of this program. The major issues:
· Policymakers need better research on quality and quantity of education that veterans receive.
· For-profit colleges are on the rise, charge higher tuition, and target veterans. There are concerns about the educational quality that they provide, and that their students are less likely to complete degree programs and face greater unemployment and student loan burdens.
· The benefit options can be an embarrassment of riches, and veterans may not understand the choices or eligibilities well enough to make the smartest decisions about funding their education.
According to the report, there also needs to be more research regarding the impact of these educational benefits on the employment rate of veterans -- a critical issue given that the unemployment rate for veterans is roughly two percentage points higher than the national average, and "one in five veterans ages 18–24 is unemployed."
$90 billion +
Estimated program costs of the Post 9/11 GI Bill over its 15-year lifespan, according to a new report from the RAND Corporation -- Understanding the Cost and Quality of Military-Related Education Benefit Programs. The gist of the report is that there needs to be more research done regarding the efficacy of this program. The major issues:
· Policymakers need better research on quality and quantity of education that veterans receive.
· For-profit colleges are on the rise, charge higher tuition, and target veterans. There are concerns about the educational quality that they provide, and that their students are less likely to complete degree programs and face greater unemployment and student loan burdens.
· The benefit options can be an embarrassment of riches, and veterans may not understand the choices or eligibilities well enough to make the smartest decisions about funding their education.
According to the report, there also needs to be more research regarding the impact of these educational benefits on the employment rate of veterans -- a critical issue given that the unemployment rate for veterans is roughly two percentage points higher than the national average, and "one in five veterans ages 18–24 is unemployed."