BILL NUMBER:  S3674

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the education law, in relation to
granting academic credit at state operated institutions of the state
university of New York and the senior colleges of the city university
of New York to veterans

 PURPOSE :

Allows the granting of academic credit at state operated institutions
to veterans.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

Section 1: Adds new section 669-h to the education law which states
that State operated institutions must recognize courses and award
educational credits for courses that were part of a veteran's military
training or service if the courses meet the standards of the American
Council on Education or equivalent standards for awarding academic
credits.

Section 2: Specifies effective date.

 JUSTIFICATION :

Military service members receive an education each day, whether it is
              

on the battlefield, through training, or through on the job
experience. Based on their military experiences and training, service
members may have college credit recommendations to apply toward a
degree requirement or program of study.

Earning college credit can be accomplished in a number of ways. The
military transcript of a service member is recognized by the American
Council on Education (ACE), the national accrediting agency, who
convenes teams of teaching faculty who travel to military
installations to evaluate military training courses and
occupation-based skills, knowledge, and abilities. These evaluations
are conducted to determine the learning acquired through these
experiences. Team members review training materials for programs of
instruction, including lesson plans, instructor materials, and
examination materials. The evaluators also interview service members,
their supervisors, and subject-matter specialists.  Review teams then
determine if the demonstrated learning outcomes are equivalent, in
part or in whole, to the learning outcomes derived from college level
coursework. Equivalencies are then expressed as credit recommendations
that are quantified in terms of semester hours and qualified in terms
of course titles or academic areas. ACE is the only higher education
organization that represents presidents and chancellors of all types
of U.S. accredited, degree-granting institutions: community colleges
and four-year institutions, private and public universities, and
nonprofit and for profit colleges. This cross-sector membership
enables ACE to serve as higher education's unifying voice.

For more than 60 years, ACE has reviewed and made credit
recommendations for thousands of college level courses offered by the
military services. In 1974, ACE started the evaluation of military
occupational specialties as well. Institutions of higher learning
operating in New York state often accept the military transcript as a
source of transfer credit. They law should be clarified to state that
they shall always accept those courses which are certified by ACE as
credit-worthy.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

2015: S. 4233 - Referred to Veterans, Homeland Security and Military
Affairs Committee.
2016: S. 4233C - Passed Senate.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
Shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date on
which it shall become a law.

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S3674A

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the education law, in relation to
granting academic credit at state operated institutions of the state
university of New York and the senior colleges of the city university
of New York to veterans

 PURPOSE :

Allows the granting of academic credit at state operated institutions
to veterans.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

Section 1: Adds new section 669-h to the education law which states
that State operated institutions must recognize courses and award
educational credits for courses that were part of a veteran's military
training or service if the courses meet the standards of the American
Council on Education or equivalent standards for awarding academic
credits.

Section 2: Specifies effective date.

 JUSTIFICATION :

Military service members receive an education each day, whether it is
              

on the battlefield, through training, or through on the job
experience. Based on their military experiences and training, service
members may have college credit recommendations to apply toward a
degree requirement or program of study.

Earning college credit can be accomplished in a number of ways. The
military transcript of a service member is recognized by the American
Council on Education (ACE), the national accrediting agency, who
convenes teams of teaching faculty who travel to military
installations to evaluate military training courses and
occupation-based skills, knowledge, and abilities. These evaluations
are conducted to determine the learning acquired through these
experiences. Team members review training materials for programs of
instruction, including lesson plans, instructor materials, and
examination materials. The evaluators also interview service members,
their supervisors, and subject-matter specialists.

Review teams then determine if the demonstrated learning outcomes are
equivalent, in part or in whole, to the learning outcomes derived from
college level coursework. Equivalencies are then expressed as credit
recommendations that are quantified in terms of semester hours and
qualified in terms of course titles or academic areas. ACE is the only
higher education organization that represents presidents and
chancellors of all types of U.S. accredited, degree-granting
institutions: community colleges and four-year institutions, private
and public universities, and nonprofit and for profit colleges. This
cross-sector membership enables ACE to serve as higher education's
unifying voice.

For more than 60 years, ACE has reviewed and made credit
recommendations for thousands of college level courses offered by the
military services. In 1974, ACE started the evaluation of military
occupational specialties as well. Institutions of higher learning
operating in New York state often accept the military transcript as a
source of transfer credit. They law should be clarified to state that
they shall always accept those courses which are certified by ACE as
credit-worthy.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

2015: S. 4233 - Referred to Veterans, Homeland Security and Military
Affairs Committee.
2016: S. 4233C - Passed Senate.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
Shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date on
which it shall become a law.