Question For Bertha Or Anyone

[hookrunner]

This is very offbase but is it possible to call a cue on the VA for educational denial?

Point in question, My wife has been attending a distant learning school from Quincy ,Mass. for nearly 3 years. The Buffalo ,N.Y. VARO is in charge of cetifacations . They have all of a suden dropped this school from their rolls as no longer being qualified because they are home based in London, England. Does the VA have the right to do this after she has been attending for 3 yrs. and only has another year to finish ? She is still entiled to another year of Ch. 35 benfits,

[Berta]

Does she have time to NOD that decision?

If the school was already VA approved for her past Chap 35-I dont see how they can pull this one-

do you feel comfortable telling me what school this is?

As I recall my Chap 35 stuff- they did not question the 'locale'of my school at all.

It is in Virginia and the instruction I get is primarily USMC active, at Quantico-

however- the school's location was not an issue and some of my tests were graded while my Prof was in

Japan and also he emailed me assignment grades from Okinawa on TDY.Many of our students are on active duty out of the US of A.

I dont get it-did they refer to a specific reg or VA case law that prevents Chap 35 in this situation?

[hookrunner]

Bertha, we ask you on this, because Jim said you were so busy. But thanks for answering so quick. The school is called Rhodec International School of Interior Design. It was approved when I started and they were approved before I ever began. Now they have the main operation in the UK. But I only use US tutors and a US office in Quincy, Mass. for all my work. The VA school laison told me that it didn't matter, that they had a small office here and all the diplomas come out of the UK. I was not the only student this happened to. She said there is too much technical school and not enough of basic study, (english, math, etc.) I ask her how do they approve technical school if that is the case, for they only train on the technical part of a particular job. This is a very extensive course in Interior Design. Drafting, Materials, History, and on and on. Everything there is to do with a houses inside and out. The school is working with an attorney trying to get there certification back, but you know with the VA how long that could take. This went into affect as of Oct. 5, 2005, and the school did not recieve the letter until just recently and they immediately put the attorney on it. The school got a letter back from the VA yesterday. I do not know what it said, but they are fighting. Shouldn't I have been eligble for the rest of my benefits, maybe grandfathered in as they say? The whole thing just seem unfair to me. I still have a lot of work to do and believe me this course, you have to buy a lot of equipment to get through it. I would appreciate any info you can give me. Thanks. Liz, Jim's wife.

[Berta]

Do you have hard copy proof that the VA liason said that?

I assume you have email direct to and from both your VA counselor at the school and the VA Edu dept.

I would NOD this and add the hard copy statement that the VA liason said.

Also I would use the FOIA-Freedom of Information Act- and send a letter to the Records Access officer -care of VARO Educational Department asking for release of any documents ,to include those to or from attorneys, that they have sent or received regarding this accreditation to -I think you said certification but do you mean VA accreditation-regarding this school.

Also save receipts from the school of any tuition you have to pay until this is resolved.

I would also push for the grandfathered in part too-but as a VA Chap 35 student you have a right to know why this was done and what the VA is going to do about it.

Is there anything at all at the VA Education web site about this- it seems extremely unfair.

Edited April 6, 2006 by Berta