[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 126 (Tuesday, July 1, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 35423-35424]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-17217]
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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
38 CFR Part 21
RIN 2900-AH97
Veterans Education: Submission of School Catalogs to State
Approving Agencies
AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: This document amends the educational assistance and
educational benefits regulations of the Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA). The current regulations provide that schools must submit a
catalog or bulletin to the State Approving Agency (SAA) when seeking
approval for courses for training under VA-administered education
programs. Public Law 102-568 removed this requirement for elementary
and secondary schools. Accordingly, VA is amending the regulations to
state that accredited schools, other than elementary and secondary
schools, as part of the approval process must submit catalogs to the
State agencies that approve courses for training under VA-administered
education programs.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 1997.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: June C. Schaeffer, Assistant Director
for Policy and Program Administration, Education Service (225),
Veterans Benefits Administration, 202-273-7187.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In a document published in the Federal
Register on January 8, 1997 (62 FR 1075), VA proposed to amend the
``Administration of Educational Assistance'' regulations which are set
forth in 38 CFR 21.4001 et seq. It was proposed to amend the
regulations so that accredited schools, other than elementary or
secondary schools, as part of the approval process must submit catalogs
to the State approving agencies. Comments were sought under the
Paperwork Reduction Act concerning the collection of information in the
proposed Sec. 21.4253(d)(1).
Interested persons were given 60 days to submit comments. No
comments were received. Accordingly, based on the rationale set forth
in the proposed rule and in this document, we are adopting the
provisions of the proposed rule as a final rule.
The amendments made by this final rule relieve restrictions.
Therefore, under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553(d), there is a basis
for making this final rule effective immediately.
Paperwork Reduction Act
Information collection and recordkeeping requirements in this final
rule (concerning 38 CFR 21.4253(d)(1)) have been approved by the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) under the provisions of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520) and have been assigned OMB
control number 2900-0568. The provisions of Sec. 21.4253(d)(1) restate
a statutory requirement which provides that before a State Approving
Agency (SAA) may approve a course of an accredited educational
institution (other than an elementary or secondary school) for training
under VA-administered educational assistance programs, the educational
institution must submit to the SAA certified copies of its catalog or
bulletin containing certain information.
OMB assigns a control number for each collection of information it
approves. VA may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a
currently valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number
assigned to the collection of information in this final rule is
displayed at the end of the affected section of the regulations.
Regulatory Flexibility Act
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs certifies that this final rule
will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of
small entities as they are defined in the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5
U.S.C. 601-612. Although it is possible that a small entity could be
subject to this rulemaking, all schools prepare a catalog or bulletin
that would meet the requirements of this rulemaking. Consequently,
there will be no significant economic impact on small entities from
this rulemaking.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance numbers for the programs
affected by this final rule are 64.117, 64.120, and 64.124.
List of Subjects in 38 CFR Part 21
Administrative practice and procedure, Armed forces, Civil rights,
Claims, Colleges and universities, Conflict of interests, Defense
Department, Education, Employment, Grant programs-education, Grant
programs-veterans, Health care, Loan programs-education, Loan programs-
veterans, Manpower training programs, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Schools, Travel and transportation expenses, Veterans,
Vocational education, Vocational rehabilitation.
Approved: June 2, 1997.
Jesse Brown,
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
For the reasons set out in the preamble, 38 CFR part 21, subpart D,
is amended as set forth below.
PART 21--VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND EDUCATION
Subpart D--Administration of Educational Assistance Programs
1. The authority citation for part 21, subpart D, continues to read
as follows:
Authority: 10 U.S.C. 1606; 38 U.S.C. 501(a), chs. 30, 32, 34,
35, 36, unless otherwise noted.
[[Page 35424]]
2. In Sec. 21.4253, paragraph (d)(1) is revised to read as follows:
Sec. 21.4253 Accredited courses.
* * * * *
(d) * * *
(1) The institution (other than an elementary or secondary school)
has submitted to the State approving agency copies of its catalog or
bulletin which are certified as true and correct in content and policy
by an authorized representative, and the publication shall:
(i) State with specificity the requirements of the institution with
respect to graduation;
(ii) Include institution policy and regulations relative to
standards of progress required of the student by the institution (this
policy will define the grading system of the institution, the minimum
grades considered satisfactory, conditions for interruption for
unsatisfactory grades or progress, a description of the probationary
period, if any, allowed by the institution, conditions of reentrance
for those students dismissed for unsatisfactory progress, and a
statement regarding progress records kept by the institution and
furnished the student);
(iii) Include institution policy and regulations relating to
student conduct and conditions for dismissal for unsatisfactory
conduct; and
(iv) Include any attendance standards of the institution if the
institution has and enforces such standards.
(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3675(a), 3676(b))
* * * * *
(Paperwork requirements in Sec. 21.4253(d)(1) were approved by the
Office of Management and Budget under control number 2900-0568.)
[FR Doc. 97-17217 Filed 6-30-97; 8:45 am]
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