In general, the benefits provide payments to eligible veterans and servicemembers and their families enrolled in approved programs of education to help them afford postsecondary education. In FY2017, the VA is estimated to distribute over $14 billion in GI Bill benefits to over 1 million eligible participants. Since 1947, State Approving Agencies (SAAs) have been an important component in the administration of GI Bill benefits, along with the VA, educational institutions, and training establishments. The SAA role was originally intended to ascertain the quality of on-the-job training establishments and has now expanded to ensuring that veterans and other GI Bill participants have access to a range of high-quality education and training programs at which to use their GI Bill benefits. Designation and Control of SAAs

Statutory provisions "request" that each state create or designate a state department or agency as its SAA. The VA contracts (or enters into agreement) with each SAA annually to provide approval, oversight, training, and outreach activities by qualified personnel as specified in the contract to ensure the quality of programs of education and proper administration of GI Bill benefits. Statutory provisions prevent the VA and any other federal entity or individual from exercising any supervision or control over SAAs except in specified incidences. The VA oversees the processes for approving and reviewing approved programs of education, educating the entities and individuals involved in GI Bill claims processing, and increasing awareness among potential GI Bill participants. Once the SAA or the VA completes the initial approval review in accordance with the program of education approval standards (see Appendix ), the SAA or VA issues an approval or disapproval letter to the facility naming the approved or disapproved programs of education and any specific requirements or limitations. The VA maintains the compiled list of approved programs of education. The SAA will often conduct a site visit to verify the application and that the approval requirements may be met. Compliance Surveys

Compliance surveys are designed to ensure that each facility and its approved programs are in compliance with all applicable statutory, regulatory, and policy provisions and that the facility understands the provisions. Per statute, the compliance survey is intended to assure that each facility and each program of education meets all statutory requirements. In addition to reviewing student records, compliance surveys also include student interviews (as applicable), various verifications, and a review of additional documents and areas outlined on the compliance survey checklist. Inspection Visits and Other Visits

In addition to visits to complete compliance surveys, the SAA may conduct 
technical assistance visits to provide information on the facility's responsibilities, help the facility provide services to veterans and GI Bill participants, and provide information on non-GI Bill veterans' benefits; inspection visits within approximately 30 days of the initial approval of a program at a new facility to train the SCO and ensure the facility and program may remain approved; visits, at the request of the VA, to investigate third party information (e.g, media, GI Bill participant complaint, ED, or other state agency) that suggests noncompliance with the approval standards; and visits motivated by SAA professional judgment. Statutory provisions also provide specific circumstances in which the VA may suspend GI Bill payments to those enrolled or pursuing an approved program of education, disapprove new enrollments in a program of education, or disapprove one or more programs of education:
The VA may disapprove new GI Bill enrollments at a facility if the facility charges a GI Bill participant more than another similarly circumstanced individual. If the institution/establishment fails to resolve the issue during the suspension, the SAA will disapprove the program(s) of education. The VA must take into consideration the annual evaluation of each SAA when negotiating a new contract, but not necessarily the JPRG rating. Program of Education Approval and Compliance Standards

The standards that facilities and programs of education must meet to receive and maintain GI Bill approval are specified in 38 U.S.C., Chapter 36, regulations, and Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA) policies. The SAA may require such evidence of compliance as is deemed necessary; The institution is financially sound and capable of fulfilling its commitments for training; The institution does not exceed its enrollment limitations as established by the SAA; The institution's administrators, directors, owners, and instructors are of good reputation and character; Unless waived, the institution has and maintains a policy for the refund of the unused portion of tuition, fees, and other charges in the event the eligible person fails to enter the course or withdraws or is discontinued therefrom at any time before completion and 1. in the case of a private institution, such policy provides that the amount charged to the eligible person for a portion of the course shall not exceed the approximate pro rata portion of the total charges for tuition, fees, and other charges that the length of the completed portion of the course bears to its total length; or 2. in the case of a nonaccredited public educational institution, the institution has and maintains a refund policy regarding the unused portion of charges that is substantially the same as the refund policy followed by accredited public educational institutions located within the same state as such institution; and The institution publicly discloses any additional conditions required to obtain licensure, certification, or approval for unaccredited courses designed to lead to state licensure or certification or to prepare an individual for an occupation that requires such approval or licensure.
State Approving Agencies (SAAs) play an important role in the administration of GI Bill® benefits. GI Bill benefits provide educational assistance payments to eligible veterans and servicemembers and their families enrolled in approved programs of education. The SAA role is intended to ensure that veterans and other GI Bill participants have access to a range of high-quality education and training programs at which to use their GI Bill benefits. In FY2017, the Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA) is estimated to distribute over $14 billion in GI Bill benefits to over 1 million eligible participants.
Statutory provisions provide for the establishment of SAAs and describe their role in administering GI Bill benefits. Each state is "requested" to create or designate a state department or agency as its SAA. The VA contracts (or enters into agreement) with each SAA annually to provide approval, oversight, training, and outreach activities by qualified personnel as specified in the contract to ensure the quality of programs of education and proper administration of GI Bill benefits. The VA oversees the processes for approving and reviewing approved programs of education, educating the entities and individuals involved in GI Bill claims processing, and increasing awareness among potential GI Bill participants. The VA and any other federal entity or individual is prohibited from exercising any supervision or control over SAAs except as specifically provided in statutory provisions. For example, 38 U.S.C. §3674 requires the VA take into consideration an annual evaluation of each SAA's performance on its contractual standards when negotiating a new contract.
One of the key SAA roles is to initially approve programs of education for GI Bill purposes. Each sponsoring facility (e.g., educational institutions and training establishments) must submit an application to its SAA. Approval is intended to ensure that each program of education and sponsoring facility meets all applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, including proper benefit administration and program of education quality. The approval process and requirements vary depending on the program's educational objective (e.g., non-college degree or flight training) and existing government oversight. For example, some programs that are approved by other government programs or processes are "deemed approved" and require a less in-depth review. The remaining programs undergo more comprehensive approval processes that may include the SAA reviewing institutional policies, staff qualifications, and academic curriculum. The SAA may conduct a site visit. Once the SAA completes the initial approval review in accordance with the approval standards, the SAA issues an approval or disapproval letter to the facility. The VA maintains the compiled list of all approved programs of education.
Another key SAA role is to conduct compliance surveys. Compliance surveys are designed to ensure that the facility and approved programs are in compliance with all applicable statutory, regulatory, and policy provisions and the facility understands the provisions. Statutory provisions establish the number of institutions requiring annual compliance surveys. The VA conducts compliance surveys but also assigns some of the required compliance surveys to SAAs. During the onsite compliance survey visit, the SAA reviews student files to verify that GI Bill payments have been made properly, conducts student interviews, verifies institutional operations, and reviews additional documents and areas as outlined on the compliance survey checklist. Discrepancies uncovered during the compliance survey may be resolved immediately, may result in the creation of a GI Bill debt or payment, or may result in the suspension or disapproval of a program of education. The SAA may suspend a program of education from new enrollments for up to 60 days while the SAA provides assistance to help the facility resolve the issue. The SAA may disapprove the program of education such that no GI Bill payments may be made based on an individual's pursuit of the program of education.