Understanding the Cost and Quality of Military-Related Education Benefit Programs
Abstract
Since the passage of the original GI Bill following World War II (Serviceman's Readjustment Act, 1944), the military has provided veterans with a collection of financial aid benefits designed to help them attend college. While research has shown that these programs have helped many veterans acquire a college education, less is known about the impact of more recent educational benefits for veterans. This is especially true of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which, in conjunction with a number of other assistance programs, has afforded veterans new educational opportunities. The Post-9/11 GI Bill offers tuition subsidies paid directly to institutions, a housing allowance tied to the cost of living, and a book stipend, which in combination are usually more generous than preceding GI Bills. However, issues such as rising tuition costs; an increasing presence of low-quality, for-profit institutions that target veterans; and a potentially confusing array of benefit options could mitigate the impact of these programs on the recruitment, retention, and human capital development of service members. This report contextualizes these issues and formulates a research agenda to address them. Specifically, the report addresses the following research questions: (1) What are the key features of the military-related education benefit programs, including changes to these programs and historical utilization patterns of some of the key programs?; (2) What has prior research found about the impacts of these programs?; (3) What are the primary challenges policymakers face for improving the evaluation, implementation, and efficiency of the benefit programs?; and (4) How can future research help overcome the challenges policymakers face?
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2013
- Accession Number
- ADA591167
Entities
People
- Paco Martorell
- Peter Bergman
Organizations
- RAND Corporation