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

• Republican13
• Democratic11

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Joseph P. Addabbo Jr. says this is needed

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, know- ledge, and abilities. These evaluations are conducted to determine the learning acquired through these experiences. Team members review train- ing 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 qual- ified in terms of course titles or academic areas. ACE is the only high- er 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 often as well. Institutions of higher learning operating in New York state often accept the military transcript as a source of transfer cred- it. They law should be clarified to state that they shall always accept those courses which are certified by ACE as credit-worthy.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.