Dantes information bulletin (12) Dec 2017

DIB

DEC

DANTES INFORMATION BULLETIN

2017

Reflections of A Year to Remember In this issue: 2017 Year in Review

2

Counselor Tools

6

Hot News

7

Troops To Teachers

8

Contact Information

9

DANTES Information Bulletin

DANTES Sponsored Programs: 2017 Year in Review

Taheesha Quarells, Communications Division, DANTES

W

e did it! We made it through another year of supporting the voluntary education (VolEd) community as it helps service members reach their education and career goals. Together we helped 35% of service members take college courses and participate in VolEd programs. If you are involved in helping service members connect to voluntary education programs and benefits, we want to say THANK YOU for all that you do throughout the year! In this issue, we will highlight 2017 accomplishments. These shared accomplishments were made possible by the dedication, innovation, and efforts of all the professional voluntary education personnel, Defense education institutional Vol 482

partners, national testing agencies, and postsecondary organizations that are a part of the VolEd enterprise.

Take a look at some of the things we were able to accomplish together during 2017 as we:

• Strengthened Defense Education Partnerships • Supported College & Career Readiness • Enabled the Prior Learning Assessment • Supported the VolEd Enterprise • Helped Veterans transition to civilian employment

http://www.dantes.doded.mil

Year In Review Strengthened Defense Education Partnerships Defense Education Partnerships facilitate relationships with accredited academic institutions to ensure that service members have access to a variety of quality schools. These partnerships enable service members to overcome barriers to degree completion and earn marketable credentials that support military advancement and civilian transition.

Increased DoD MOU Partnership Institutions Through the DoD Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (DoD MOU) service members were able to use their tuition assistance funding at over 2,800 educational institutions in more than 25,000 locations.

Supported Degree Completion Through SOC Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) consists of 150+ DoD MOU institutions vetted for additional quality and value measures.

Through the SOC program: • 31,000+ service members received new SOC Student Agreements that guarantee transferability, making it easier for service members to complete associate and bachelor’s degrees no matter where they move during their military careers • 250,000+ Student Agreements were monitored for institutional compliance • 10,700+ marketable undergraduate degrees were awarded

DANTES Information Bulletin

Vol 482

http://www.dantes.doded.mil

2

Year In Review Supported College & Career Readiness Programs supporting college and career readiness help service members plan individual education pathways, improve academic skills, satisfy college admissions requirements, and demonstrate their aptitude to qualify for special officer accession programs. These readiness programs enabled: •

66,000+ service members to plan for college and career pathways

•

28,900+ service members to improve math and English skills

•

3,800+ service members to take undergraduate and graduate college entrance exams

Expanded ACT & SAT Testing Options & Policies The availability of testing options for service members interested in taking the ACT and SAT have expanded to include both on-base DANTES-sponsored test centers and national/international test centers. Due to these expanded testing options, service members are able to receive up-front funding when taking the ACT and SAT at DANTES-sponsored test sites. Also, service members are able to be reimbursed for up to 2 ACT and 2 SAT exams taken at national/international test centers.

Released an Improved TCO Training Course Although most exams are taken at national test centers, DANTES-sponsored test sites still administer the ACT & SAT exams. In June of 2017, DANTES announced a new online Test Control Officer Training Course that prepares VolEd testing personnel to fulfill their roles as Test Control Officers (TCOs), Alternate Test Control Officers (ATCOs), and Test Examiners for DANTES-sponsored test sites. The new course is 90% shorter than the previous version, incorporates updates to programs, and includes access to policy and procedural documents.

DANTES Information Bulletin

Vol 482

http://www.dantes.doded.mil

3

Year In Review

Enabled the Assessment of Prior Learning not charge DANTES-funded test takers the test administration fee on the top 10 exams Defense Prior Learning Assessment Prothat military members use. grams enable service members to earn college credit recommendations through Introduced New DSST Test Titles credit by examination and the evaluation of military courses and occupational experi- New DSST Test Titles were announced in ences. As a result: 2017, this includes: • 56,700+ service members took 85,900+ tests to earn college credit • 400+ military courses and occupations were evaluated for college credit equivalency • 3,200+ college credit recommendations were generated • 416,000+ Joint Services Transcripts were sent to educational institutions for service members and veterans

• Math for Liberal Arts • Principles of Advanced English Composition Highlighted New CLEP Resources New resources are available to help service members leverage CLEP exams:

• A digital educator toolkit with resources to help promote CLEP exams was introAnnounced 700 New DSST Testing Locaduced tions • Free online courses were launched to aid service members in preparing for CLEP DSST exams for college credit became more exams accessible to service members through the • Free study guides are automatically given addition of 700 Prometric test center locato military members when they register tions. Both stateside and internationally, for exams these additional testing locations make • U.S. Air Force civilian employees are now scheduling more convenient for service able to take CLEP exams at no-cost at members and offer new locations that will fully-funded test centers DANTES Information Bulletin

Vol 482

http://www.dantes.doded.mil

4

Year In Review Supported the VolEd Enterprise

Provided New Promotional Material

DANTES supports the VolEd community by distributing reference publications, maintaining an internet presence through the Digital Network, and offering professional development for VolEd professionals.

New promotional material became available in the form of individual program fact sheets, program power point templates, mobile app promotional material, and reference publications through an online ordering process. More than 226,000 publications were distributed to over 350 military education, career, transition, and wounded warrior centers worldwide.

Built Awareness Through Outreach Through the DANTES website, more than 270,000 service members gained access to education programs. Through social media and blogs, over 160,000 service members connected to information on available education programs and benefits. DANTES also created several new multimedia projects, one of which received a national award for excellence.

Launched a Mobile App The new MyVolEdPath mobile app continues to gain popularity as it already has over 6,000 downloads since its launch. The mobile app is a discovery to tool that connects service members to tailored information on DANTES sponsored programs and directs them to VolEd counselors.

DANTES Information Bulletin

Vol 482

Troops to Teachers (TTT) partners with over 20 states to deliver teacher credentialing and job placement services to military members and veterans.

Revamped the TTT Website During 2017, TTT launched a new version of the www.proudtoserveagain.com website.

The new web page focuses its messaging on TTT’s two main audiences, those who want to teach and those who hire teachers.

As a result, more than 4,600 new participants registered for the program.

http://www.dantes.doded.mil

5

Counselor Tools & Resources The DIB is designed to keep voluntary education professionals up-to-date on DANTES-sponsored education programs. In case you missed an issue in 2017, here is a snapshot of monthly DIB newsletters.

Subscribe to the DIB for monthly updates at http://www.dantes.doded.mil/dib.html

DANTES Outreach Jan 2017

SOC DNS May 2017

Troop To Teachers Feb 2017

Save Time & Money Jan 2017

MyVolEdPath Mobile App Apr 2017

Business Management & Transportation, Distribution, Administration Careers & Logistics Careers Jul 2017 Jun 2017

Healthcare Careers Sep 2017 DANTES Information Bulletin

Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security Careers Oct 2017 Vol 482

Information Technology Careers Aug 2017

Careers in Education Nov 2017

http://www.dantes.doded.mil

6

Program Updates

Hot News Second Shot is Back to Retake DSST Second Shot is back and better than ever. Service members, family members and civilians can retake the DSST Exam for FREE if you do not pass your first attempt between December 1st and January 31st.

This Second Shot will be open to all. That means we get to share the joy with all test takers including, military, children, spouses, friends, and family.

Throughout the Second Shot initiative, pass rates continue to increase for all exams, indicating that return on investment is in no way impacted.

How it works: If ANY test taker does not pass their first attempt at a DSST Exam between December 1st and January 31st, they have an opportunity to retake the exam before March 10, 2018 without having to pay the cost of the retest. In addition, the waiting period for retakes has been reduced from 90 to 30 days. When service members register to take an exam at a test center, they must select the DSST Domain and enter the voucher code as payment.

DANTES Information Bulletin

Vol 482

This promotion does not apply to the Principles of Public Speaking Exam or paper-based tests. For more information, visit http://getcollegecredit. com/assets/pdf/DSST-second-shot.pdf.

The DoD MOU Application System Upgrade On November 1, 2017, the Department of Defense (DoD) Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) application system, was upgraded with a new feature to streamline the reporting process for the DoD MOU tuition rate tool. The automated reminder system will generate notifications to educational institutions participating in the DoD MOU program to submit annual tuition rate charges prior to the 90-day implementation date. This effort will ensure uniformity as specified in the DoD MOU instruction.

If you have any questions, please visit the DoD MOU website at https://www.dodmou.com.

http://www.dantes.doded.mil

7

Troops to Teachers Highlight

T

here was plenty of good news for Troops to Teachers (TTT) participants, service members, and veterans this past year, to include new state offices, an online employment listing, and an events calendar to keep members up-to-date on education fairs, TTT presentations and more.

1. TTT State Offices Ten states received grants to help military members transition from active service and pursue employment in the classroom as teachers. The states awarded a grant are: • Michigan • Missouri • Montana • New York • North Carolina • Ohio • Oklahoma • Pennsylvania • Texas • Virginia Three states formed a consortium to expand outreach and services to an additional ten states: • Missouri is working with Kansas and Iowa • Oklahoma is working with Colorado • Montana has a consortium with Idaho, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington,

DANTES Information Bulletin

Vol 482

Wisconsin, and Wyoming Members can visit these individual states on the TTT website’s state map, www.proudtoserveagain. com, to find state contact information. The remainder of the nation’s states continue to receive services through the TTT Program Office in Pensacola, FL, by emailing: ttt@navy.mil, calling 1-800-2316242, or messaging TTT on social media at www. facebook.com/TTT.DANTES/.

2. Employment Opportunities Teaching employment opportunities have been added to the TTT website to assist program participants with finding employment. Members can visit www.proudtoserveagain.com/Opportunities to see the positions available in their state of choice, subject and grade level. Participants should contact the TTT Program Office via the email icon next to each employment opportunity to learn more about the position.

3. Events Calendar TTT participants, service members, and veterans now have an events calendar to check regularly and learn about upcoming education fairs, career fairs, state TTT presentations and more. Visit http://www. proudtoserveagain.com/Resources/Calendar to see the list of events coming up in 2018.

http://www.dantes.doded.mil

8

DANTES Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support

DANTES OCONUS European Advisor (Contingency Operation Support)

6490 Saufley Field Road, Pensacola, FL 32509 (850) 452-1901

011-49-611-143-544-1230/1210

usarmy.badenwur.usareur.mbx.dantes-euro@ mail.mil

DANTES_Outreach@navy.mil

www.DANTES.DoDed.mil DANTES4Military.Education

DANTES INFORMATION BULLETIN

DANTESpulse.DoDlive.mil

DANTES Information Bulletin The DANTES Information Bulletin is published monthly to inform education personnel about DANTES programs and to help promote more efficient customer service to service members.

Email all inquiries to DANTES_Outreach@navy.mil.

Reproduction in whole or in part is permitted for any purpose of the United States Government, except that copyrighted materials cannot be reproduced without written permission from the copyright owner. The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by DANTES of the linked websites, or the information, products, or services contained therein.

Jeff Allen, Director Michelle Alexander, Editor DANTES Information Bulletin

Vol 482

http://www.dantes.doded.mil

9