Marine Corps News, news from Iraq - Marine Corps Times

Lawmakers: GI Bill should cover test prep

Two Florida lawmakers propose an expansion of Post-9/11 GI Bill coverage to include reimbursement for the cost of college preparation classes.

Reps. Adam Putnam, a Republican, and Ron Klein, a Democrat, are sponsors of the bill, called the Test Prep for Heroes Act.

The bill would have the Post-9/11 GI Bill cover reimbursement for classes that help students get ready for college preparation tests. The new education benefit program already covers up to $2,000 for licensing and certification tests, and up to $1,200 for the cost of tutoring, but it does not cover classes and courses that help prepare for college placement tests.

Putnam said the preparatory classes are important to service members. “Sometimes these tests cover subjects the service-members haven’t studied in years, which can put them at a comparative disadvantage to other applicants who may have recently graduated from high school,” he said.

Costs for test preparation classes vary, but are in the range of $500 to $1,200 depending on the location, class size and test.

Klein said the bill, HR 3948, is an example of a small change that could have big results.

“By providing access to more tools to help our veterans prepare for entrance exams and licensing tests, we can level the playing field and ensure they do not miss a single opportunity on the road to a college education,” Klein said.

The bill, with more than 20 cosponsors, was referred to the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, which has accumulated a pile of proposals for modifying the new GI Bill. Decisions on what changes will be made are not expected until next year, when the Veterans Affairs Department provides Congress with recommendations on what would improve claims processing.