BILL NUMBER: S1200
SPONSOR: ADDABBO
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to granting academic
credit at state operated institutions of the state university of New
York and the city university of New York to veterans
 
PURPOSE:
Allows the granting of academic credit at state operated institutions to
veterans.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Section 355 of the education law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 20 to the education law to state that State operated insti-
tutions must recognize courses and award educational credits for courses
that were part of a veteran's military training or service if the cours-
es meet the standards of the American Council on Education or equivalent
standards for awarding academic credits.
Section 2: Specifies effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
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.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2019-20: S.2741A - Passed Senate.
2021-22: S.2680A - Passed Senate.
2023-24: S.1669 - Passed Senate.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date on which
it shall become a law.

Statutes affected:
S1200: 355 education law, 6206 education law