Bill would give stipend to distance learners [View All]

[unhappycamper]

Bill would give stipend to distance learners
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Feb 11, 2009 21:18:21 EST

People using the Post-9/11 GI Bill for distance learning would be eligible to receive a living stipend under legislation introduced Tuesday by the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee chairman.

The bill sponsored by Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., addresses one of the biggest complaints about the new veterans education benefits plan that takes effect Aug. 1.

In addition to covering tuition and fees and providing a $1,000 annual allowance for books and supplies, the new GI Bill provides a monthly living stipend equal to the military basic allowance for housing for an E-5 with dependents for the ZIP code where the school is located.

The law includes two big limits on who can receive the housing allowance. First, it is paid only to people who are attending school as at least half-time students. Second, it is not paid to anyone taking distance learning classes unless they are taking at least one class on campus.

Filner’s bill, HR 950, keeps the first requirement that living stipends go only to those who are at least half-time students, but waives the requirement to take at least one class on campus. With that change, the housing allowance paid to distance learning students would be based on the ZIP code for where the school is located.


Rest of article at: http://armytimes.com/news/2009/02/military_gibill_distancelearning_021109w/%2e