2. Current State of Veterans Education In 2011: The unemployment rate for veterans ages 18-24 was 30.1%, almost twice the rate for civilian counterparts. 1 77,000 Texas veterans used GI Bill benefits 2 The VA spent nearly $1 Billion dollars on veterans education benefits and vocational rehab in the state of Texas. 3 1.U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Situation of Veterans2011 (Washington, D.C., March 20, 2012), http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/vet.pdf. (Last visited September 22, 2012).http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/vet.pdf 2.U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefit Administration, Annual Benefits Report, Fiscal Year 2011, (Washington, D.C., 2011), http://www.vba.va.gov/REPORTS/abr/2011_abr.pdf. (Last visited September 22, 2012).http://www.vba.va.gov/REPORTS/abr/2011_abr.pdf 3.U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics, FY 11 Geographic Distribution of VA Expenditures (GDX), (Washington, D.C., 2012), http://www.va.gov/VETDATA/docs/GDX/GDX_FY11.xls. (Last visited September 22, 2012). http://www.va.gov/VETDATA/docs/GDX/GDX_FY11.xls

3. Current State of Veterans Education Since the introduction of the Post 9/11 GI Bill, veteran enrollment has spiked. For FY 2013, the VA estimates that 606,000 veterans, spouses and dependents will use Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits. 4 Total 2013 estimated cost: $9.9 Billion 5 1.U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, The Post-9/11 GI Bill: An Overview, (Washington, D.C., June 2009), http://www.gibill.va.gov/documents/presentations/post-911_overview.pdf. (Last visited September 14, 2012).http://www.gibill.va.gov/documents/presentations/post-911_overview.pdf 2.U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Volume III: Benefits and Burial Programs and Departmental Administration, Congressional Submission, FY 2013.

4. College Credit for Heroes Mission Maximize college credit awarded to veterans by developing streamlined degree paths and certifications in order to expedite veterans transition into the Texas workforce.

5. Partner Colleges

6. Central Texas College Developed www.collegecreditforheroes.org, a web-based application and database for veterans and service members to get additional college credit hours with a transcript that can be used at colleges throughout the state.

7. www.CollegeCreditforHeroes.org As of October 3, the site has received over 12,256 visits; has 2,103 users and guests; and has received 582 requests for evaluation from veterans. In the first quarter of operation, the College Credit for Heroes web portal has awarded an average of 34 credit hours (about 1 year of college) per transcript. About half of those credits have been in the form of workforce or academic classes, and half count as open electives or electives in a students area of study.

8. Statewide Expansion CC4H Partner college representatives and TWC staff hosted 12 outreach/articulation events throughout the state explaining the projects mission and encouraging articulation agreements between institutions of higher education. (May-June 2012) In total, 184 faculty and administration from 47 colleges and universities attended CC4H Outreach/Articulation meetings in 12 different cities throughout the state. For the Veteran: Standardized credit for military experience For the College: Valuable service/resource for colleges and universities For the State: Centralized database for translating military training

9. References 1.U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Situation of Veterans 2011 (Washington, D.C., March 20, 2012), http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/vet.pdf. (Last visited September 22, 2012).http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/vet.pdf 2.U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Benefit Administration, Annual Benefits Report, Fiscal Year 2011, (Washington, D.C., 2011), http://www.vba.va.gov/REPORTS/abr/2011_abr.pdf. (Last visited September 22, 2012). http://www.vba.va.gov/REPORTS/abr/2011_abr.pdf 3.U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics, FY 11 Geographic Distribution of VA Expenditures (GDX), (Washington, D.C., 2012), http://www.va.gov/VETDATA/docs/GDX/GDX_FY11.xls. (Last visited September 22, 2012). http://www.va.gov/VETDATA/docs/GDX/GDX_FY11.xls 4.U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, The Post-9/11 GI Bill: An Overview, (Washington, D.C., June 2009), http://www.gibill.va.gov/documents/presentations/post-911_overview.pdf. (Last visited September 14, 2012).http://www.gibill.va.gov/documents/presentations/post-911_overview.pdf 5.U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Volume III: Benefits and Burial Programs and Departmental Administration, Congressional Submission, FY 2013.

10. Contact Info Apu Naik Project Manager College Credit for Heroes Strategic Workforce Initiatives Texas Workforce Commission 101 E. 15 th Street Austin, Texas 78778 (512) 936-3103 Apurva.Naik@twc.state.tx.us CollegeCreditHeroes@twc.state.tx.us www.CollegeCreditForHeroes.org