§3693 — Title 38 Veterans' Benefits | U.S. Code

Summary

The Secretary must run yearly checks of schools and training providers that have any approved course with 20 or more eligible veterans or other covered persons enrolled. The checks must make sure the schools follow the rules in chapters 30–36, visit each school at least once every two years, and provide at least one education compliance specialist for every 40 surveys. The Secretary works with State approving agencies to set the survey plan and must give those agencies a list by September 1 of who will be checked in the next fiscal year. The Secretary can skip a survey if a school’s past record shows it follows the rules and skipping is in the best interest of the U.S. Government. The Secretary or a State agency should give no more than 10 business days’ notice before a survey. The terms “educational institution” and “training establishment” are defined in section 3452.

Title 38, §3693

Veterans' Benefits — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)Except as provided in subsection (b), the Secretary shall conduct an annual compliance survey of educational institutions and training establishments offering one or more courses approved for the enrollment of eligible veterans or persons if at least 20 such veterans or persons are enrolled in any such course. The Secretary shall—

(A)design the compliance surveys to ensure that such institutions or establishments, as the case may be, and approved courses are in compliance with all applicable provisions of chapters 30 through 36 of this title;

(B)survey each such educational institution and training establishment not less than once during every 2-year period; and

(C)assign not fewer than 1 education compliance specialist to work on compliance surveys in any year for each 40 compliance surveys required to be made under this section for such year.

(2)The Secretary, in consultation with the State approving agencies, shall—

(A)annually determine the parameters of the surveys required under paragraph (1); and

(B)not later than September 1 of each year, make available to the State approving agencies a list of the educational institutions and training establishments that will be surveyed during the fiscal year following the date of making such list available.

(b)The Secretary may waive the requirement in subsection (a)(1) for a compliance survey with respect to an educational institution or training establishment if the Secretary determines, based on the record of compliance of such institution or establishment with all the applicable provisions of chapters 30 through 36 of this title, that the waiver would be appropriate and in the best interest of the United States Government.

(c)To the maximum extent feasible, the Secretary, or a State approving agency, as applicable, shall provide not more than 10 business days of notice to an educational institution or training establishment before conducting a compliance survey of the institution or establishment under this section.

(d)In this section, the terms “educational institution” and “training establishment” have the meanings given such terms in section 3452 of this title.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2023—Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 117–333 added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d). 2016—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 114–315, § 411(a)(1), added subsec. (a) and struck out former subsec. (a) which read as follows: “Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, the Secretary shall conduct an annual compliance survey of each institution offering one or more courses approved for the enrollment of eligible veterans or persons if at least 300 veterans or persons are enrolled in such course or courses under provisions of this title or if any such course does not lead to a standard college degree. Such compliance survey shall be designed to ensure that the institution and approved courses are in compliance with all applicable provisions of chapters 30 through 36 of this title. The Secretary shall assign at least one education compliance specialist to work on compliance surveys in any year for each 40 compliance surveys required to be made under this section for such year.” Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 114–315, § 411(b), substituted “subsection (a)(1) for a compliance survey” for “subsection (a) of this section for an annual compliance survey”, “educational institution or training establishment” for “institution”, and “record of compliance of such institution or establishment” for “institution’s demonstrated record of compliance”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 114–315, § 411(a)(2), added subsec. (c). 1991—Pub. L. 102–83 renumbered section 1793 of this title as this section. 1989—Pub. L. 101–237 substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator” wherever appearing. 1988—Pub. L. 100–322 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section read as follows: “The Administrator shall conduct an annual compliance survey of each institution offering one or more courses approved for the enrollment of eligible veterans or persons where at least 300 veterans or persons are enrolled under provisions of this title or where the course does not lead to a standard college degree. Such compliance survey shall assure that the institution and approved courses are in compliance with all applicable provisions of chapters 31, 34, 35, and 36 of this title. The Administrator shall assign at least one education compliance specialist to work on compliance surveys in any year for each 40 compliance surveys required to be made under this section.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 94–502, title VII, § 703, Oct. 15, 1976, 90 Stat. 2406, provided that: “(a) section 101, 201, 203, 207, 209, 301, 303, 304, 308, 501, 502, 503, and 508 [see Tables for classification] of this Act shall become effective on

October 1, 1976. “(b) section 102, 104, 202, 204, 205(1), 205(2), 205(3), 208, 210, 211, 302, 305, 306, 309, 310, 506, 510, 511, and 513 (other than paragraphs (7), (8), (9), and (10) of subsection (a)) [see Tables for classification] of this Act shall become effective on the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 15, 1976]. “(c) section 103, 205(4), 206, 307, 504, 505, 507, 509, 512, and 701 and title VI of this Act [see Tables for classification] shall become effective on

December 1, 1976.”

§3693 Compliance surveys