Special assistance for the educationally disadvantaged.

§ 21.3344 Special assistance for the educationally disadvantaged. (a) Enrollment. VA may approve the enrollment of an eligible person in an appropriate course or courses at the secondary school level. This approval may be made only if the eligible person— (1) Has not received a secondary school diploma (or an equivalency certificate); (2) Needs additional secondary school education, remedial, refresher, or deficiency courses, to qualify for admission to an appropriate educational institution in a State in order to pursue a program of education; and (3) Is to pursue the course or courses in a State. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3491(a), 3533) (b) Measurement. VA will measure remedial, deficiency, or refresher courses offered at the secondary school level as provided in §§ 21.4270(a)(2) and 21.4272(k). (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3533) (c) Educational assistance. VA will authorize educational assistance at the monthly rates specified in § 21.3131. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3491(a), 3533) (d) Entitlement charge. The provisions of § 21.3045 will determine whether VA will make a charge against the period of the entitlement of the eligible person because of enrollment in a course under the provisions of this section. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3533) (e) Certifications. (1) Certifications of the eligible person's need for deficiency or remedial courses in basic English language skills and mathematics skills may be made by: (i) A VA counseling psychologist or vocational rehabilitation counselor in the Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Division; (ii) The educational institution administering the course; or (iii) The educational institution where the student has applied for admission. (2) Certification of need for other refresher, remedial or deficiency course requirements are to be made by the educational institution— (i) Administering the course which the eligible person is planning to enter; or (ii) Where the eligible person has applied for admission. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3533) (f) Basic skills. Basic English language courses or mathematics courses will be authorized when it is found by accepted testing methods that the eligible person is lacking in basic reading, writing, speaking, or essential mathematics. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3533) [61 FR 26112, May 24, 1996, as amended at 73 FR 2426, Jan. 15, 2008; 87 FR 8743, Feb. 16, 2022]