Scope Of Strong Act Tuition Reimbursement

(1) Payments of STRONG Act tuition reimbursement must be paid directly to an educational institution and not to the Tennessee National Guard member. RULES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE “TENNESSEE SUPPORT, CHAPTER 0930-02-01 TRAINING AND RENEWING OPPORTUNITY FOR NATIONAL GUARDSMAN (STRONG) ACT OF 2017” (2) When the Board approves an eligible service member’s application for STRONG Act tuition reimbursement, and the service member is attending a public educational institution, the Department of Military shall pay the educational institution an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the maximum resident in-state tuition charged by the institution for the type of program (certificate or diploma, bachelor’s, or master’s) attended, less all other state or federal financial assistance as described in T.C.A. § 49-4-1005. Such financial assistance must be credited first to the service member's tuition, subject to T.C.A. § 49-4-1005. (3) Notwithstanding 0930-02-01-.04(2), for service members attending a private two-year college, the amount of STRONG Act tuition reimbursement paid is the average cost of tuition at the public two-year postsecondary institutions, as determined by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation, less all other financial assistance received by the service member. For service members attending a private four-year college or university the amount paid is the average cost of tuition at the public four-year universities, as determined by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation, less all other financial assistance received by the service member. Such financial assistance must be credited first to the amount of the average tuition, subject to T.C.A. § 49-4-1005. (4) Notwithstanding 0930-02-01-.04(2) and (3), for service members enrolled in a vocational or technical program at a public or private educational institution for the purpose of attaining a certificate or diploma, the amount of reimbursement shall not exceed one hundred percent (100%) of the tuition, as defined in 0930-02-01-.02(1)(e), for the specific program for which the member is seeking reimbursement, at a public educational institution, less all other financial assistance received by the service member. (5) STRONG Act tuition reimbursement amounts which a service member may be eligible to receive under this part must be offset and reduced by the aggregate amount of state and federal education financial assistance received by the service member during the semester or educational term for which STRONG Act tuition reimbursement is sought, unless federal law or regulation requires otherwise, in which case federal priority controls. Examples of such federal and state tuition assistance include, but are not limited to, the Tennessee Promise scholarship, the Tennessee Reconnect grant, the Tennessee HOPE scholarship, and similar state assistance, as such assistance programs or grants may be amended, as well as Tennessee student assistance awards, the federal Pell grant, Montgomery GI Bill benefits, Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, and federal tuition assistance program benefits. (6) Service members who are eligible for FTA as defined herein must apply for and use any tuition awarded through FTA. (7) The above provisions apply to any STRONG Act tuition reimbursement paid to both public and private educational institutions.