Getting started as a VASCO
First steps as a new VASCO
A practical setup checklist for new certifying officials: training, ELR contact, Enrollment Manager access, WEAMS, and internal workflows.
Start by contacting your ELR, completing the required VA training for School Certifying Officials, and requesting Enrollment Manager access. Do this at least 30 to 45 days before your first certification deadline, because access takes time and students should never wait on our paperwork.
- Contact your Education Liaison Representative. They are your primary VA contact and will walk you through setup.
- Complete the required SCO training. Keep your completion record, because you will need it for access and for compliance surveys.
- Request Enrollment Manager access through the process your ELR provides. Access is usually granted within a couple of weeks of finishing training.
- Look up your school in WEAMS and learn which programs are approved. You can only certify approved programs.
- Build workflows with the registrar, financial aid, and IT so you can identify VA students and pull enrollment data reliably.
- Decide how students will request certification each term, and publish that process where they will see it.
When I train new SCOs, I also tell them to write things down from day one. A simple procedures document for your office protects students when you are out and makes your first compliance survey far less stressful.