The Troops to Teachers program provides funds to recruit, prepare, and support former members of the military services as teachers in high-poverty schools. Successful program candidates obtain certification or licensing as elementary school teachers, secondary school teachers, or vocational or technical teachers and become highly qualified teachers. The program also helps these individuals find employment in high-need local education agencies (LEAs) or charter schools.
Under this program, the Secretary of Education transfers funds to the Department of Defense for the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) to provide assistance, including stipends of up to $5,000, to eligible members of the armed forces so that they can obtain certification or licensing as elementary school teachers, secondary school teachers, or vocational/technical teachers and become highly qualified teachers by demonstrating competency in each of the subjects they teach. In addition, the program helps these individuals find employment in high-need local educational agencies (LEA’s) or charter schools. In lieu of the $5,000 stipends, DANTES may pay $10,000 bonuses to participants who agree to teach in high-poverty schools.
Members of the armed forces who wish to receive the program’s assistance for placement as an elementary or secondary school teacher must have a baccalaureate or advanced degree, and their last period of service in the armed forces must have been honorable. In selecting members of the armed forces to participate in the program, the Department of Defense must give priority to those members who have educational or military experience in science, mathematics, special education, or vocational/technical subjects and who agree to seek employment as teachers in a subject area compatible with their backgrounds.
Those eligible for elementary and secondary teacher referral services must meet the following criteria:
Service Requirements: Active or Selected Reserve component personnel who: 1) retired, 2) separated with six or more years of creditable service towards retirement on or after October 1, 1990, or 3) separated with a service-determined physical disability on or after January 8, 2002 and registered within four years after separation, or 4) current members with six or more years of creditable service towards retirement. The last period of service must be honorable. Those selected to participate in the Program before retirement, separation, or release from active duty may continue to participate only if the last period of service is characterized as honorable.
Educational Requirements: Must hold a Baccalaureate or advanced degree from an accredited institution at the time of registration and in a teacher certification program or licensed as a teacher for referral in that subject – or – have the equivalent of one year of college with six years of work experience in a vocational or technical field or meet state requirements for vocational/technical teacher referral.
In addition to the Education Requirements noted above and pending availability of funds, financial assistance may be provided to qualified service members in the form of either (A) a stipend of up to $5K for teacher certification expenses for which individuals must teach for three years at a public school within a “high-need” school district; or (B) a bonus of $10K to teach for three years in a public school within a “high-need” school district in which the school also serves a high percentage of disadvantaged students. To qualify, a service member must meet one of the requirements listed below.
| AD-1. Retired from active duty | RC-1. Retired from the Selected Reserve |
| AD-2. Active duty member with approved date of retirement with one year or less remaining before retirement. | RC-2. Currently serving in the Selected Reserve with 10 or more years of creditable service towards retirement and commit to serving an additional three years, or until eligible for retirement |
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AD-3. Separated for a service-determined physical disability on or after January 8, 2002. Must register within four years after separation. Note: Physical disability must be noted on service separation documentation not a VA determination. Medical discharge is not the same as discharge due to physical disability |
RC-3. Separated from the Selected Reserve due to a servicedetermined physical disability on or after January 8, 2002. Must register within four years after separation. Note: Physical disability must be noted on service separation documentation not a VA determination. Medical discharge is not the same as discharge due to physical disability. |
| RC-4. Individuals transitioning from active duty on or after January 8, 2002, and have served six years on active duty immediately before separation, and commit to three years with a Selected Reserve unit. Must register within four years after separation. |