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How to get in on ‘Troops to Teachers’ program

This partnership between the Defense Department and the Department of Education helps eligible military personnel begin careers as teachers in public schools. The DANTES-managed program provides counseling and assistance with certification requirements and programs, as well as placement services.

Basic Eligibility

Service requirements. Retired military personnel, active-duty members who separated with six or more years of service on or after Oct. 1, 1990, and current Selected Reserve members with six or more years of creditable service toward retirement, are eligible.

The last period of service must be honorable. Those selected for 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. Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree or advanced degree from an accredited school at the time of registration for academic teacher referral; have the equivalent of one year of college with six years of experience in a vocational or technical field; or meet state requirements for vocational/technical teacher referral.

Eligibility for financial assistance. Pending available funds, financial aid may be provided to qualified service members as a stipend or bonus for teacher certification expenses in exchange for a commitment to teach for three years.

Teachers receiving a $5,000 stipend must teach in a school within a district with at least 20 percent of its students from families living below the poverty level, or in a school where at least 50 percent of its students are eligible for free or reduced-lunch programs or have a high percentage of students with disabilities, so long as that school’s district has between 10 percent and 20 percent of its students from poverty-level families.

In lieu of a stipend, participants may accept a bonus of $10,000 to teach for three years in a school where at least 10 percent of students come from families living below the poverty level and are either in schools where 50 percent of the student population is eligible to receive the free or reduced lunch program, or in schools with a high percentage of students with disabilities. The latter percentage is re-calculated annually; it is now 13.5 percent.

Reserve component personnel must meet one of the following specific requirements:

• Be retired from the Selected Reserve.

• Be currently serving in the Selected Reserve with 10 or more years of creditable service toward retirement and commit to serving an additional three years or until eligible for retirement.

• Be separated from the Selected Reserve due to a physical disability on or after Jan. 8, 2002. They must register within four years of separation.

• Transitioned from active duty on or after Jan. 8, 2002, served six years on active duty immediately before separation and committed to three years with a Selected Reserve unit. They must register within four years of separation.

Contact: Call DANTES at (850) 452-1241 or (800) 231-6242, or visit www.proudtoserveagain.com.