ANDREWS AFB, Md. –
The Teaching as a Second Career briefing was held at the Andrews Education Center Feb. 28.
''The Troops To Teachers program was created to recruit quality teachers for schools serving low-income families, help relieve teacher shortages, primarily in math, science and special education, and to assist military personnel in moving to second careers in kindergarten through 12th grade in public school teaching," said Robert T. Henry, Maryland TTT Division of Certification and Accreditation coordinator.
The TTT program began in 1994 as a transition assistance program for servicemembers who were retiring or separating from the military and were interested in teaching as a career.
''Servicemembers or retirees who are eligible for the program may be eligible to receive a stipend up to $5,000 to assist with teacher certification costs," said Mr. Henry. ''To receive the stipend, they must teach in a high-need district, where 20 percent of the student population or more than 10,000 students live below the poverty line."
A $10,000 bonus is available for participants who teach in schools that are defined as high-need schools, where more than 10 percent of the students live below the poverty line and 50 percent receive free or reduced lunch.
''Both bonuses require a three-year commitment," he said. ''A person may not receive more than $10,000 in bonuses."
''All military retirees, Active Duty personnel who separate with more than six years of service on or after Oct. 1, 1990, including service academies, or current members of the Reserve with more than six years of creditable service toward retirement are eligible for the TTT program," said the Maryland TTT coordinator.
''More than 9,000 veterans have entered teaching with more than a 75 percent retention rate and 60 percent stay longer than 10 years," he said.
The TTT state office offers placement assistance and job referrals and assists prospective teachers with TTT counseling services as well as posting resumes available to school districts. TTT state offices will also provide certification requirement information, information on certification training programs, employment opportunity information and assessment of academic qualifications.
For more information, contact Robert Henry at 410-767-8286, or contact Karen Gardner at 866-251-3123.