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WASHINGTON - Today Representatives Tom Petri (R-WI) and Doris Matsui (D-CA) introduced the Troops to Teachers Improvement Act of 2009. This proposal would allow more schools across the nation to benefit from the Troops to Teachers (T2T) program, which assists retiring military personnel to start second careers as school teachers.
T2T provides veterans with a $5,000 stipend to help cover the costs of teaching certification in exchange for three years of service in an eligible school, which was originally defined as receiving grants under part A of Title I. Since its authorization in 1993, nearly 10,000 troops have participated in the program, bringing math, science and foreign language expertise to the classroom.
"The original intention of the program was to increase the pool of available teachers to schools across the country, and to attract veterans with advanced skills and training to the teaching profession," Petri said. "Unfortunately, a simple drafting error in the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act resulted in an Education Department ruling restricting the number of school districts in which veterans can fulfill their teaching requirement."
"Since the implementation of the ruling in September 2005, retiring military have found the number of schools in which they would be eligible to teach drastically reduced. In my home state of Wisconsin, the number of eligible school districts has been reduced from approximately 420 to 13," he said. "The Department's new interpretation locks out schools in many rural areas and small communities. This is a shame, especially given the success of this program and its ability to meet some of our nation's greatest teaching needs."
"At a time when there is an overwhelming need for highly-qualified math and science teachers, expanding the Troops to Teachers program has never been more important. This bill is a crucial step in supporting our veterans and students by restoring the original intent of this program, and giving our nation's veterans the opportunity to serve their country again," stated Matsui.
The Petri-Matsui bill would restore the original intent of T2T, resulting in a 49 percent increase in the number of eligible schools. It would also retain the current criteria for troops to receive an additional bonus of $5,000 for teaching in a high need school at which specified percentages of students are from low-income families or have disabilities.
Petri noted that T2T participants fill several critical needs among educators: 82 percent are male, over one-third are ethnic minorities, and a majority bring an expertise in science and math to the classroom. "In an increasingly globalized economy, these valuable characteristics provide a vital resource for schools across the country," he said.
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