General Program Questions:
1. Q: What is the Troops-to-Teachers program?
A: This program assists eligible veterans, active duty, Guard and Reserve individuals in their transition to a new career in public education as a teacher in the K-12 public school system of the United States.
2. Q: What benefits are there in applying to the Troops-to-Teachers program?
A: There are five major areas in which Troops-to-Teachers assists future teachers:
- Financial aid in the form of $5,000 stipends or $10,000 bonus money to qualified participants.
- A nationwide referral system; our participant database is available to school districts to recruit new teachers.
- Regional or state assistance offices to provide local representation for participants.
- Provide school districts the ability to post their vacancies directly on our nationwide Web site.
- Troops-to-Teachers participants can post a mini-resume along with their database record to personalize their national record.
3. Q: Who is eligible to register for the Troops-to-Teachers program?
A: First, check out your Eligibility Criteria. Those interested in an academic teaching position (elementary/secondary) must have at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher learning. Those without a bachelor’s degree can be considered for vocational, technical, or professional teaching (electronics, computer technology, construction trades, automotive, etc.) but must be able to document their skill level or expertise.
4. Q: When should an individual register for the program?
A: The best time to register is now—this will lock in your eligibility and entitlements under the current rules, and there is absolutely no obligation on your part. The rules that govern Troops to Teachers are federally mandated and are subject to change, perhaps becoming less lucrative in the future.
5. Q: To which office should I send the registration?
A: The form and accompanying documents must be mailed to the home office at Saufley Field in Pensacola, Florida; the address is on the registration form. If you wish to teach in one of the LC states, we request you notify us by EMAIL when you are submitting your registration. Online registration is not available at this time.
6. Q: Where can I obtain a registration form for the program?
A: You can register online at Proud to Serve Again. You may also download the registration packet from our regional Web site or from the national site .
7. Q: What other documents must be submitted with the registration form?
A: As appropriate: Copies of your DD Form 214 of SF 50; Teaching Subject Area/Vocational Technical Interest Survey; final degree transcripts; Approved Voluntary Retirement Letter; current Reserve LES/Yearly Point Summary/Three Year Letter of Intent/Report of Separation-Record of Service. Refer to the Registration Instructions checklist.
8. Q: May I submit copies of the accompanying documents or must they be originals?
A: Legible copies are acceptable.
9. Q: By submitting a signed registration form, am I obligating myself to anything?
A: No; however, you are certifying that all the information on the registration form is true and correct.
Becoming a Teacher:
10. Q: What if I am not sure that I want to become a teacher?
A: The best approach is to gain some practical experience by volunteering in a public school at the grade level and subject area you wish to teach. Click here for What to Expect Your First Year. You have nothing to lose by registering and a lot to gain-we can provide you with materials, resources, counseling and mentors that can help you to decide if teaching is right for you. Also, we recommend you try substituting.
11. Q: I have heard that a person has to be ‘licensed’ or ‘certified’ to teach. What does that mean and are there alternative routes to certification/licensure?
A: Every state requires public school teachers to meet a set of education standards, which vary from state to state. After you complete these requirements you are issued a license or certificate verifying your eligibility to be hired by school districts in that state. You should check with the individual state’s Department of Education/Office of Public Instruction. Troops-to-Teachers assistance offices can help you determine requirements in the states they represent.
12. Q: Do substitute teachers have to be certified?
A: Some states issue a certificate to allow a person to substitute teach, but most do not. Hiring substitutes is managed entirely by the school district. Working as a substitute teacher allows the district to become aware of your teaching abilities and offers you the opportunity to become acquainted with the system.
13. Q: What do beginning teachers get paid?
A: Lewis & Clark average beginning incomes include: Idaho - $26,072; Montana - $24,032; North Dakota - $24,108; South Dakota - $25,504; – Oregon - approximately $36,000, and Wyoming - $41,000. However, we recommend you refer to this webpage. Individuals holding advanced degrees and with transferable experience typically start higher on the pay scale. Updated statistics can be found at www.aft.org/salary/ .
Teacher Licensure/Certification Questions:
14. Q: Is a teacher license/certificate required to get hired as a full time teacher?
A: Yes, in most but not all cases. Many states have an “Alternative Teaching Certificate” that is issued to an individual based on their existing academic background and the school’s immediate need to hire a teacher. Also, in many states individuals can be hired as vocational/technical/professional teachers based on their skill level/experience, without having a current certificate. Most states in the Lewis & Clark region offer an alternative licensure/certification program. In Idaho the Pathways for Accelerated Certification & Endorsement (PACE) program is offered through Lewis-Clark State College, Web site at: www.lcsc.edu/education/pace . The Nothern Plains Transition to Teaching (NPTT) program is offered by Montana State University and accepted for licensure in Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming, Web site www.montana.edu/nptt These programs are all or mostly online and therefore very convenient for Troops-to-Teachers participants. Some accredited online universities offer teacher training programs accepted in many states.
15. Q: What if the state in which I wish to teach does not have an alternative certification program or I do not wish to take an online program?
A: You would then need to take a traditional ‘on-site’ teacher preparation program at an institution of higher learning or complete courses to meet requirements in academic subject areas.
16. Q: How do I find a teacher preparation program?
A: Contact the Troops-to-Teachers assistance office for the state in which you’re interested. Another contact is each state’s Department of Education/Office of Public Instruction.
17. Q: In what states can I find a Troops-to-Teachers assistance office?
A: All but one state has an assistance office; contacts are in the program information packet/on the national Web site. The Iowa contact is at www.state.ia.us/boee/ . The District of Columbia contact is at www.teachdc.org . The Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS) contact is at www.dodea.edu/ .
