The Troops to Teachers program seeks to ensure that individuals who desire to enter the teaching profession have access to high quality training that will prepare them to become highly qualified teachers.

The Troops to Teachers program has the following two components: (1) it helps place eligible members of the Armed Services in teacher training programs designed by the States, and (2) it encourages States or partnerships to develop and implement innovative teacher certification/licensure programs for members of the Armed Services.

The No Child Left Behind Act reauthorizes the Troops to Teachers program, which improves children's education by increasing the number of high-quality professionals in the classroom.

Last year, President Bush signed legislation that increased funding for this program five-fold from $3 million in 2001 to $18 million in 2002. This year, President Bush has proposed further increasing funding for Troops to Teachers to $20 million in FY-03.

• Members of the Armed Services who hold a bachelor’s or advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education and meet a few basic requirements are eligible to participate in Troops to Teachers.

• Priority will be given to members who have experience in science, math, special education, or vocational/technical subjects.

• Participants can receive a stipend of up to $5,000 for training or a bonus of up to $10,000, if they agree to obtain their teacher license and teach for at least three years in a school that: (1) has a student population where at least 50 percent of the children come from low-income families; or (2) has a large percentage of children with disabilities.

Transition to Teaching Program ³

The Transition to Teaching program seeks to ensure that individuals who desire to enter the teaching profession have access to quality training that will prepare them to become highly qualified teachers.

This program has two components: (1) it helps place career professionals and recent college graduates in teacher training programs designed by the States; and (2) it encourages States in the development and expansion of alternative routes to teacher licensure and certification.

The No Child Left Behind Act reauthorizes the Transition to Teaching program, which improves children's education by increasing the number of high-quality professionals in the classroom.

Last year, President Bush signed legislation that increased funding to $35 million in 2002, an increase of 12 percent from the previous year. This year, President Bush has proposed further increasing the program to $39.4 million in FY-03, an increase of 13 percent.

• An individual with relevant career experience or a recent college graduate is eligible to participate in this program.

• Participants can receive scholarships, stipends, or bonuses of up to $5,000 for participating in activities that have been proven effective at retaining teachers in high-need schools.

• Programs will establish, expand, or enhance teacher recruitment and retention program focused on career professionals and recent college graduates.

• Programs can provide mentoring for new teachers and professional development for teachers currently in the classroom.

• Programs can include the development of a Statewide or regional clearinghouse for the recruitment and placement of teachers.

Teach for America is a national corps of recent college graduates who commit two years to teach in public schools. Teach for America is a public/private partnership started in 1990 that recruits and selects members, secures placement for them in school districts, provides pre-service and in-service training, and provides a support network for members during and after service. Teachers are paid by the school districts in which they teach. Costs for recruitment, placement, and training are paid by regional corporations, foundations, local governments, and national corporations and foundations.

Teach for America receives some Federal assistance through the AmeriCorps program. In addition, all teachers in this program are eligible for an AmeriCorps education award worth up to $4,725, available over a seven-year period, to pay for higher education or to pay student loans.

President Bush supports the Teach for America program, which receives Federal funding through the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) AmeriCorps program. Last year, President Bush signed legislation that provided $2.6 million to Teach for America for administrative costs and training. This year, President Bush has proposed to maintain that commitment in 2003 and establish an additional $10 million in challenge grants through CNCS to support expansion of teaching and other national service programs under AmeriCorps.

• Over the last decade, Teach for America has placed more than 7,000 teachers in school districts that have had difficulty in recruiting staff.

• Today, approximately 1,700 Teach for America participants teach in 17 regions across the country, including New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. Teach for America has an aggressive expansion plan that is intended to more than double the number of members by 2005.

• Independent studies reveal high levels of satisfaction with the program: 97 percent of principals respond they would hire corps members again and 80 percent of principals indicate they are more effective than other beginning teachers.

• Alumni remain involved in education: 60 percent are working full-time in education, either as teachers, administrators, or in other positions. Of those working outside of education, 70 percent say some aspect of their job relates directly to education.

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