Troops to Teachers Program

The Troops to Teachers program was a joint program with the US Department of Education and the Department of Defense designed to help military veterans become teachers. The program ended in Fiscal Year 2021.
Advertising Disclosure.

Advertiser Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone. This article may contain links from our advertisers. For more information, please see our Advertising Policy.

The Military Wallet has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. The Military Wallet and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on The Military Wallet are from advertisers. Compensation may impact how and where card products appear, but does not affect our editors’ opinions or evaluations. The Military Wallet does not include all card companies or all available card offers.

Troops to Teachers Program

Note: The Department of Defense (DoD) has canceled the Troops to Teachers Program, effective FY 2021. The DoD released the following message:

As part of the Defense Wide Review, the Department of Defense (DoD) has realigned the Troops to Teachers (TTT) resources to higher priority programs more closely aligned to the National Defense Strategy.

As a result, the Defense Department has cancelled the TTT Program, effective October 1, 2020. The program is scheduled to sunset by the end of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021. Click here to review the FAQs for more information.

If you are a military veteran who is interested in becoming a teacher, then you should look into the Troops to Teachers Program, which was launched by the US Department of Education and the Department of Defense in 1994. It is designed to assist eligible military members start a new career as teachers in public school environments.

In 2002, then President George Bush signed into law the ‘No Child Left Behind Act of 2001’. Part of the law included the continuation of the Troops to Teachers program for an additional five years. The program places an emphasis on developing quality teachers for schools and districts in urgent need of teachers in American schools.

Troops to Teachers Program

How the Troops to Teachers Program Works

The Education Appropriations Bill was passed through Congress which give $18 million for financial assistance as part of the Troops to Teachers program. Financial assistance is offered to eligible service members in stipends of up to $5,000 to help pay for the costs associated with teacher certifications. The recipients of the stipends require teachers to agree to teach in school locations meeting the Department of Education criteria for a period of three years.

There are also bonus awards of up to $10,000 for those military members who agree to teach in schools which serve a high percentage of students coming from low-income families. Funds are dependent on availability of monies and eligibility of military personnel.

Mission of the Troops to Teachers Program

The goal of the Troops to Teachers program is to help relieve the burden of teacher shortages in school districts, especially in the areas of math, science, and special education. The program also actively works with military personnel to make a successful transition from a military career to a career in teaching in public schools. The Troops for Teachers program has a network of state offices which provide counseling and help with teacher certification requirements, job leads for employment, and resume preparation.

Troops to Teachers Program Eligibility

In order to determine eligibility for the Troops for Teachers program, military members can take a self-determination test available online through the program’s website. Depending on the current status of your military membership, you will have to answer a series of questions to determine eligibility.

A complete list of eligibility requirements can be found on the TTT website. In general, the service requirements for military members for eligibility include Active or Selected Reserve personnel who are either:

  • Retired
  • Separated with six or more years of creditable service towards retirement on or after October 1, 1990
  • Separated with a service-determined physical disability on or after January 8, 2002 and registered within four years after separation
  • Current members with six or more years of creditable service towards retirement. The last period of service must be in honorable status. Personnel selected to participate in the Troops for Teachers Program before retirement, separation, or release from active duty may continue to participate but only if the last period of service is characterized as honorable.

Military personnel must also meet one of the following education requirements:

  • Must hold a Baccalaureate or advanced degree from an accredited institution at the time of program registration and in a teacher certification program or licensed as a teacher for referral in that subject.
  • Must have the equivalent of one year of college with six years of work experience in a vocational or technical field or meet state requirements for vocational/technical teacher referral.

Military members who do not meet the last two requirements can use their GI Bill benefits or tuition assistance to achieve the educational requirements. They can apply for the Troops to Teachers Program once they achieve the required educational levels.


About Post Author

Get Instant Access
FREE Weekly Updates! Enter your information to join our mailing list.

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave A Comment:

    Comments:

    About the comments on this site:

    These responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

  1. Aaron says

    Is this program going to allow those soldiers to bring the discipline needed to the classrooms that is needed to make an affective impact on students or will they be pressured by the open complaining of parents that think their children are being treated too firmly? Question directed to the school systems and their tolerance for firm instruction.

    • Joe Lozano says

      I’m a retired military & TTT participant. The answer to your question is NO. Just like any other teacher not in the TTT program, you are subject to comply to all policies and procedures that each state and school districts write. No special recognition or added bonuses apply except what TTT and the VA say you’re eligible for. By the way, the bonuses received from TTT is earned income, therefore, you will be taxed.

The Military Wallet is a property of Three Creeks Media. Neither The Military Wallet nor Three Creeks Media are associated with or endorsed by the U.S. Departments of Defense or Veterans Affairs. The content on The Military Wallet is produced by Three Creeks Media, its partners, affiliates and contractors, any opinions or statements on The Military Wallet should not be attributed to the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, the Dept. of Defense or any governmental entity. If you have questions about Veteran programs offered through or by the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, please visit their website at va.gov. The content offered on The Military Wallet is for general informational purposes only and may not be relevant to any consumer’s specific situation, this content should not be construed as legal or financial advice. If you have questions of a specific nature consider consulting a financial professional, accountant or attorney to discuss. References to third-party products, rates and offers may change without notice.

Advertising Notice: The Military Wallet and Three Creeks Media, its parent and affiliate companies, may receive compensation through advertising placements on The Military Wallet; For any rankings or lists on this site, The Military Wallet may receive compensation from the companies being ranked and this compensation may affect how, where and in what order products and companies appear in the rankings and lists. If a ranking or list has a company noted to be a “partner” the indicated company is a corporate affiliate of The Military Wallet. No tables, rankings or lists are fully comprehensive and do not include all companies or available products.

Editorial Disclosure: Editorial content on The Military Wallet may include opinions. Any opinions are those of the author alone, and not those of an advertiser to the site nor of  The Military Wallet.