www.crs.gov | 7-5700
March 15, 2018
DOD’s Troops to Teachers Program (TTT)
Background
Over the past few decades, Congress has authorized dozens
of programs to provide educational assistance, credentialing
opportunities, and employment support to service members
transitioning to civilian life. One of these programs, Troops
to Teachers (TTT), has been a congressionally authorized
program since 1993 (see 10 U.S.C. §1154), though various
Service-level initiatives preceded it. TTT supports veterans
transitioning to careers in education. Congress initially
intended the program to meet the dual objectives of (1)
providing employment assistance to transitioning veterans
and (2) alleviating teacher shortages nationwide,
particularly in high-need schools and certain subject areas
(i.e., math, science, special education, foreign languages,
and career technical education). Associated program goals
include, reducing veteran unemployment, increasing the
number of male and minority teachers, and improving
education qualities.
Population of Veterans as Teachers
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reports
approximately 19.5 million living veterans of the U.S.
Armed Forces. 9.2 million are working-age, accounting for
approximately 5% of the U.S. population between the ages
of 18-64. According to the National Center for Education
Statistics, veterans accounted for about 74,000 (2.1%) of
the roughly 5 million primary and secondary school
teachers in the U.S. in 2016. The Department of Defense
(DOD) reports that TTT has placed over 21,000 veteran
teachers in classrooms since the program’s start. Teaching
jobs often require a bachelor degree and certain
certifications or licenses, depending on state laws and
regulations. The U.S. census bureau has estimated that
approximately 25% of veterans have earned a bachelor’s
degree or higher.
Figure 1. Estimated Veteran K-12 Teacher Population
Source: CRS graphic derived from National Center for Education
Statistics and VA data.
Legislative History and Statutory Authority
What began as military service-level initiatives to provide
teacher certification programs for transitioning soldiers in
the late 1980s, was eventually authorized as an official
DOD program in the FY1993 National Defense
Authorization Act (P.L. 102-484). The program has
alternatively been under statutory control of DOD and the
Department of Education (ED). However, for the bulk of
the program’s history, DOD has administered it through the
Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support
(DANTES). DANTES maintains strong relationships
directly with state education departments. Since 2013, DOD
has had statutory responsibility for TTT in coordination
with ED for advice and information on teacher preparation
programs and academic and geographic areas with critical
teacher shortages.
The Current TTT Program
Congress has funded TTT at a level of about $14 million
annually since FY2014. This funding supports three
primary activities: (1) providing placement assistance (e.g.,
counseling and referral services) to service members
pursuing employment in education, (2) awarding stipends
and bonuses to eligible participants to assist with the costs
of education and certification, and (3) providing grants in
support of recruiting efforts. The TTT program itself does
not operate or manage any traditional or alternative
certification programs. Rather, TTT helps participants use
existing state and local certification programs.
Eligibility Requirements
In order to receive counseling and referral services, service
members must register as TTT participants. The FY2013
NDAA expanded the eligibility requirements for counseling
and referral services to “all current and former members of
the U.S. Armed Forces whose last period of service is
characterized as honorable.”
Eligibility for financial assistance, a stipend or bonus, under
the TTT program is more restrictive. It depends on a
combination of educational qualifications and duration and
characterization of military service. To be licensed and
employed as an academic subject teacher, participants must
hold a bachelor’s or advanced degree from an accredited
institution. To be licensed and employed as a career-
technical instructor, participants must either meet state
career-technical teacher requirements or have the equivalent
of one year of college with six years of military experience
in the vocational or technical field.
Requirements for financial assistance include: (1)
application within three years of retirement or separation;
(2) honorable characterization of the last period of service;
and (3) meeting one of the following requirements:
Be eligible, or within one year of eligibility, for retired
or retainer pay,
Be retired or separated due to a service-related physical
disability under Chapter 61 of Title 10, United States
Code, on or after January 8, 2002,
