DOD’s Troops to Teachers Program (TTT)

DOD’s Troops to Teachers Program (TTT)

March 15, 2018
DOD’s Troops to Teachers Program (TTT)
Background
the late 1980s, was eventually authorized as an official
Over the past few decades, Congress has authorized dozens
DOD program in the FY1993 National Defense
of programs to provide educational assistance, credentialing
Authorization Act (P.L. 102-484). The program has
opportunities, and employment support to service members
alternatively been under statutory control of DOD and the
transitioning to civilian life. One of these programs, Troops
Department of Education (ED). However, for the bulk of
to Teachers (TTT), has been a congressionally authorized
the program’s history, DOD has administered it through the
program since 1993 (see 10 U.S.C. §1154), though various
Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support
Service-level initiatives preceded it. TTT supports veterans
(DANTES). DANTES maintains strong relationships
transitioning to careers in education. Congress initially
directly with state education departments. Since 2013, DOD
intended the program to meet the dual objectives of (1)
has had statutory responsibility for TTT in coordination
providing employment assistance to transitioning veterans
with ED for advice and information on teacher preparation
and (2) alleviating teacher shortages nationwide,
programs and academic and geographic areas with critical
particularly in high-need schools and certain subject areas
teacher shortages.
(i.e., math, science, special education, foreign languages,
and career technical education). Associated program goals
The Current TTT Program
include, reducing veteran unemployment, increasing the
Congress has funded TTT at a level of about $14 million
number of male and minority teachers, and improving
annually since FY2014. This funding supports three
education qualities.
primary activities: (1) providing placement assistance (e.g.,
counseling and referral services) to service members
Population of Veterans as Teachers
pursuing employment in education, (2) awarding stipends
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reports
and bonuses to eligible participants to assist with the costs
approximately 19.5 million living veterans of the U.S.
of education and certification, and (3) providing grants in
Armed Forces. 9.2 million are working-age, accounting for
support of recruiting efforts. The TTT program itself does
approximately 5% of the U.S. population between the ages
not operate or manage any traditional or alternative
of 18-64. According to the National Center for Education
certification programs. Rather, TTT helps participants use
Statistics, veterans accounted for about 74,000 (2.1%) of
existing state and local certification programs.
the roughly 5 million primary and secondary school
teachers in the U.S. in 2016. The Department of Defense
Eligibility Requirements
(DOD) reports that TTT has placed over 21,000 veteran
In order to receive counseling and referral services, service
teachers in classrooms since the program’s start. Teaching
members must register as TTT participants. The FY2013
jobs often require a bachelor degree and certain
NDAA expanded the eligibility requirements for counseling
certifications or licenses, depending on state laws and
and referral services to “all current and former members of
regulations. The U.S. census bureau has estimated that
the U.S. Armed Forces whose last period of service is
approximately 25% of veterans have earned a bachelor’s
characterized as honorable.”
degree or higher.
Eligibility for financial assistance, a stipend or bonus, under
Figure 1. Estimated Veteran K-12 Teacher Population
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;
Source: CRS graphic derived from National Center for Education
and (3) meeting one of the following requirements:
Statistics and VA data.
 Be eligible, or within one year of eligibility, for retired
or retainer pay,
Legislative History and Statutory Authority
 Be retired or separated due to a service-related physical
What began as military service-level initiatives to provide
disability under Chapter 61 of Title 10, United States
teacher certification programs for transitioning soldiers in
Code, on or after January 8, 2002,
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DOD’s Troops to Teachers Program (TTT)
 Be transitioning from active duty on or after January 8,
 Improper payments to individuals who did not
2002, and have served four or more years of continuous
meet eligibility requirements,
active duty immediately before separation, and execute
 Lack of training on requirements and procedures
a written agreement to serve for three or more years
for determining applicant eligibility for stipends
with a Selected Reserve unit, or
and bonuses,
 Have completed six or more years of creditable service
 Failure to withhold federal income tax on
towards retirement on or after January 8, 2002 and
payments,
execute a written agreement to serve for three or more
 Failure to establish debt collection processes for
years with a Selected Reserve unit.
those who did not fulfill program requirements,
Stipends and Bonuses
and
 DANTES failure to establish the grant program in
Eligible individuals may receive a stipend of up to $5,000
to “
accordance with DOD grant regulations.
cover expenses incurred by the participant to obtain the
required educational level, certification, or licensing.”
Figure 2. DODIG Findings
Program participants who accept a full-time position in an
eligible school may receive an additional bonus of up to
$5,000, and the bonus can be as high as $10,000 for schools
designated as “high need.” High need schools are those at
which least 50 percent of enrolled students are from low-
income families based as defined in 10 U.S.C. §1154(a)(3).
According to a recent DOD Inspector General (DODIG)
report, in 2015, the program paid $3.7 in stipends and
bonuses to 1,347 participants.
Grants
The TTT grant program, also administered by DANTES,

provides awards of between $100,000 to $400,000 to states
Source: DODIG, The Troops-to-Teachers Program, Report No.
or consortia of states to facilitate recruitment and
DODIG-2017-123, September 28, 2017.
employment of eligible veterans. In 2015, DANTES
Considerations for Congress
provided $4.4 million in grants.
Selected Benefits
While the TTT program has broadly been considered a
success in terms of helping schools and veterans, DODIG
Since the establishment of the Troops to Teachers program,
findings suggest program funds are not always being used
many scholars and non-governmental organizations have
as Congress intended.
studied the impact of TTT on transitioning service members
and the schools they serve. Much of the research has
Furthermore, as Congress evaluates programs to assist
pointed to positive effects on the education system and
transitioning troops, it may consider the potential for
program participants. Teachers and school administrators
overlap with programs offered by DOD (e.g., Tuition
generally perceive TTT as a successful program.
Assistance) and other federal agency programs that support
Achievements have been noted in attracting traditionally
service member education and training (e.g., GI Bill, VA
less-represented groups to teaching careers (e.g., men and
counseling programs, etc.). There may be opportunities to
racial minorities), encouraging service in high-need schools
combine or cut duplicative programs.
and subjects, offering higher teacher quality (as measured
An option for enhancing TTT might be to explore private or
by performance and student achievement), and higher
state partnerships. In the House Report to accompany the
teacher job satisfaction relative to the national teacher
FY2017 NDAA, the House Armed Services Committee
workforce. However, given the relatively small population
encouraged the Secretary of Defense to,
of participants there is no data to suggest that this program
has had a significant effect on veteran employments
investigate the establishment of a public-private
outcomes.
partnership with a 501c organization capable of
leveraging private donations and relationships to improve
TTT may also offer other potential benefits to DOD. For
and expand upon the current Troops to Teachers model.
example, DOD research has found that interactions with
Finally, most veterans’ employment programs are general
veterans have had a strong positive effect on youth
and do not support a particular industry or occupation. The
propensity to serve. Thus, having a veteran influencer in the
TTT program could serve as a model for new programs that
classroom may aid in DOD’s recruiting efforts.
help other sectors of the economy to use veterans’ skills to
Recent Program Criticisms
meet broader workforce goals.
While benefits have been noted, a September 2017 DODIG
audit report noted several program management
Kristy N. Kamarck, Analyst in Military Manpower
shortcomings by the Department, DANTES, and the
Eva G. McKinsey,
Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS). In
IF10850
particular DODIG found:
 DOD’s failure to develop formal implementing
policies in accordance with TTT program law,

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DOD’s Troops to Teachers Program (TTT)

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