[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 17 (Monday, January 29, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E203]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     INTRODUCTION OF THE TROOPS TO TEACHERS IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2007

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                          HON. THOMAS E. PETRI

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, January 29, 2007

  Mr. PETRI. Madam Speaker, today, I am reintroducing the Troops to 
Teachers Improvement Act to improve opportunities for veterans to 
transition into second careers in teaching. I am pleased to once again 
be joined in this effort by Congresswoman Doris Matsui. I have been a 
supporter of the Troops to Teachers program since its authorization, 
and I am proud of its success over the last decade. Since 1994, this 
program has placed nearly 10,000 veterans in our nation's classrooms.
  Troops to Teachers is a unique program that provides retiring 
military with a $5,000 stipend to help cover the costs of teaching 
certification in exchange for three years service in a high-need 
school, which until recently was defined as receiving grants under part 
A of Title I. To further encourage participants to teach in schools 
with the greatest need, a $10,000 bonus is offered to those who agree 
to teach for three years in a school with 50% of students below the 
poverty level.
  This structure has proven very effective in transitioning qualified 
retiring military personnel into second careers in teaching. Indeed, 
Troops participants fill several critical needs among educators: 
eighty-two percent are male, over one-third ethnic minorities, and a 
majority bring an expertise in science and math to the classroom. In an 
increasingly globalized economy, these valuable characteristics provide 
a vital resource for schools across the country.
  However, this success is now in jeopardy due to a drafting error in 
the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act which has inadvertently restricted 
the number of schools at which participants may fulfill their service. 
The applicable definition for ``high-need local education agencies'' 
for Troops to Teachers was inadvertently changed as it was included in 
the section of the legislation regarding other alternative programs 
that had a different definition. This stricter definition requires a 
higher threshold for ``high-need,'' requiring the school to have either 
10,000 students or 20% of students from families below the poverty 
level. However, the original Title I definition of high-need was also 
retained in the law in the section specifically detailing the Troops 
program. Essentially, Congress inadvertently created two conflicting 
definitions of ``high-need'' with regard to this program.
  Early on, the Department of Education and the Troops to Teachers 
program recognized this unintended change in law and worked together to 
address it. From 2003-2005, while discussions were being held on how to 
reconcile this discrepancy, the program continued to operate under the 
original and intended definition. However, after the completion of a 
negotiated rulemaking process in September 2005, the Department issued 
a regulation stating that the new, stricter definition was not an error 
but congressional intent. As one of the leading supporters of this 
program during the drafting of No Child Left Behind, I can assure my 
colleagues that this was clearly not the intent of the supporters of 
the program.
  Madam Speaker, the unfortunate result of this, aside from limiting 
the number of schools at which veterans may teach and honor their 
obligation of three-years service, is that it has disproportionately 
impacted western and rural states. In my home state of Wisconsin, the 
number of eligible school districts has been reduced from approximately 
400 to 11. Not surprisingly, participation in the program has fallen 
significantly since the implementation of the new definition last year. 
This decision, although understandable given the conflicting 
definitions contained in the law, is a disservice both to veterans 
wishing to continue their service to our nation as educators as well as 
children who stand to benefit from their unique expertise.
  The bottom line is that we are losing out on great teachers because 
they cannot accept the certification stipend due to a lack of schools 
meeting the higher needs threshold in their community. The more we 
restrict opportunities for participation, the fewer teachers we will be 
able to bring into public education, and the fewer teachers we will 
eventually be able to attract to the schools with the greatest need. 
Further, given the President's recent focus on the need for more math 
and science teachers, as well as his support for adjunct and 
alternative routes to teaching programs, we should be removing, not 
creating, restrictions that prevent qualified teachers in these areas 
from teaching in our Nation's classrooms.
  Madam Speaker, with Troops to Teachers, the Department already has an 
established program that is well-funded and successful. Rather than 
restricting it, we should be maximizing this program's potential. This 
bill would still require participants to teach in high-need schools, as 
defined by the Department, but if no such school exists within a 50-
mile radius of the participant, that participant will be eligible to 
fulfill the obligation in a school that serves low-income students 
under the original definition. This ensures that Troops participants 
teach in high-need schools first and foremost, but are not locked out 
of the program based on the demographic make-up of their communities.
  This is a pragmatic solution that is perfectly consistent with the 
spirit of No Child Left Behind while also supporting our veterans and 
students by maximizing opportunities for participation. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in supporting this successful program and 
restoring the opportunity to ``serve again'' to our Nation's veterans.

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