[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 30, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E219]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E219]]
               TROOPS TO TEACHERS IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DORIS O. MATSUI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 30, 2007

  Ms. MATSUI. Madam Speaker, my colleague, Mr. Petri, and I are 
reintroducing the Troops to Teachers Improvement Act. I am proud to 
bring this bipartisan effort before the House in the newly-elected 
110th Congress. I first learned about the Troops to Teachers program at 
a California Purple Heart Veterans Day event in my district. Two 
different veterans who are participating in Troops to Teachers spoke 
with me about how the program offered them the chance to continue to 
contribute to our country. After serving their country in the Armed 
Forces, they were now able to teach in high-need school districts.
  With a slogan like, ``Proud to Serve Again,'' Troops to Teachers is a 
unique program that provides stipends to military retirees to obtain 
the necessary certification for a second career in teaching. Equally 
important, the program places much-needed math, science and special 
education teachers in the classroom. In fact, over 55 percent of Troops 
to Teachers participants teach in these critical areas. Right now, our 
country is seeing 7 percent of its teaching force leave every year, and 
we have a need for highly-qualified science and math teachers. 
Additionally, veterans who participate in the Troops to Teachers 
program fill another void for male and ethnic minority teachers. 
Qualities learned in the military including: discipline, problem 
solving and leadership skills make veterans ideal role models for our 
students. Simply put, the Troops to Teachers program has never been 
more important.
  Since first learning about the Troops to Teachers program, I have had 
the pleasure of hearing many stories of how participants' lives have 
changed after transitioning from the military to the classroom. One of 
my constituents has such a story. After 21 years in the Air Force, 
Kelly Sullivan retired from the military, with two young children to 
care for. Using a $3,000 award from Troops to Teachers, she was able to 
pay for graduate school classes, as well as nine required teaching 
certification exams. Needless to say, the award was a financial relief 
for her, especially as she set out to begin her second career.
  Kelly is now teaching English at Hiram Johnson High School in 
Sacramento. She has found that her two decades in the Air Force gave 
her the maturity, wisdom and life experiences that enable her to 
motivate and encourage her students to succeed in school. These skills 
are especially important as gangs and increased violence are all too 
prevalent in her school's neighborhood. One thing is for sure, when her 
students need help Kelly is there--thanks to Troops to Teachers.
  Kelly is a prime example of the goal of the Troops to Teachers 
program, which was authorized in 1993 to help members of the military 
obtain teaching credentials to teach in large districts with low-income 
schools. A variety of retired, separated, active duty and transitioning 
military members and veterans--including disabled veterans--are 
eligible to participate. Those who are interested are required to have 
a bachelor's or advanced degree. If applying for a vocational 
or technical teaching position, candidates are required to have at 
least 6 years of experience in the field. The program has successfully 
recruited and placed almost 10,000 veterans in school districts since 
it was created. In my home state of California, 571 veterans are 
currently participating in the program.

  Unfortunately, a small change under the No Child Left Behind Act, 
NCLB, of 2001 greatly affected where veterans could fulfill their 
teaching obligation. In some areas of the country, retiring military 
and veterans interested in the program now have to drive 50 to 100 
miles to find an eligible school. This has resulted in a 20-30 percent 
drop-off in veteran participation, which has seriously hindered this 
productive and necessary program.
  The bill that my esteemed colleague Mr. Petri and I are reintroducing 
today would fix this error. It would allow participants to fulfill 
their teaching obligation at any school considered high-need under 
NCLB, meaning that the school receives Title I funding. Prior to the 
NCLB change, participants were able to fulfill their teaching 
obligation in any school within my district in Sacramento, as they all 
receive Title I funding. However, under the more restrictive rule, only 
211 of the 350 schools in my district are eligible. Currently, 61 
percent of the high schools in my district are not eligible.
  I continue to believe in this program and want to see disabled and 
retiring military offered a second chance at serving our country. Just 
last week, the Troops to Teachers program had a conference in 
Washington, DC. Once again, we heard stories of participants' 
dedication to serving our country and the sense of fulfillment they 
receive from educating future generations. Additionally, the program 
brings important math, science, and foreign language expertise to our 
classroom and fills a critical need among our educators. These 
characteristics make Troops to Teachers an excellent source of highly-
qualified educators.
  Mr. Petri and I are committed to fulfilling the intent of this 
program, and we introduce this bill so that more veterans, like my 
constituent Kelly, will continue to be able to serve our country--
whether in the military or in the classroom. I look forward to swiftly 
passing this bipartisan bill in the 110th Congress and urge my 
colleagues to continue to work to support the Troops to Teachers 
program.

                          ____________________