[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 38 (Wednesday, March 4, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E546-E547]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               TROOPS TO TEACHERS IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2009

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. THOMAS E. PETRI

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 4, 2009

  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 percent 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

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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 percent 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 clearly was 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 
420 to 13. Not surprisingly, participation in the program has fallen 
significantly since the implementation of the new definition. 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 communities. 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 nation's need for more math and science teachers, 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 
legislation would correct this error and restore the original intent of 
the Troops to Teachers program. Our bill would ensure that veterans 
participating in the Troops to Teachers program may receive a $5,000 
stipend for teaching for three years in any school that is in a 
district receiving grants under part A of Title I. This legislation 
would result in a 49% increase in the number of eligible schools for 
the program. This would mean that in my home state of Wisconsin, 94 
percent of the schools in the state would once again be eligible for 
the program.
  The legislation would retain the current criteria for troops to 
receive an additional bonus of $5,000 for teaching in a high need 
school, defined as in a school district that has at least 10% or 
greater who come from families living below the poverty level and a 
school where at least 50% of students are eligible for free or reduced 
lunch or have a ``high percentage'' of students with disabilities.
  I urge my colleagues to join me and Congresswoman Matsui in 
supporting this successful program and restoring the opportunity to 
``serve again'' to our nation's veterans.

                          ____________________