Press Release:
MEDIA
CONTACT:
Toni
Wolf
561-297-3029,
twolf4@fau.edu
FAU Named Statewide Administrator for Troops to Teachers Program
BOCA RATON, FL (May 16, 2011) –
Florida
Atlantic University’s College of Education recently was named
the grant administrator by the U.S. Department of Defense for the
state of Florida’s Troops to Teachers program, which provides
information, linkage and support to soldiers and military veterans
who desire to become teachers in Florida. Troops to Teachers is a
nationwide program authorized by Congress to recruit and provide
support services to veterans who enter the teaching field.
Those eligible can receive a $5,000 stipend to pay for
certification costs or a $10,000 bonus if they teach for three
years in a high-need or a high-poverty school.
“On average, the veterans who enter this program are in their
mid-40s and have life experience to bring into the
classroom,” said Ron Burton, regional director of the Florida
and Caribbean region for Troops to Teachers. “They have
experience working with individuals across all socio-economic
categories, and they are mission-oriented and have leadership
skills. Military instructors and other officers know how to
manage and work with others, hold people accountable and provide
different kinds of motivation for different individuals.”
Glenn Thomas, assistant dean of PreK-12 schools and programs in
FAU’s College of Education, is the principal investigator for
the Troops to Teachers grant. One area of opportunity is the
pursuit of related grants to expand distance learning for veterans
who are serving active duty overseas or nationally, particularly in
the areas of middle or high school mathematics, chemistry, physics
and geosciences, to match state demand.
“Today’s technologies and partnerships offer robust
possibilities to support quality learning for military personnel
around the globe,” said Thomas. “FAU’s
traditionally strong science and engineering programs may meet the
interests of veterans having a desire to teach, but who need
additional content and distance flexibility.”
A study in the National Association of Secondary School Principals
found that the students of veterans that have become teachers
through the Troops to Teachers program perform well in reading and
slightly better in mathematics compared to traditional
teachers. Since military personnel often work in highly
technical jobs, they are prepared to fill high-needs subject areas
in math and science. Research from the National Center for
Education Information and the Interstate School Leaders Licensure
Consortium also shows that veterans’ classroom management and
disciplinary skills are highly rated and effective. Veterans also
excel as school administrators.
Since its inception in 1994, the Troops to Teachers program has
assisted more than 1,000 veterans in Florida, with 300 participants
currently teaching in the state. Eligibility requirements
vary, but in general, those who have served on active duty or have
been Selected Reserve personnel with six years of service and have
separated with an honorable discharge within the last four years
may qualify. Military veterans who have retired from the
service are eligible, as well as those who have service-determined
physical disabilities. Veterans with a bachelor’s
degree or who are working on a degree may qualify to work toward
the state’s teacher certification requirements and receive
the stipend.
For more information on Troops to Teachers in Florida, contact Ron
Burton at 1-888-358-7667 or
rburton6@fau.edu
.
For more information about eligibility, visit http://
www.fldoe.org
or
http://
www.proudtoserveagain.com
.
-FAU-
About Florida Atlantic University:
Florida Atlantic University , established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. In commemoration of its origin, FAU is celebrating its 50th anniversary throughout 2011. Today, the University serves more than 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses and sites. FAU’s world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges : the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering & Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information, visit www.fau.edu .
