Press Releases
05/24/2018
Gov. Malloy Announces Launch of Program in Connecticut Helping Veterans Seek Careers as Teachers
State Receives $1.1 Million to Help Veterans Enter Careers in Education
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) – a component of the U.S. Department of Defense – has awarded the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) a $1.1 million federal grant to initiate and administer the Troops for Teachers program in Connecticut.
The Governor made the announcement today at Middletown High School alongside Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman, Senator Richard Blumenthal, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, and Education Commissioner Dianna Wentzell.
Troops for Teachers is an initiative that provides service members who are transitioning into civilian life and veterans who have already left service with the training necessary to seek careers as school teachers in K-12 schools. The program, which also helps participants find employment as a teacher once the training is complete, helps reduce veteran unemployment while also providing students with exceptional role models in the classroom.
“The men and women of our Armed Forces are a uniquely talented group of people with an exceptional skill set that undoubtedly can be beneficial in the classroom as they move into civilian life,” Governor Malloy said. “In the past seven and a half years as Governor, I have had the pleasure of working closely with many of the people in our military and have witnessed their drive and passion for our communities. Ensuring that our veterans continue in successful careers beyond their service in our military while also providing the next generation of students with extraordinary role models is a win for everyone involved.”
The program will assist eligible veterans in securing school or district positions during their educator preparation programs, as well as provide transition supports as veterans move into full-time teaching positions. Participants will serve as educators and/or administrators at high-needs public and charter schools that meet certain criteria, including schools that have at least 30 percent of their students eligible for free or reduced lunch; schools that have at least 13 percent of the students enrolled in the school qualify for assistance of the Individual Disabilities Education Act; and schools that have students enrolled in a Bureau of Indian Affairs funded school. The program will also provide mentors and engage veterans in communities of practice for shared professional learning experiences that support these new teachers and leaders.
Presently, there are approximately 200,000 veterans living in Connecticut. Nearly 41,000 of these veterans are between the ages of 20 to 44 and enter the civilian workforce with a highly desirable set of technical and leadership skills that contribute to the profile of an effective educator.
“This is excellent news for Connecticut,” Lt. Governor Wyman said. “Troops to Teachers resources will really make a difference in the lives of our veterans and our students. These are men and women who have strong leadership skills that are valuable in the classroom and a sense of teamwork that will enhance our education community. I applaud Governor Malloy, Senator Blumenthal, and Congresswoman DeLauro for making veterans and education a priority in Connecticut.”
“This major federal grant is a win for veterans looking to begin this exciting career transition, and also for Connecticut children who will benefit from their skills and talents,” Senator Blumenthal said. “The discipline, intelligence and courage it takes to succeed in military service make our veterans uniquely prepared to excel in the classroom. I look forward to visiting classrooms in the near future to see these new teachers in action.”
“As the Senior Democrat on the Congressional Committee that funds key social programs, I have been proud to fight for education, veteran services, and job training,” Congresswoman DeLauro said. “Our schools always need sharp, talented, dedicated, and service-oriented teachers to help students thrive. And new veterans often experience a tough transition back into our labor force, even though they are hard-working and well-trained. So, it is only fitting that we would bring these two needs together. With Troops to Teachers, we can deploy dedicated and disciplined veterans to proudly serve again, this time in the classroom.”
“The CSDE is dedicated to a vision of greater representation of veterans in the educational workforce,” Commissioner Wentzell said. “Teaching and school leadership roles for veterans are a win-win for our students and veterans alike. We value the unique insights, educational, interpersonal, and problem solving experiences of veterans, and believe those characteristics and skills can be leveraged within the field of education.”
Connecticut’s Troops to Teachers program will recruit a minimum of 40 veterans in the first year, securing a minimum of 20 teaching positions requiring a long-term substitute authorization or a Durational Shortage Area Permit in identified shortage areas. Staff in the Office of Veteran Workforce Development and the Department of Veterans Affairs will facilitate CSDE’s connections to veteran organizations throughout Connecticut and in the region to assist in bolstering the program.
It will be led by CSDE’s Chief Talent Officer and Talent staff as well as a teacher leader in residence who will be an experienced classroom educator and veteran. A Troops to Teachers Coordinating Council will be convened to facilitate partnerships with Connecticut State Universities, educator preparation programs, school district superintendents, personnel directors, and student veterans’ affairs organizations. The Connecticut Department of Labor will assist the CSDE’s Talent Office in attracting veterans to the teaching profession.
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