October 21, 2009
St. John’s University is pleased to announce support for
participants of
Troops to Teachers (TTT), a Department of Defense Program
funded by the U.S. Department of Education, through The School of
Education’s accelerated masters degree programs. The TTT program
assists eligible military personnel, who are transitioning into new
careers as teachers, primarily in economically disadvantaged public
schools.
The campus-wide initiative, which began in July, provides TTT
participants with an opportunity for fast-track entry into teaching
through internship certification provided by The School of
Education’s
Career Change Program. The program allows eligible individuals
to earn a full-salaried teaching position within one-year, even if
attending school part-time.
“The nation and the University owe our returning troops the
highest quality program that can lead to a rapid re-introduction
into the civilian work force,” said Jerrold Ross, Dean of St.
John’s University’s School of Education. “Schools can profit by
their experience and maturity.”
“Teachers and military personnel both possess a lot of the same
qualities,” said Rick Jackson, New York State Troops to Teachers
Program Coordinator, at a recent School of Education faculty
council meeting. “Aside from being moderators, parental figures and
counselors they both serve as information providers and role models
to others.”
The Career Change Program is a viable means through which
individuals with no prior academic or professional experience in
education can gain a master’s degree in education (MSEd), obtain NY
teaching certification and become qualified to work as a teacher in
a NY-based school.
“The TTT program enriches the quality of American education by
helping mature, motivated, experienced and dedicated veterans to
find careers in our nation’s public schools. Thousands of military
retirees, active duty personnel, and current drilling members in
the reserve corps have discovered a rewarding career in teaching
our nation’s children,” said Rick Jackson. “Veterans who have
become public school teachers are always ‘Proud to Serve
Again.’”
TTT was established in 1994 as a Department of Defense Program.
The objective of the program is to place participants in full-time
teaching positions by offering eligible military personnel
financial incentives to teach in low income schools where critical
teacher shortages exist. Eligible participants in the program
may receive financial assistance in the form of a stipend of up to
$5,000 to help pay teacher certification costs or a bonus of up to
$10,000 for teaching in a high-needs school.
TTT participants who become Career Change Program students will
then be able to commence their teaching careers in the most
efficient way possible. TTT will allow St. John’s to form a
stronger relationship with a valuable demographic – military
veterans – whose leadership, professional and life experiences
would make an unparallel contribution to The School of Education
and the teaching field.
In order to assist TTT participants with their graduate school
expenses, St. John’s has been approved and will be participating in
the Yellow Ribbon Program. Under the
Yellow Ribbon Program, St John’s has agreed to match the
Veterans Administration’s contribution of 50 percent of tuition
costs, so that qualified veterans would pay no tuition and fees, if
they attend St. John's University.
Veterans may be eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program if:
- He/she served an aggregate period of active duty after
September 10, 2001, of at least 36 months;
- He/she was honorably discharged from active duty for a service
connected disability and you served 30 continuous days after
September 10, 2001;
- He/she is a dependent eligible for Transfer of Entitlement
under the Post-9/11 GI Bill based on a veteran’s service
St. John’s involvement with TTT will expand upon the assistance
that the University currently provides to military veterans, such
as the Military Services Initiative, which is a support program for
servicemen and women and their families aiming to provide
counseling related to the stress of deployment.
For more information regarding St. John’s University’s promotion
of Troops for Teachers contact Marissa Weinstein,
Coordinator of the Career Change Program at St. John's University
by calling (212) 277-5122 or e-mail inquiries to
weinstm1@stjohns.edu. You can also register for the Troops to
Teachers program by visiting the St. John’s University Troops for
Teachers
web site.