Anyone know if the Troops to Teacher program is active?

CSM Charles Hayden The sorry fact is out of 177 teachers at my school there are only seven Veterans and two of them are JROTC instructors. I'm the only Marine here at the school.

Cpl Vic Burk - Exactly. There is a very visible difference in how they function now and how they operated before it was axed in 2020

SSgt Christophe Murphy - This country better do something or there won't be very many to teach one day. There are already serious shortages of Math and Science teachers as it is and it only getting worse every year. I could have retired six years ago but I still enjoy teaching so I am staying for now. This program could be an entry way for Veterans to get into the field. It shouldn't be limited to within the first three years after retirement or separation from the military (in my opinion).

Cpl Vic Burk - I 100% agree. There are teacher shortages across the board. Many school districts are willing to take anyone with a 4 year degree that is eligible to pass a background check and they will give them an emergency teaching certification so they can get them in the door and get them certified with a traditional cert after a few years. I'm in Missouri and the low pay for teachers especially in rural areas makes it hard to attract teacher candidates.

SSgt Christophe Murphy - The county schools around here are near the bottom of the pay scale making it difficult to staff teachers. City schools pay better and can be more selective about who they hire but even that is getting hard for them. Normally when they post an opening in my district for an elementary teacher they have upwards of 200 applicants. Last year they had six apply for the job. I think I read once a few years ago that somewhere around half the teachers in Memphis are on emergency licenses.