Who Will Teach? Experience Matters
Who Will Teach? Experience Matters
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Between 2004 and 2008, 300,000 veteran teachers left the workforce for
retirement.
See the Shifts in the Age of the National Teaching Workforce.
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In 1987-88 the typical teacher had 15 years of experience, but by 2007-08
the typical teacher had just 1 to 2 years of experience.
See the Dramatic Shifts in K-12 Teaching Experience.
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West Virginia will be impacted by these shifts. Schools that have depended
on a core of veteran teachers are already seeing those teachers retire, and
in some cases are creating new work arrangements for teacher at or
nearing retirement.
By: The National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future
Published: January 2010
West Virginia’s Response
• Newly developed Critical Needs
Listing
• Transition to Teaching and Troops to
Teachers are working with high need
counties to fill their hard to staff
areas by actively supporting incoming
educators.
West Virginia Critical Needs Listing
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Offers a list of each school district’s unique personnel needs by simply selecting a county or
specific certification area.
Provides personnel directors the ability to access their own data and update it as frequently
as new needs for personnel are identified.
Job seekers will be instantly provided a list of administrative, teacher and service personnel
needs along with the contact information of each school district’s personnel office.
Allows potential applicants to gain a true understanding of each county’s needs for new
personnel, even when a job has yet to be posted for a position.
Maximizes the number of highly qualified applicants for each school district’s hard to fill job
vacancies.
The West Virginia Troops to
Teachers Program
What is Troops to Teachers?
• Federal veterans benefits and incentives
program
• Includes Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and
Coast Guard
• Nationally successful as a teacher
recruitment tool for America’s school
districts
• Provides veterans with an opportunity to
begin a secondary career in education
• Impacts low-income schools and school
districts
Benefits to School Districts
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Research has proven that Troops to Teachers
members:
Teach in high need subject areas
Enhance student achievement substantially and
statistically higher than other teachers in both
reading and mathematics
Willing to relocate and teach in rural areas
More likely to return to the classroom after
their initial school year than the average
teacher
Source of diversity and male teachers
A significant benefit to schools with low-SES
and traditionally underperforming students
WV History
• 1994 – 2007 West Virginia averaged
of 1 Troops to Teachers hire annually
• West Virginia Department of
Education contacted the Defense
Activity for Non-Traditional Education
Support (DANTES)
• May 2008: State manager established
WV Achievements
June 1, 2008 – October 1, 2012:
• Provided career counseling to more than 880
veterans
• Registered 349 veterans
• Hired 45 program members
State program effectiveness report cards from
DANTES:
FY 2009 = B, FY 2010 = C, FY 2011 = A, FY 2012 = A
Hires in West Virginia
1994 – October 2012
JROTC = 41
Science = 6
Math = 4
Special Education = 4
Elementary Education
/ Multi-subjects = 3
Social Studies = 3
Vocational = 2
English / Reading =2
Fine Arts = 1
Foreign Languages = 1
Physical Education = 1
Business Education = 1
41 JROTC
28 Non - JROTC
69 Total Hires
Program Benefits
Career Counseling
Job Placement Assistance
Financial Assistance
Up to a $5,000 Stipend
or
Up to a $10,000 Bonus
Eligibility
Two options:
• View the eligibility criteria at
http://wvde.state.wv.us/troopstoteach
ers/
• Use the self-determination guide at
www.proudtoserveagain.com.
(Determines current eligibility only)
Registration
Two options for sending your application:
Register online at www.proudtoserveagain.com
Or
Fill out a registration packet which can be found at
http://wvde.state.wv.us/troopstoteachers/
Then, mail all required documentation to:
DANTES Troops to Teachers
6490 Saufley Field Road
Pensacola, FL 32509-5243
Contact Information
Troops to Teachers National Office
1.800.231.6242
DANTES ttt@navy.mil
or
Mr. Robert P. Mellace III
West Virginia Troops to Teachers Coordinator
West Virginia Department of Education
Division of Educator Quality and Service Support
Office of Federal Programs
1.800.982.2378
1.304.558.7010
rmellace@access.k12.wv.us
History
• The Transition to Teaching Project (TtT)
was a federally funded alternative
certification program that targeted highneeds areas in schools across West
Virginia. Using its successful working
model, TtT has partnered with Clay,
Hampshire, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell,
Mingo and Wayne County to create
West Virginia’s second state funded TtT
Cohort!
Success
• We began tracking TtT interest in
November 2008.
– 22,783 people have visited our website
– Over 1,400 people have formally applied
to TtT
– Over 900 have been pre-approved to
participate
– Over 125 fully certified through TtT
How does TtT work?
• Participants fulfill all requirements
outlined in WV Code §18A-3-1a which
include:
– Completing 18 hours of graduate level
coursework
– Passing all required Praxis exams
– Successfully complete the beginning
teacher induction program
– Earn County and College recommendation
for certification
What makes TtT different?
• Beginning teachers receive weekly
visits from TtT Academic Coaches AND
a county provided mentor
• Program provides financial incentives
including tuition assistance, a laptop
computer, and additional educational
resources
• Program and County have added
flexibility in approving teachers for
certification
Pilot
2012 – 2013 Accomplishments
• Over 200 qualified applicants were
recruited and pursued positions in
the Pilot Counties
• 26 applicants secured positions
• Hired a TtT Academic Coach serving
only McDowell County
How can you get involved?
• Contact TtT Project Director to express
interest
• Review current staffing and analyze
certification status to determine needs
• Build a customized program based on
individual county need
– We currently have the capability to
recruit and certify individual in grades 512 for both general education and multicategorical special education
Contact Information
Doug Cipoletti
Transition to Teaching Project Director
West Virginia Department of Education
Division of Educator Quality and Service
Support
Office of Professional Preparation
1.800.982.2378
1.304.558.7010
dccipole@access.k12.wv.us
Questions?