$1.1M grant to state ed office at Middletown High School

MIDDLETOWN — The Defense Activity for NonTraditional Education Support — a component of the U.S. Department of Defense — has awarded the Connecticut State Department of Education a $1.1 million federal grant to initiate and administer the Troops for Teachers program in Connecticut.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy made the announcement last week at Middletown High School, alongside Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, and Education Commissioner Dianna Wentzell, according to a press release.

Troops for Teachers is an initiative that provides service members 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 release said. 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 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,” Malloy said in a prepared statement. “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, according to the release.

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 which 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, the release said.

There are about 200,000 veterans living in Connecticut. Nearly 41,000 of these are between 20 to 44 and enter the civilian workforce with a desirable set of technical and leadership skills that contribute to the profile of an effective educator.

The Connecticut Department of Labor will assist the CSDE’s Talent Office in attracting veterans to the teaching profession.

File photo Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.