Troops To Teachers


We welcome those who are Proud to Serve Again! Our Oklahoma schools need you!

NOTICE:  The Troops To Teacher Program is currently on hiatus in OK.  However, veterans can still send a copy of their DD214 with their alternative application packet, which could lower the amount of college credit required.

What is Troops to Teachers?

Troops to Teachers was established in 1993 to assist transitioning Service members and veterans in beginning new careers in public, charter and Bureau of Indian Affairs schools. The goal of the Oklahoma office is to identify these service men and women and help facilitate the process in obtaining their teaching certificate. Not only finding, but retaining quality teachers is, and should be, of particular interest to Oklahoma due to our current teacher shortage.

How can Troops to Teachers help you?

  • Please complete the Counseling Form to help us provide the best guidance in the process of attaining your teaching certificate.
  • Assisting you in transitioning to a career in teaching is our mission. Partner with us to discover whether teaching is right for you.
  • We provide individualized counseling to assist you in exploring and selecting the best pathway to teach based on your unique needs and goals.
  • We provide informed guidance on how to meet state teaching certification requirements and how to select a certification program.
  • Ongoing support and mentorship can assist you in successfully transitioning and thriving in your new career.
  • The VA offers a testing and licensure reimbursement program. You must complete VA Form 22-0803 (Application for Reimbursement of Licensing or Certification Test). Use the VA Reimbursement form created to accompany your application.
  • The state recognizes that as a military service member, you are well prepared to meet the overall needs of diverse learning environments and will give you up to 5 Years teaching ‘experience’ for your active duty service.
  • You are required to complete only 6 semester hours of professional education coursework from an accredited college in your remaining requirements. Your professional education coursework must include a college course addressing classroom management and general or subject specific pedagogical principles.

Why you?

  • Skills you honed in the military — leadership, initiative, discipline, integrity and the ability to thrive in an ever-changing environment — are a natural fit for the classroom.
  • If you have a degree in science, technology, engineering or math, there is a special need for you in our schools. The concepts and approaches at the heart of the STEM disciplines — curiosity, inquiry, creativity, exploration, collaboration and critical thinking — are the skills that will most likely assist students in becoming successful in higher education, in the workplace and as citizens of the world.
  • While classroom management is often one of the most significant challenges for new teachers, as a military service member, you are well prepared to meet the overall needs of diverse learning environments. School administrators overwhelmingly report that veterans have a positive impact on student achievement and are more effective in instructional and classroom management practices than traditionally prepared teachers with similar years of teaching experience.

How to Apply

  • The path to becoming a teacher with the Troops to Teachers program is typically completed through the state's Alternative Certification process. This process provides an opportunity for individuals with non-teaching degrees to teach in Oklahoma accredited schools. The Alternative application is a multi-step process.  Our office is here to assist you with any help you may need along the way. more...

Job Search

  • Finding a job can be tricky, but our veterans have built strong reputations for success in the classroom. Several school districts reach out to our office for a list of Troops to Teachers participants to actively recruit to fill teacher vacancies.
  • We will also provide information of vacancies and local job fairs to help you find the right fit.
  • Follow the link to see a list of job boards and local school district vacancy announcements.

Contact Us

Contact Us

 (VACANT)
2500 N. Lincoln Blvd. Oklahoma City, OK 73105
(405) 522-0217 (VACANT)
TroopsToTeachers@sde.ok.gov (VACANT)

 

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Last updated on October 12, 2023