House Passes New Democrat Amendment To Hire Teachers

WASHINGTON, DC-- The House of Representatives today overwhelmingly approved an amendment offered by U.S. Reps. Jim Davis (FL) and Tim Roemer (IN) to help mid-career professionals change careers to become teachers.

Both Davis and Roemer are members of the New Democrat Coalition, a group of 63 centrist House Democrats that advocates new education ideas, promoting economic growth, and opening the Democratic Party to new policies.

The “Transition to Teaching Act” passed by voice vote as an amendment to HR 1995, the Teacher Empowerment Act, which authorizes just over two billion dollars annually in federal funding to give local school districts greater flexibility to reduce class size and improve the quality of current teachers. The House passed HR 1995 today 239-185. The Senate has not yet scheduled debate on this legislation.

“With a teacher shortage crisis looming on the horizon it is critical that we attract a new crop of talented people to teach our children,” said Davis. “Our bill helps people get the training they need to change careers if they want to move from the boardroom to the classroom or from the firehouse to the schoolhouse or from the police station on Main Street to the classroom on Main Street.”

Recent studies show that school districts across the nation will have to hire two million additional teachers over the next ten years to make up for retirements and a growing student population.

“Schools throughout the country are struggling to hire new, high quality teachers,” noted Roemer. “The purpose of this measure is to help talented Americans of all ages become successful, qualified teachers. We want to help these able people obtain a teacher’s certification so they can enter the classroom.”

The “Transition to Teaching Act,” is modeled after the successful “Troops to Teachers” program which has helped more than 3,000 retired members of the military become math and science teachers in America’s schools since 1994. This legislation expands the “Troops to Teachers” concept to include public sector employees and mid-career professionals.

The bill authorizes $18 million for the program for the next fiscal year. This money would be awarded in grants to colleges and universities to help them train these professionals for a second career as a teacher. Potential teachers would be eligible to receive up to $5,000 in grants to help them get the teacher training they need. In return for the training, the new teachers agree to work in low-income schools for three years.

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