§ 6672. Authorization of Troops-to-Teachers Program

(a) Purpose
The purpose of this section is to authorize a mechanism for the funding and administration of the Troops-to-Teachers Program, which was originally established by the Troops-to-Teachers Program Act of 1999 (title XVII of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000) (20 U.S.C. 9301 et seq.).
(b) Program authorized
The Secretary may carry out a program (to be known as the “Troops-to-Teachers Program”)—
(1) to assist eligible members of the Armed Forces described in section 6673 of this title to obtain certification or licensing as elementary school teachers, secondary school teachers, or vocational or technical teachers, and to become highly qualified teachers; and
(2) to facilitate the employment of such members—
(A) by local educational agencies or public charter schools that the Secretary identifies as—
(i) receiving grants under part A of subchapter I of this chapter as a result of having within their jurisdictions concentrations of children from low-income families; or
(ii) experiencing a shortage of highly qualified teachers, in particular a shortage of science, mathematics, special education, or vocational or technical teachers; and
(B) in elementary schools or secondary schools, or as vocational or technical teachers.
(c) Administration of Program
The Secretary shall enter into a memorandum of agreement with the Secretary of Defense under which the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support of the Department of Defense, will perform the actual administration of the Program, other than section 6676 of this title. Using funds appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this division, the Secretary shall transfer to the Secretary of Defense such amounts as may be necessary to administer the Program pursuant to the memorandum of agreement.
(d) Information regarding Program
The Secretary shall provide to the Secretary of Defense information regarding the Program and applications to participate in the Program, for distribution as part of preseparation counseling provided under section 1142 of title 10 to members of the Armed Forces described in section 6673 of this title.
(e) Placement assistance and referral services
The Secretary may, with the agreement of the Secretary of Defense, provide placement assistance and referral services to members of the Armed Forces who meet the criteria described in section 6673 of this title, including meeting education qualification requirements under subsection [1] 6673(c)(2) of this title. Such members shall not be eligible for financial assistance under subsections (c) and (d) of section 6674 of this title.


[1] So in original. Probably should be “section”.