Spouses serving their country in the classroom Published Jan. 27, 2006 By Spouses to Teachers Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support PENSACOLA, Fla. -- You're a military spouse and you want to be a teacher. You transfer with your spouse from state to state, and even overseas. What state do you get your teacher's certification in? Does teacher certification transfer from state to state? Are there teacher certification programs available via distance learning?Leslie Sheffield asked herself these questions as she packed for yet another move. The Navy spouse and fourth-grade teacher in Virginia Beach, Va., said, "Recently, I moved from Texas where I graduated with my degree in education. I was fully licensed to teach in Texas, but was on my way to Virginia. I had no idea what it took for me to teach in Virginia."Today, thanks to Spouses to Teachers, Mrs. Sheffield and other military spouses can obtain their teacher licensure/certification, in spite of numerous duty stations and transfers. STT is a DoD pilot project designed to assist spouses of active-duty, Reserve and Guard military members to become public school teachers. Currently in 14 states, STT also provides information regarding state certification requirements, counseling and guidance on certification options, application assistance for transferring teacher certification from one state to another, financial assistance to help meet expenses for examinations required for teacher certification and financial aid resource assistance.Mrs. Sheffield emphasized, "STT helped me step by step, and they made my move into teaching so much easier. It was a saving grace for me."Navy spouse Veronica Sanders, an STT participant, said, "After moving every two to three years, I was unable to establish myself in any career field. Over the years, it has always been easy to obtain employment as a substitute teacher or teacher assistant. This led to my desire to become a certified teacher with the help of the Spouses to Teachers program." With her bachelor's degree in business administration, Mrs. Sanders decided to teach because she enjoyed being with children. "I am happy to be part of the business of educating students, and I would like spouses to know that it is never too late to make a career change," she said. Mrs. Sanders currently is a special education teacher in Cobb County, Ga.Military spouses overseas have even a more difficult time trying to coordinate stateside requirements. Shannon Eaves, an Army spouse in Germany, had a hard time finding out how to take her Texas certification exams without having to return to Texas. "With the help of STT, I am now certified to teach K-12," Mrs. Eaves said.Air Force wife Nancy Hoehn, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, said she was able to complete her exams for her initial certification in Germany.STT provides limited funding to eligible spouses to reimburse the costs of tests required for state licensure/certification. The maximum available financial assistance is $600 per person. The Spouses to Teachers state offices assist spouses with available financial aid at the state and federal levels also.Mrs. Sheffield said the reimbursement was a plus. "The tests are expensive and if someone is moving from state to state, those fees really add up."Mrs. Eaves is grateful for receiving reimbursement for her certification tests. "The cost of certification can be rather high, and every little bit helps when you are trying to get a job," she said.Tylee Roller, STT administrator and counselor, believes spouses are a tremendous asset to the classroom with their worldly travels, education, and desire to teach no matter where they are located. "Teaching is a versatile and professional career that is marketable and that compliments a military family's lifestyle of frequent rotations," she said. "STT is considered one-stop shopping for the information/guidance needed to start or continue a teaching profession in a new location."While 74 percent of military spouses in the STT program already have their baccalaureate degree, STT also works with transfer of certification from another state and with non-degree holders seeking assistance identifying programs leading to certification.For more information visit www.spousestoteachers.com, or e-mail stt@voled.doded.mil or call (850) 452-1151.