Anne Bubnic's List: ARRA/Transition To Teaching

The United States Department of Education has announced $6.86 million in grants to help attract professionals and recent college graduates (with degrees in disciplines other than education) to careers in K-12 teaching. Dubbed "Transition to Teaching," the program will help "mid-career" professionals and recent grads to become teachers and obtain certification. The grants are being awarded to universities, school districts, and other organizations to "develop and implement comprehensive efforts to train, place and support teacher candidates, either through existing or alternative paths to teacher certification," according to the Education Department. through alternative means.

In March, the State Legislature approved a pilot program that seemed tailor made for her situation. Called Traders to Teachers, it is designed to turn unemployed finance professionals into math teachers in three months. Successful candidates, who are not required to have been math majors, will attend classes free at Montclair State University.