Фонд Golden Apple запустил программу для перевода ветеранов армии в школьные учителя

Golden Apple Foundation launches new pathway to help veterans become teachers Published 10:55 am Friday, September 4, 2026 CHICAGO — The Golden Apple Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on developing and supporting teacher excellence, announced Thursday the launch of Veterans into Teaching, a specialized pathway designed to help military veterans transition into K-12 classrooms. The new program will be woven into Golden Apple’s existing Scholars and Accelerators initiatives, which together support nearly 3,000 active participants across Illinois, New Mexico, and Michigan as they work toward teacher certification. The Scholars program guides undergraduates through a five-year path to the classroom, while the Accelerators program, offered in Illinois, provides a 15-month licensure track for bachelor’s degree holders seeking a career change. Both programs offer financial support and mentorship in exchange for a commitment to teach. The Pepper Family Foundation provided the grant funding the new veterans pathway. Veterans who enroll will receive the same financial and mentorship benefits as other participants, along with coaching tailored to their transition from military to civilian life and opportunities to connect with fellow veterans entering the profession. “Veterans bring exactly the kind of leadership, discipline, and mission-driven mindset that make great teachers, and these skills transfer to the classroom far more directly than people realize,” Alan Mather, president of Golden Apple Foundation, said in a statement. “What this pathway adds is the support to help make that transfer real: coaching to translate military leadership into classroom leadership, guidance through the shift from military to civilian life, and a community of fellow veterans walking the path.” The initiative arrives as roughly 200,000 U.S. service members leave the military each year in search of new careers, according to the foundation, even as federal investment in programs such as Troops to Teachers has stagnated. Golden Apple said the gap has left veterans with few dedicated routes into teaching at a time when schools nationwide are struggling to fill classrooms with qualified staff. An estimated 425,000 teaching positions are currently vacant or staffed by underqualified personnel, or roughly one in eight positions nationally, with shortages falling disproportionately on the students who need the most support, the foundation said. Elizabeth “Liz” Schumacher, a 2008 Golden Apple Scholar, is among the veterans whose experience helped shape the new pathway. Schumacher paused her studies in 2010 to serve six years as a Marine Corps combat engineer. Following her honorable discharge, she returned to Eastern Illinois University, completed her teaching certification, and went on to teach math before becoming an assistant principal. “In the military, you learn to lead a group, stay calm under pressure, and put the mission and people around you ahead of yourself. Teaching asks for all of that, every day,” Schumacher said. “This pathway will help veterans see that connection clearly and give them the tools to successfully bring their leadership skills and commitment to service into the classroom.” The new pathway builds on results the foundation has posted with its existing programs. Four out of five Golden Apple Scholars earn a teaching license within six years, compared with 61 percent of teacher-preparation students nationally, according to the foundation. It also reported that 86 percent of its graduates remain in the classroom for more than three years, exceeding state and national retention averages. Applications for the 2027-2028 school year are now open.