A Slippery Rock University program that helps veterans pursuing a career in teaching has received a $1.6 million federal grant and a five-year extension thanks to the state Department of Education.

The program, Troops to Teachers, is managed by the Department of Defense's Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support. SRU initially received a grant of more than $272,000 to establish and fund the first year of the program, which will offer accelerated training toward teacher certification for veterans with a bachelor's degree in secondary STEM and world languages.

The grant extension will be used in part to implement alternative certification tracks, like a one-year student teacher residency that provides coaching and advising support.

The school said the additional money also will allow SRU officials to expand recruitment efforts in the program's third year, to include veterans with a bachelor's degree in any subject.

SRU will partner with Pittsburgh Public Schools on the student-teacher residencies, said Keith Dills, dean of the university's College of Education, in a news release.

The school said there are currently 30 veterans who have either shown interest or are enrolled for the program's first year, which is the 2018-19 school year.

For more information on the program visit: https://bit.ly/2JEu3gp.