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Education Program

Teacher Induction

Approximately 28 states have state-level induction programs, varying tremendously in terms of scope and funding. While programs often are mandated, districts in some states can have wide latitude to set the criteria for selecting mentors, release time for mentors to work with new teachers, compensation for mentors, and program funding. According to Education Week, only 10 states both mandate that all districts offer induction for new teachers and fund some portion of the program. Despite these variations, induction programs continue to expand. Nationally, 56 percent of public school teachers in their first three years of teaching report having participated in a formal induction program, compared to 44 percent of those with four to nine years experience and 17 percent of those with 10 to 19 years of experience.

Like professional development, time is one of the major barriers faced in implementing induction programs. In order to provide support to new teachers, mentors must have time to observe and work with beginning educators. In Colorado, only 31 percent of districts provide mentors with any designated release time. A recent study in Washington reported similar results. Forty-two percent of mentors never had the opportunity to watch beginning educators teach and only about one-quarter did so more than twice.

The disparity in compensation and requirements in districts could greatly affect the quality of beginning teachers' experience. Often, especially where no stipend funds are available, little support and evaluation are offered, providing beginning teachers with less guidance. Not only is induction important for the continued professional growth of both beginning and experienced educators, but it has significant ramifications for the retention of new educators. For example, teachers participating in California's Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment Program had an attrition rate of 9 percent over five years compared to a rate of 37 percent for teachers who did not have a similar induction experience.

California substantially increased its funding of the program and added a peer review component to the program in 1999 with the passage of AB 99-X1. California and Ohio are the only states to pass policies specifically creating and encouraging peer review of teacher performance as part of its induction program.

Additional information on the web:

Recruiting New Teachers

National Commission on Teaching and America's Future

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