The information in this fact sheet provides guidance in the development of district-based teacher mentoring programs. (Changes to this Fact Sheet include editorial changes and updated links. Regulatory requirements are unchanged since last Information Bulletin in March 2010) Under Part 80-3.4 of the Commissioner’s Regulations related to teacher certification, candidates seeking a professional certificate shall be required to participate in a mentored program in their first year of employment, as prescribed in Part 100, unless the candidate has successfully completed two years of teaching experience prior to such teaching in the public schools.
Successful mentoring programs are thoughtfully planned, possess dedicated resources, and benefit from successful collaborations between the district and local union. According to the Commissioner’s regulations, the goal of mentoring in New York State shall be to “provide support for new teachers in the classroom teaching service in order to ease the transition from teacher preparation to practice, thereby increasing retention of teachers in the public schools, and to increase the skills of new teachers in order to improve student achievement in accordance with State learning standards.” In order to realize these goals, the mentoring experience must be of sufficient quality, rigor and relevance, and provide ample time for mentoring to occur.
Mentoring programs should be developed and implemented consistent with any collective bargaining obligation negotiated under Article 14 of the Civil Service Law. The mentoring program must also be described in the district’s Professional Development Plan (PDP). By requiring that mentoring programs be collectively bargained and part of the PDP, which is developed by a committee consisting of a majority of teachers appointed by the teachers union, the Board of Regents determined that the teachers union would have a significant voice in the induction and continuing development of teaching professionals.
A district’s professional development plan is intended to guide all professional development in a district or BOCES. NYSUT believes that the PDP should be a comprehensive document inclusive of all mentoring programs or models (NYS Mentor Teacher-Intern Program or MTIP, No Child Left Behind mentoring programs required for schools in need of improvement, alternative certification mentoring programs, and district-based mentoring programs developed under Section 100.2 (dd) of the Commissioner’s Regulations) implemented in the district.
Contents
- The New York State Mentor Teacher Internship Program
- No Child Left Behind and Mentoring
- Overview of Mentoring Regulations
- Related Issues
- Advice to Local Leaders
- Links
- Appendix A