Kansas Mentor and Induction Program Guidelines Summary (May, 2015)

Kansas Model Mentor and Induction Program Guidelines for New Teachers and School Specialists

Each local education agency (LEA) shall have an approved program providing systemic mentoring and induction support to all new teachers and school specialists. The program must include, but is not limited to, the following:

1. Program provides practical application of practices that outline a new teacher's/specialist's professional learning needs related to: the learner and learning; content knowledge; instructional practice; professional responsibility.
   
    
2. Program must include selection criteria and training for mentors:
   
   1. Selection Criteria:
      
      1. Mentor must have a minimum of three years of successful experience and have a professional license in effect
      2. School specialist mentoring can be cross-district if necessary.
   2. Training:
      
      1. Initial training must occur by Oct. 1
      2. Initial training is paired with ongoing professional learning for the mentor that:
         • Addresses the mentor's role
         • Develops strategies for building relationships with new teachers
         • Development of skills for observation of a new teacher's practice, assessment of needs, and strategies to address those needs
         • Coaching language and practice
         • Strategies for guiding new teachers to use reflection in their practice
         • Skills for guiding new teachers in using various types of formative assessment to focus instruction and differentiate for student needs
         • Guiding new teachers in collecting and analyzing various types of student data to show evidence of learning
         • Guiding new teachers in their use of content standards when planning lessons/units
         • Skills in using the professional education standards as a measure of assessing teacher practice
           
            
3. Program provides one year of structured, intensive support for the new teachers/specialists, with a documented plan for providing a second year of support if needed. Support during the one year of structured, intensive support must include:
   
   1. Communication: on a weekly basis (e-mail, face to face, phone, etc.)
   2. Observation: virtual or in person minimum of three per year
   3. System for mentor to provide reflective verbal dialogue and feedback
      
       
4. Program provides a defined accountability process to measure program effectiveness in providing effective support and growth at all levels.