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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | October 20, 2015 11:33 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative James R. Roebuck, Jr. |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Comprehensive Beginning Teacher Mentor Program |
| I plan to introduce legislation that will create a Statewide Comprehensive Beginning Teacher Mentor Program that would be administered by the Department of Education. The Beginning Teacher Mentor Program would provide training to veteran teachers so that they may serve as mentors to beginning teachers for a two-year induction time period. The goal of this Beginning Teacher Mentor Program is to provide support to beginning teachers during their first two years of teaching in order to improve the effectiveness and retention of beginning teachers. The structure of this program will be based similar to the successful PA Inspired Leadership Standards for school leaders but will be designed to train current, veteran teachers, recommended by school entities, to be mentors for beginning teachers. This Comprehensive Beginning Teacher Mentor Program will consist of multiple forms of support to improve teacher retention, enhance student achievement, and strengthen support from school leadership. The Beginning Teacher Mentor Program would be incorporated into each school entity’s professional development plan for purposes of continuing education requirements, unless a similar teacher mentor program is acceptable and approved by the department. This program will help reduce turnover rates of beginning teachers in schools especially those in high poverty - high minority schools in urban and rural schools. Presently an average cost to train a beginning teacher can be from $5,000 to $10,000 per teacher. A two-year teacher mentor program for beginning teachers in school entities will not only save the school entity financially but will improve a its ability to retain highly trained, effective and well prepared teachers capable of providing quality instruction to our students. If you have any questions regarding this legislation, please contact my office at 717-787-7044. Thank you for your support. |
Introduced as HB1708