State Policy Review:
Teacher Induction
New Jersey
The New Teacher Center’s 2011 Review of State Policies on Teacher
Induction provides comprehensive summaries for all 50 states. For
each state, the NTC reviews the presence or absence of policies
related to 10 key criteria that are most critical to the provision of
universal, high-quality induction and mentoring support for beginning
educators. The state summaries capture all relevant policies, statutes,
regulations, induction program standards, and other guidance on new
teacher induction and mentoring.
1. Teachers Served:
State policy should require that all teachers receive
induction support during their first two years in the
profession.
State policy requires all new teachers with less than one
year of experience to participate in the Provisional Teacher
Program. Specifically, new teachers holding a Certificate
of Eligibility with Advanced Standing must participate
in a mentoring experience of 30 weeks. All new teachers
holding a Certificate of Eligibility (Alternate Route)
must participate in a mentoring experience of 34 weeks.
In addition, there are separate induction/mentoring
requirements for substance abuse coordinators and school
librarians. [New Jersey Administrative Code (NJAC)
§ 6A:9-8.4]
2. Administrators Served:
State policy should require that all school
administrators receive induction support during
their first two years in the profession.
State policy requires all new principals to participate in
a two-year residency program for principal certification.
[NJAC 6A:9-12.5(e)]. The program, New Jersey Leaders
to Leaders (NJ–L2L), is a state-approved comprehensive
mentoring and induction program for new school leaders.
It provides trained mentors and a range of continuing
professional development programs and services to
support new school leaders in successfully completing the
state-required two-year Residency for Standard Principal
Certification.
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The state also has separate residency/mentoring program
requirements for school administrators and school
business administrators. State policy requires new
school administrators to complete a one-to-two-year
state-approved residency program. Administrators are
supervised by an experienced mentor and must demonstrate
“competencies in promoting excellence in teaching and
learning and providing educational leadership to the
district.” [NJAC 6A:9-12.4(e)]. Likewise, new school
business administrators must complete a one-to-two-year
state-approved residency program, supervised by a mentor
who works with the district superintendent “to design a
program of training and professional experiences for the
candidate.” [NJAC 6A:9-12.7]
3. Program Standards:
The state should have formal program standards
that govern the design and operation of local teacher
induction programs.
The New Jersey Professional Standards for Teachers and
New Jersey’s Professional Development Standards govern
the development and implementation of local induction
programs. The state has created the Mentoring for Quality
Induction toolkit, which provides standards, inquiry-based
questions, and templates for thinking about/developing
action-plans around program implementation and
improvement. These tools incorporate a focus on mentor
selection, professional development, content of interactions,
mentor support and accountability, collaboration with key
stakeholders, program evaluation and operational elements
of program design and implementation.
State Policy Review: New Jersey
1
4. Mentor Selection:
State policy should require a rigorous mentor selection
process.
State policy mandates criteria for mentor selection.
Criteria include: (1) A minimum of three years experience
in the district; (2) Teacher commitment to the goals
of the local mentor plan; (3) Confidentiality with the
new teacher; (4) Demonstrated exemplary command of
content area knowledge and of pedagogy; (5) Experience
and certification in the subject area in which the novice
teacher is teaching; (6) Knowledge about the social and
workplace norms of the district board of education and
the community; (7) Knowledge about the resources and
opportunities in the district; (8) Letters of recommendation
(as determined by the district mentoring plan); and
(9) Agreement to complete comprehensive mentor
training program. [NJAC § 6A:9-8.4].
The state Mentoring toolkit identifies other criteria
to be considered in the selection process, including:
strong interpersonal skills; credibility with peers and
administrators; leadership capacity; demonstrated
curiosity and eagerness to learn; and respect for multiple
perspectives.
5. Mentor Training:
State policy should require foundational training and
ongoing professional development for mentors.
State policy requires all mentors to participate in
“sustained, ongoing mentor training.” [NJAC § 6A:98.4]. The state’s Mentoring toolkit suggests a number of
providers that can support effective mentor training and
professional development. Districts may design their own
mentor trainings based on the state and toolkit criteria.
Training design and/or elements must be addressed in the
local mentoring plan.
6. Mentor Assignment and Caseload:
State policy should address how mentors are assigned
to beginning teachers, allow for manageable mentor
caseloads, and encourage programs to provide release
time for mentors.
State policy requires each novice teacher to be “assigned
a mentor at the beginning of the contracted teaching
assignment.” [NJAC § 6A:9-8.4]. In addition, the state’s
Mentoring toolkit lays out specific examples for how
mentors might be assigned and suggests that release time
for mentors is an effective practice.
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7. Program Delivery:
State policy should identify key induction program
elements, including a minimum amount of mentor-new
teacher contact time, formative assessment of teaching
practice, and classroom observation.
State policy requires all novice teachers to participate in
a mentoring program that takes place over a period of
30 weeks or 34 weeks, depending upon the type of initial
teaching certification held. The program is implemented by
the mentor teacher, supervised by the school principal and
conducted within the parameters of a school district’s local
mentor plan and the requirements of state code. “Rigorous
mentoring” must be provided by “experienced teachers”
who “give confidential support and guidance to novice
teachers” in accordance with state teaching standards.
Local professional development committees are
responsible for overseeing the development and
implementation of mentoring plans. The goals of
each mentoring plan must include enhancing teacher
knowledge of and strategies linked to state teaching
standards, identification of exemplary teaching skills,
and assistance for novice teachers in adjusting to the
challenges of teaching. Program elements must include:
(1) An application process for selecting mentor teachers;
(2) Criteria for mentor teacher selection; (3) Provisions
for comprehensive mentor training; (4) Identification of
mentor teacher responsibilities; (5) Logistics for mentor
plan implementation; (6) Consideration of collaborative
arrangements with colleges and universities; (7) Provisions
for the use of State funds; and (8) An addendum with
criteria and guidelines for a 20-day clinical experience.
The plans must be submitted to the local superintendent
and revised every three years. [NJAC § 6A:9-8.4]
8. Funding:
The state should provide dedicated funding to support
local educator induction programs.
Teacher mentors in New Jersey are paid $550 for providing
support during the mandatory 30-week mentoring period;
in addition, mentors who provide the initial intensive
mentoring to alternate route teachers are paid an additional
$450. [See Provisional Teacher Program]. State policy
suggests that, if the state does not provide funding and
the employing district does not pay the cost, new teachers
themselves must “pay the costs of mentoring fees.”
[NJAC § 6A:9-8.4]
State Policy Review: New Jersey
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9. Educator Accountability:
The state should require participation in and/or
completion of an induction program to advance from
an initial to a professional teaching license.
State law requires all new teachers to participate in a
mentoring program. All first-year teachers are required
to work full time during a provisional teaching year and
participate in the New Jersey Provisional Teacher Program,
a district-based program of mentoring, supervision and
evaluation before they can be approved for standard teacher
certification. During this time formative and summative
assessment of teaching practice is the responsibility of the
administrator. [NJAC § 6A:9-8.4]
10. Program Accountability:
The state should assess or monitor program quality
through accreditation, program evaluation, surveys,
site visits, self-reports, and other relevant tools and
strategies.
Links:
New Jersey Department of Education — Provisional
Teacher Program: http://www.state.nj.us/education/
educators/license/provprogram.htm
New Jersey Department of Education — Teacher
Mentoring and Induction Support Initiative: http://www.
state.nj.us/education/profdev/mentor/index.shtml
New Jersey Mentoring for Quality Induction (Toolkit):
http://www.state.nj.us/education/profdev/mentor/toolkit
New Jersey Leaders to Leaders Website:
http://www.njl2l.org
The New Jersey Department of Education has reviewed this state
summary.
This information is accurate as of April 2011.
All school districts must submit annual reports to the
state Department of Education about the implementation
and effectiveness of the local mentoring program in their
Quality Assurance Annual Reports (pursuant to NJAC
6A:32-12.1). In addition, the Mentoring toolkit lays out
specifics for generating robust program accountability
systems/program evaluations. Districts must provide a
signed Statement of Assurance to the county superintendent
every three years that the mentoring plan is, at a minimum,
in compliance with New Jersey Administrative Code.
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PR-NJ-US-1108-EN