Illinois New Teacher Collaborative

Decreasing Attrition and Improving Instruction through Supporting New

Teachers

Illinois State Superintendents’ Conference

October 23, 2008

A Brief History1998 Three tiered licensing system created2002-04 Requirements for standard license approved and

then modified2004 Illinois New Teacher Collaborative created2006 Two million allocated for demonstration induction

programs2007 Nine million allocated for demonstration induction

programs2008 Over nine million allocated for demonstration induction

programs

INTC is the administrative home for the state funded programs

Why We Are Speaking to Superintendents

• To help superintendents develop and implement high quality induction and mentoring programs for new teachers

• To help superintendents better understand how to best work with building administrators and mentors

• To ask superintendents to be strong partners with INTC

Attending this session will enable

1. Learning about a statewide partnership for promoting high quality induction and mentoring programs for new teachers.

• Accessing web resources• Networking conferences & professional development

2. Becoming familiar with what data from the 40 ISBE funded induction/mentoring programs tell us about administrator involvement

Issues• Costs of attrition

– Teachers with less than four years of experience are generally less effective than veterans

– Low income, minority students are much more likely to be taught by an inexperienced, out of field, or emergency certified teacher

• Powerful induction– New teachers are more likely to stay in schools with

support from induction, mentoring, and a collaborative school environment

– Professional learning communities are linked with support for bringing novices into the community at a variety of levels

INTC Mission

To coordinate a network of services and resources through a state-wide

partnership of concerned stakeholders in order to attract and retain new teachers

and enhance their ability to promote student learning

As of today, the “C” in INTC

• Illinois State Board of Education• Illinois Education Association• Illinois Federation of Teachers• Illinois Principals Association• Regional Offices of Education• Large Unit District Association• Foundations (especially the State Farm Companies Foundation)• Higher Education

• And Individuals Like You…..

What We Know In GeneralLeadership comprises central office and building administrators, union/association representatives,

teachers, and external partners• District leadership is essential for:

– promoting teacher quality– providing district support and training– educating site administrators

• Principal leadership is essential for:– creating a collaborative environment– supporting mentors– sustaining new teachers

School District Responsibilities

• Provide new teachers with systematic orientation

• Support ongoing professional growth for new teachers

• Support your new teacher mentoring program

Building Administrator Responsibilities

• Build assignments with new teachers in mind• Provide new teachers with curriculum and

classroom management guidance and support• Provide support for mentors• Respect the confidentiality of the mentor / protégé

relationship• Build a school culture that is collegial• Be clear about expectations

INTC as an on-line Resource

• Resources-on-Demand database

• On-line discussions of practice

• User-led communities

Resources-on-Demand550+ resources submitted by practicing educators

Focused on meeting the needs of beginning teachers and those wishing to support them

On-line Discussions of Practice

User-led CommunitiesAvailable for individual programs wishing to provide online resource sharing and networking for their program participants

INTC as a Networking Resource

• Regional meetings – Free– Open to everyone

• Annual statewide conference

• State funded induction and mentoring programs

Regional Meetings

• Fall and spring sessions at sites around the state• Free to all• Next workshops: • November 20 & December 11 “Working with English Language Learners”

More info at http://intc.ed.uiuc.edu/events/events-regionalmeetings.html

Statewide Conference

A working conference with strands targeting the needs of various groups interested in

providing the best support for novice teachers

4th Annual ConferenceFebruary 24-25, 2009

Springfield, IL

Anticipated attendance—300+

Possible Administrator’s Academy Built Around Draft Induction and Mentoring

Standards

Monday

February 23

4:00 - 7:00

Followed by Dinner

Draft Induction and Mentoring Standards

• Created by a group of representative stakeholders

• Undergoing final review

• To be presented to the Certification Board and State Board this year

• http://intc.ed.uiuc.edu/mediacenter/mediacenter-materials.html

State Funded Programs

• Geographic diversity

• Competitive process for funding

• Variety in design and level of intensity– Single and multiple district– Outside partners and consortia– Mentor / protégée pairings

Across the sites

• Recommendations on funding

• Recommendations for program implementation

• Recommendations for program evaluation

Full Report: http://intc.ed.uiuc.edu

State Policy Issues• Funding

– Timely funding– Probability of continued funding

• State-level coordination– Within Illinois State Board of Education– Across INTC partners

• Induction and mentoring as passing fad?

Local Policy Issues - Districts

• District administrative involvement– Location of program administration– Communication within districts

• Building administrative involvement– Administrator knowledge and support– Administrator coordination with mentors

• Building environment / work context

Local Policy Issues - Consortia• Formality of agreement across schools

and districts

• Timely and frequent communication across the consortium

• Time, distance, and professional development

• Incentives and disincentives

Local Policy Issues - General

• Choosing partners and providers carefully

• Recognizing the importance of induction and mentoring

• Struggling with reductions in force

• Dealing with induction program staff turnover

What YOU Can Do

• Become familiar with the Draft Induction and Mentoring Standards

• Plan to attend the INTC conference with a team from your district/building

• Add your name to the INTC general listserv

Contact InformationIllinois New Teacher Collaborative

Children's Research CenterRm. 196, 51 Gerty Drive

Champaign, IL 61820

217-244-7389intc@uiuc.edu

http://intc.ed.uiuc.edu