Advances in the science of learning and development, along with the increasing demands of life and work in the 21st century, are raising expectations for schools and educators. Policy levers that affect the teacher workforce will play a key role in meeting these expectations. This report, one of a series of state policy studies produced by the…

Kazakhstan has made tremendous progress in ensuring universal access to primary and lower-secondary education. Nevertheless, results international surveys reveal that almost two-thirds of students from Kazakhstan complete schooling without mastering the basic skills needed to be successful, and that student achievement is increasingly inequitable.…

One of the main policy responses to turnover and inadequate preparation among beginning teachers is supporting them with an induction program. Informal or low-intensity teacher induction programs are prevalent and include pairing each new teacher with another full-time teacher without providing training, supplemental materials, or release time for…

The Beginning Teacher Assistance Program (BTAP) was piloted in the state of Washington during the 1985-86 school year. Each of 89 beginning teachers was assigned a mentor teacher to provide continuing and sustained support during the school year. A survey of beginning teachers, mentors, and school principals at the end of the school year yielded…

This paper examines beginning teacher induction programs in both the United States and Great Britain. Descriptions are given of the scope and activities in 11 selected programs in the United States: (1) the NASSP Project; (2) Washington State; (3) Oswego, New York; (4) Hawaii; (5) Wheeling, Illinois; (6) Wilmette, Illinois; (7) New York City; (8)…

Describes the Ferris State University (Michigan) New Faculty Transition Program, in which incoming faculty members meet every two weeks during the fall and winter semesters and attend an academic retreat. Reports that the program is in its fourth year and has been recognized as an important part of first-year faculty members' transition into the…

The New Teacher Staff Development program was designed to introduce new teachers to the New York City School System. Training models were based on the latest research and currently used nationwide staff development programs, focusing on subject areas as well as levels of learning ability. The specific goals of the program were to help new teachers…

A description is given of the state-mandated Kentucky Beginning Teacher Internship Program. Upon successful completion of a teacher education program and passing required tests, a teacher candidate is issued a certificate of eligibility that is valid for one year, and in the course of the next four years must successfully complete a year of…

This two-volume evaluation report of the Initiation to Teaching Project of Alberta Education, Canada, presents detailed information on the project, which provided employment as interns to nearly 900 recent graduates of teacher preparation programs. The report includes many elements: (1) a literature review; (2) a collection of information about…