A well-known authority on teacher induction programs offers the most comprehensive, up-to-date review of all recent research on the effectiveness of mentoring and induction support for new teachers. Michael Strong provides a revealing analysis of teacher induction programs and their consequences for education, teacher quality, teacher…

The call to provide beginning special educators with induction support is widespread, due in part to teacher turnover and the need to develop a highly qualified teaching force. The scholarly foundation for induction and the current state of induction support is unclear. In this article, the authors summarize the empirical studies pertaining to…

Background/Context: Studies have found that within-field mentoring, collaboration with colleagues, and administrative support can increase new general education teacher commitment (Kapadia, Coca, & Easton, 2007; Smith & Ingersoll, 2004). In the area of special education, studies have reported that support from mentors and colleagues is…

This is a preliminary analysis of The Academy for Teacher Excellence (ATE) induction support provided through the Teacher Academy Induction Learning Community (TAILC). In response to current US teacher attrition rates, ATE-TAILC's primary objective is to retain teachers in the classroom and provide support to ensure they are fully prepared to meet…

Over the last decade, interest in teacher induction programs has increased as attrition rates have produced a younger and less experienced teacher work force. Mentorship and the professional identities of the veteran teachers who volunteer to serve in a mentor-protege relationship were the focus of this study. Fifteen teachers from one urban…

Collaboration among novice special education teachers and their general education colleagues can bolster the impact of induction programs for all novice teachers, including special education teachers. Strong, supportive collaborative structures also can influence novice special education teacher retention. A Professional Learning Community--the…

Recruiting quality teachers is a top priority for school districts across the country. However, recent research demonstrates that an even greater challenge facing schools is retaining newly recruited teachers, particularly in urban school settings. This article analyzes the effects of two key components of many formal induction programs--mentoring…

Corporations have been striving to perfect the "people side" of their operations for decades. Most hunt aggressively for the right talent, train workers to produce at high levels, and reward top performers with promotions and higher pay. In public education, though, school districts have been more passive in managing this vital asset. Most rely on…

A survey of 442 beginning teachers, 57 mentors, and 33 administrators asked participants to rate the support provided to first-year teachers. Respondents identified persons who provided the most support, and responses were compared. Generally, new teachers indicated that administrators and other teachers had been more helpful than were mentors. In…

This qualitative study explores the experiences and learning of five new teachers with less than three years in the classroom as they engaged in a study group. This research highlights the ways that participation in a study group enhanced teacher efficacy and supported their retention. The research reveals that power and authority over…

A mixed-methods study was conducted to determine the effects of induction, mentoring and local school supports on the retention of beginning special education teachers. A random nationwide sample of 477 elementary and secondary special education teachers with five years experience or less completed a web-based survey of 35 open and forced choice…

It is estimated that 50% of beginning teachers leave the profession within the first five years on the job (Murnane, Singer, Willett, Kemple, & Olsen, 1991; Colbert & Wolff, 1992; Ingersoll, 2003b; Schlechty & Vance, 1981). When teachers depart, they take with them their knowledge of instructional techniques, students' learning styles, and…

E-mentoring--the use of technology-based communication formats in which mentors and mentees interact--is emerging as a solution for supporting novice teachers, especially when they have limited access to in-building support. This Brief describes the possibilities of using e-mentoring with novice special education teachers.

The 2007 "Top of the Class" report on the Inquiry into Teacher Education in Australia found teacher induction failure and high attrition rates were endemic in most Australian states. Mentoring was advocated as an important mechanism for countering the debilitating drain attrition exerted on the profession (more than 30% within the first…

Action research, also called classroom or teacher research, has been defined as "systematic, intentional inquiry by teachers". Action research encourages school personnel to systematically develop a question, gather data, and then analyze that data to improve their practice. Over the last 15 years, the complexities of using action…