Case Studies: Overview | BEST | BTSA | Launch Into Teaching | New Teacher Center
The following case studies review four comprehensive mentoring and induction programs - the Beginning Educator Support and Training (BEST) Program,the California Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) Teaching Induction Program, Launch Into Teaching (LIT), and the New Teacher Center (NTC). Each initiative varies in both scope and design - for example, whether it is national, statewide, or local; the amount of release time given to mentor teachers; whether it includes an evaluative component; and the duration of the program. Each case study page includes an overview and key elements of the program and a resources section with links to tools and additional information. For a brief overview of each page, see the descriptions below.
Beginning Educator Support and Training (BEST) Program
Introduced in 1989, the Beginning Educator Support and Training (BEST) Program has been central to Connecticut's teacher improvement initiatives. BEST combined mentoring support and classroom observation based assessment within a two-year program. The program was unique in that it utilized a content-specific teaching portfolio through which teachers demonstrated mastery of essential competencies.
Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) Teaching Induction Program
The California Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) Induction Program is a two-year state-funded induction program. All new teachers are required to complete the program in order to earn a California Clear Teaching Credential. Although the state runs BTSA and provides technical assistance to induction program leaders, local programs are coordinated and executed regionally, so there is considerable variation across initiatives. For example, some programs have full-time release for mentors, some offer partial release, and some use full-time classroom teachers.
Launch Into Teaching (LIT)
The Launch Into Teaching (LIT) Comprehensive Induction Program at Michigan State University is designed specifically to support beginning teachers, veteran teachers as mentors, and principals in high poverty areas. The program is based on a vision of "educative mentoring" that goes beyond "buddy mentoring" and supports novices to improve student achievement through the development of effective instructional practices. It involves a multi-year, multi-layered program of support for beginning teachers, administrators, and mentors.
New Teacher Center (NTC)
The New Teacher Center (NTC) is a national resource for practice, research, and policy on the induction of new educators. NTC has developed a highly structured two-year mentoring model that helps new teachers gain skills rapidly. Through the support of trained mentors, new teachers learn to focus on analyzing student work and differentiating instruction to ensure the academic achievement of all their students. More than 125 districts in California currently use the NTC formative assessment system, and districts in 40 states and four countries incorporate NTC professional development and/or materials in their new teacher induction programs. NTC also provides valuable consulting services for local, regional or statewide induction program leadership groups, K-16 partnership teams, statewide task forces, and policy teams.