Idea of the Day: Mentoring Programs for New Teachers in High-Poverty Schools

States should provide induction and mentoring programs for teachers in high-poverty schools that are specifically tailored to the needs and challenges teachers face in these schools. States could also establish state-funded “pools” of qualified mentors and other experts in teaching to provide professional development services and programs to all teachers that need assistance, but particularly for schools that are struggling.

States could use federal economic stimulus funding to design the state induction and mentoring program, including developing quality guidelines for districts. They would need long-term funding to support ongoing administration of the programs and to support the mentor and expert teacher pool.

For more on this topic, please see:

• Ensuring Effective Teachers for All Students: Six State Strategies for Attracting and Retaining Effective Teachers in High-Poverty and High-Minority Schools by Robin Chait