frequently asked questions

Mentoring Requirement

1. As a new teacher with an Initial certificate, am I supposed to receive one year of mentoring or am I required to mentor another teacher?

2. Must all teachers holding Initial classroom teaching certificates complete a mentored experience in their first year of teaching in a public school?

3. Is a school district required to provide mentoring to the newly-certified Pupil Personnel Service (PPS) professionals that they hire?
   
   
4. If a non-public school offers a mentored experience, what is the recommended documentation of such experiences?
   
   
5. Does a school district need to provide mentoring experiences for per diem substitute teachers it employs who hold Initial certificates?
   
   
6. Is a school district expected to provide mentoring for paraprofessionals in their employ?
   
   
7. If a district has begun planning its mentor program to reflect the regulatory requirements for first year Initial certificate holders, but the teachers’ organization and the board of education have not been able to come to agreement, what does the Department advise?
   
   
8. That is the relationship between the New York State-mandated mentoring for certification and teacher mentoring required in schools in need of improvement under No Child Left Behind legislation?
   
   
9. Where can I find information and advice on the development and implementation of mentoring programs?
   
   
10. Are non-public schools obligated to provide mentoring experiences for teachers in their employ holding an Initial certificate?
    
    
11. If a district employs teachers who hold Transitional B certificates, is the district required to provide mentoring for these teachers?
    
    
12. What is the principal’s role with respect to the new teacher if the teacher is being served in the mentored program?
    
    
13. Does the entire mentoring plan need to be collectively bargained?
    
    
14. Must the mentoring provided to Initial certificate holders be certificate specific—does the mentor need to be certified in the same subject area as the first year teacher to whom they are providing service?
    
    
15. Must mentors be assigned to provide service on a 1:1 ratio with the new teachers in the district?
    
    
16. May districts hire retired teachers as mentors?
    
    
17. Am I required to complete a mentored experience while teaching with an intership certificate?
    
    
18. Are charter schools required to provide mentoring experiences for teachers in their emploment who are teaching under Inital certificates?

1. As a new teacher with an Initial certificate, am I supposed to receive one year of mentoring or am I required to mentor another teacher?
   
   The purpose of the mentoring requirement is to provide a new teacher with support in order to gain skillfulness and more easily make the transition to one’s first professional teaching experience. Therefore, new Initial certificate holders are to receive mentoring from an experienced teacher. top

2. Must all teachers holding Initial classroom teaching certificates complete a mentored experience in their first year of teaching in a public school?
   
   No. If a teacher has had at least two years of teaching prior to service in a public school under an Initial certificate, the teacher is exempt from the requirement to complete a mentored experience. top

3. Is a school district required to provide mentoring to the newly-certified Pupil Personnel Service (PPS) professionals that they hire?
   
   No. Since all of the PPS certificate titles lead to the “old” certificate series (Provisional/Permanent), mentoring is not required. Although it is good practice, the decision to include these individuals in a school’s mentoring program is a local decision. top

4. If a non-public school offers a mentored experience, what is the recommended documentation of such experiences?
   
   It is recommended that non-public schools keep the same documentation that is required of public schools relative to mentoring experiences. This documentation includes: the names and teacher certificate numbers of beginning teachers served and those who provided the mentoring; types of mentoring activities, and total hours of mentoring successfully completed. Non-public schools may submit verification of mentoring using the form Superintendent Verification of Mentored Experience. top

5. Does a school district need to provide mentoring experiences for per diem substitute teachers it employs who hold Initial certificates?
   
   There are two answers depending on the duration of the employment.

   • If the Initial certificate holder is in his or her first year of teaching and is employed in the district for more than 40 days (approximately .22 FTE), the district must provide mentoring to such long-term substitute teachers.

   • If the Initial certificate holder is in his or her first year of teaching and is employed in the district 40 days (approximately .22 FTE) or less, the district is not obliged to provide mentoring to such short-term substitute teachers. However, section 100.2 dd (district professional development plans) calls for the district to plan and provide substantial professional development opportunities for all teachers in the district. It is highly recommended that districts provide all instructional staff with appropriate and focused professional development, to help students achieve consistent with State learning standards. top

6. Is a school district expected to provide mentoring for paraprofessionals in their employ?
   
   No, the obligation for a mentored experience in the first year of the teaching profession pertains to classroom teachers holding Initial certificates only. top

7. If a district has begun planning its mentor program to reflect the regulatory requirements for first year Initial certificate holders, but the teachers’ organization and the board of education have not been able to come to agreement, what does the Department advise?
   Keep the conversation going and remind all parties to the discussion that these mentored experiences are for the benefit of the novice teacher and ultimately for students, by ensuring experienced skillful teachers in the teaching force. Collaboration is key to a sound and effective program, so all efforts should be made to develop these mentoring programs jointly. However, the board of education is ultimately responsible for assuring that professional development through the PDP process occurs, and has authority for final approval of the district’s professional development plan, including the mentoring program. top

8. What is the relationship between the New York State-mandated mentoring for certification and teacher mentoring required in schools in need of improvement under No Child Left Behind legislation?
   
   Teachers with NYS Initial teaching certificates must complete a mentored experience in their first year in the teaching profession. School districts must plan and implement teacher-mentoring programs to serve teachers in their employ who are obligated to have such mentored experiences, in any school within the district. A framework for these experiences is provided in section 100.2 (dd) (2) (iv) of Commissioner’s Regulations (district professional development plans). See the amended language of the regulation http://www.regents.nysed.gov/November2003/1103heppca8.htm .  top
   
   NCLB-mandated teacher mentoring is school-centered and not necessarily limited to first year teachers. However, the mentoring program for new teachers described in a district’s professional development plan and NCLB-mandated mentoring provided in the context of school improvement plans should be coordinated. For example, the mentor selection process designed and reflected in the professional development plan for Initial certificate holders might be employed to select mentors for NCLB mandated mentoring.  top

9. Where can I find information and advice on the development and implementation of mentoring programs?
   
   Begin with the information on teacher mentoring and induction in mentoring resources. Information pertaining to mentoring as well as structural models and other resources are available under Resources for Teachers and Schools. Teacher centers, local teacher organizations, and Regional School Support Centers are also sources for information on the implementation and development of mentoring programs. top

10. Are non-public schools obligated to provide mentoring experiences for teachers in their employ holding an Initial certificate?
    
    No. While the regulation for district professional development planning and mentoring experiences for Initial certificate holders does not explicitly apply to non-public schools, we encourage non-public schools to support their novice teachers by providing a mentored experience as a means to increase instructional skillfulness as they transition from preparation to professional teaching and to promote teacher retention. Non-public schools may submit verification of mentoring using the form Superintendent Verification of Mentored Experience. top

11. If a district employs teachers who hold Transitional B certificates, is the district required to provide mentoring for these teachers?
    
    Yes, holders of Transitional B and Transitional C teaching certificates must receive mentoring, but there are differences in regulatory mandates for these certificate holders vs. those for the Initial certificate holder. See the comparison chart below.

     

    	Transitional B classroom teaching certificate	Transitional C classroom teaching certificate	Initial or Conditional Initial classroom teaching certificate
    Period in which mentoring must be provided	Entire period of teaching contract (2-3 years)	Entire period of teaching contract (2-3 years)	First year of teaching only
    Specific time requirements of mentoring	Daily for the first 40 days, thereafter negotiated by the college, certificate holder and school district	Daily for the first 20 days; thereafter negotiated by the college, certificate holder, and school district	To be determined locally
    Specific Program Components	Scheduled Mentoring activities to include planning, observation, advisement, assessment of skills by the mentor	Scheduled Mentoring activities to include planning, observation, advisement, assessment of skills by the mentor	Mentor’s primary role is that of guidance and support. The mentor’s role may also be evaluative, if this responsibility is reflected in the collective bargaining agreement; Publicized mentor selection process; Defined mentoring activities; Mentor preparation; Time allocation for mentoring activities to take place; District Record-keeping requirements; Program elements are negotiated as called for by the Taylor Law
    Mandated Participants	Certificate holder, mentor, principal, and supervising college faculty	Certificate holder, mentor, principal, and supervising college faculty	Mentor and assigned 1st year teacher
    Program is described in	Agreement between preparing college, certificate holder, and school district	Agreement between preparing college, certificate holder, and school district	District Professional Development Plan

While not required, it is strongly recommended that all mandated mentoring in a district follow the framework provided in section 100.2 (dd) (1)(iv) of the Commissioner’s Regulations. top

12. What is the principal’s role with respect to the new teacher if the teacher is being served in the mentored program?
    
    The principal, as the instructional leader of the school, continues to provide supervision and direction through annual professional performance reviews and other means, designed to increase skillfulness of all teachers in the school and student achievement consistent State learning standards. While a principal may also provide mentoring to new teachers in his or her building, it is recommended that persons other than the building principal be the primary providers of mentoring. Keep in mind that mentoring can be a very time-consuming enterprise, particularly early in the school year, and availability of the mentor to those served is critical.  New teachers in the school are best served by persons whose time is dedicated totally or in part to mentoring beginning teachers in the school or district.
    
    It is recommended that principals take on such vital roles as participating in the design of the program, selecting mentors, supporting the program with other teachers and parents, assisting in coordination of scheduling the mentoring, and in evaluating the impact of the program. top

13. Does the entire mentoring plan need to be collectively bargained?
    
    No. Section 100.2(dd) of Commissioner’s Regulation stipulates that the mentoring program be developed and implemented consistent with the Taylor Law, but does not impose a collective bargaining obligation that is not required by the Law. However, it is strongly recommended that the school board, school administrators, and the local teachers’ organization jointly develop all aspects of this plan.  An effective mentoring program will improve the practice and skills of the incoming professionals and; ultimately, help students achieve consistent with the State learning standards. top

14. Must the mentoring provided to Initial certificate holders be certificate specific—does the mentor need to be certified in the same subject area as the first year teacher to whom they are providing service?
    
    No. While it is certainly desirable for the mentor and mentee to be certified in and teach the same subject, it is not mandated. The mentoring experience can be effective, even if the mentor is in a different certificate area. top
     

15. Must mentors be assigned to provide service on a 1:1 ratio with the new teachers in the district?
    
    No. A variety of configurations are allowed. It is recommended however, that if a mentor provides services to multiple teachers, the ratios not exceed 1:10 and a smaller ratio be maintained if their assigned teachers (mentees) are located in different school buildings. top
     

16. May districts hire retired teachers as mentors?
    
    Yes. Persons who have valid NYS teaching certificates and have gone through the district’s selection process may serve as mentors. top

17. Am I required to complete a mentored experience while teaching with an intership certificate?
    
    No.

18. Are charter schools required to provide mentoring experiences for teachers in their emploment who are teaching under Inital certificates?
    
    Section 100.2(dd)(iv) does not require charter schools to provide mentoring experiences for teachers holding Initial certificates in their employment. However, charter school boards of trustees are encouraged to support their novice teachers by providing a mentored experience as a means to increase instructional skillfulness as they transition from preparation to professional teaching and to promote teacher retention.