What Works for New Special Education Teachers

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What Works for New Special Education Teachers?
Overview of the Minnesota First Five Mentorship
Program
CTQ National Invitational Forum June 2007
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Session Outcomes

• Increase understanding of induction program
  effects in improving practice of new special
  educators
• Examine new teacher needs and teacher turnover
  research
• View the integration of research into a
  comprehensive induction model and the effect on
  new teacher development
• Discuss the policy implications for comprehensive
  new special education teacher support

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Increased Teacher Effectiveness
Enhanced Student Achievement
Comprehensive Teacher Induction
Greater Teacher Retention
More Return on Investment
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Beginning Teacher Attrition

National Commission on Teaching Americas Future
(2003). No Dream Denied A Pledge to Americas
Children, Washington, D.C.
5
Minnesota Teacher Retention Five year data
between 2001 and 2006 2,728 new teachers hired
in 2001
69 of new teachers hired in 2001 were still
teaching in MN 5 years after being hired
Teacher Supply and Demand Report, Minnesota
Department of Education, 2007
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Minnesota Teacher Retention Five year data
between 2001 and 2006
2,728 new teachers hired in 2001
50 of new teachers hired in 2001 were not
teaching in the same district 5 years after being
hired
Teacher Supply and Demand Report, Minnesota
Department of Education, 2007
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Minnesota Teacher Retention Five year data
between 2001 and 2006
Perceived Areas of Extreme Teacher Shortage
Reported by Participating Minnesota School
Districts
Teacher Supply and Demand Report, Minnesota
Department of Education, 2007.
8
Minnesota Teacher Retention Five year data
between 2001 and 2006
Personnel Variances Granted in Perceived
Shortage Areas, 2002-2006
Teacher Supply and Demand Report, Minnesota
Department of Education, 2007.
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• After 5 years
• Just at the time new teachers are able to
  consistently improve student achievement, they
  drop out of the profession.

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Reasons Teachers Leave

• National data show
• Family and Personal
• Job dissatisfaction
• Salary
• Lack of support
• Student factors
• School climate
• Working conditions
• School staffing action

Strong, Michael (2004). Induction, Mentoring and
Teacher Retention A Summary of Research. ATE
Commission on Mentoring and Teacher Induction and
The New Teacher Center, University of California,
Santa Cruz.
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Who Leaves?

• Portrait of a Teacher Likely
• to Leave in the Next 5 Years
• Not satisfied with teaching career
• Not valued by supervisor
• Anxieties teacher conflict, incompetence,
  personnel issues
• Stress of unrealistic demands
• Novice teacher
• Minority teachers
• Stress about budget and resource constraints
• Contributing to society is greatest source of
  satisfaction
• Compensation is inadequate
• 
  
  

Source www.metlife.com
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The Cost of Teacher Attrition

• Negative impacts on student achievement occur
  because of teacher quality
• Sanders and Rivers, 1996 Dolton and Newson, 2003
• Recruiting, hiring, and training costs are
  approximately 30 of the exiting teachers salary
  US
  Dept. of Labor, August, 2003
• Every year American schools spend approximately
  12,500 on every teacher who leaves. That equals
  2.6 billion a year on teacher attrition.
• National Commission of Teaching and Americas
  Future, 2004

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The Problem.

• Lack of Support
• Teachers are expected to be experts ready to
  tackle the biggest challenges on the first day
  they enter a school
• New teachers are often given little if any
  professional support, feedback or demonstration
  of what it takes to help their students achieve

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Predicted Probability of Turnover after the First
Year of TeachingBy Levels of Induction Support
(National Data)
41
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18

• Smith,T. and Ingersoll, R. (2004) What are the
  Effects of Induction and Mentoring on Beginning
  Teacher Turnover? American Education Research
  Journal

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The Solution

• A comprehensive induction program for all
  beginning teachers
• Induction programs can improve teacher practice
  in a shorter amount of time
• Effective teachers raise performance of
  low-performing students
• Comprehensive induction programs keep teachers in
  the classroom

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Expanding the Vision of Beginning Teachers
Vision of the Class as a Whole How did the
students do? Did they all learn it? What will
make the lesson better?
Vision of Individual Students Did Shawna
understand? Was Matt with it today? What will
help Laura be successful?
Vision of Self How am I doing? Did I get it
right? Am I a good teacher?
Mentoring Novice Teachers, Debra Eckerman
Pitton, 2000.
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Components of a Comprehensive New Teacher
Induction Program

• Administrative Leadership and Support
• Professional Learning
• Mentoring

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Comprehensive New Teacher Induction
Administrative Leadership
Professional Learning
Mentoring
Orientation process introduces new teacher to the
district and teaching assignment
Support for professional growth of new teachers
shared by school community
Mentors meet selection criteria and are trained
in their role
Weekly meetings provide opportunities for
coaching, collaboration and reflection
Resources provided to support induction
activities and mentoring relationships
Standards of professional practice drive
professional learning and promote reflection on
practice
Seminars/Workshops focus on professional growth
and are differentiated based on student/teacher
needs
Professional Development Plans, linked to
teaching practice and student learning focus new
teacher growth
Expectations for program participants are clearly
articulated
Program structure, impact on teacher development
and student achievement are assessed and
adaptations made for maximum effectiveness
On-going formative assessments and observations
measure new teacher growth and improve teaching
Network of new teachers provides a community of
colleagues for reflection, support and learning
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Funded under a grant from USDE, Higher Education
Act, Title II, Part A, Teacher Quality
Enhancement Program
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Minnesota First Five Program Components

• Mentor team for each new teacher
• Professional development for new teachers
• On-going mentor support for new teachers
• Reflective practice groups for new teachers
• Mentor training

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Funded under a grant from USDE, Teacher Quality
Enhancement Program, Higher Education Act, Title
II, Part A.

• Program participants 2004-2006 (2 year pilot)
• 174 new teachers
• 189 mentors (local and specialized)
• 71 schools
• 34 school districts located in Metro, Northwest
  MN, and Southwest MN pilot areas

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• School Year 2006-07
• Program continued by MDE
• Special Education strand added
• Regions and eligible districts expanded
• Program participants
• 35 districts or charter schools
• 88 new teachers
• 106 mentors

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Program Tailored for the New Special Educator

• Using special education professional teaching
  standards
• Conducting self-assessments unique to the special
  education setting
• Providing professional learning seminars in
  topics specific to special education
• Providing special education professional
  resources and network groups

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• Initial Results

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Program Tailored for the New Special Educator
Identified Needs

• 2006-07 Co-hort Needs Assessment Results
• SPED paper work (laws, procedures, IEPs)
• Referral, placement, reevaluation procedures
• Time management
• Working with paraprofessional
• Working with classroom (regular ed) teachers

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Program Tailored for the New Special Educator
Identified Needs

• 2006-07 Co-hort Needs Assessment Results
• Behavior management
• Planning/conducting parent-family conferences
• Instructional Strategies
• Lesson Planning
• Using/interpreting assessments

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Program Tailored for the New Special Educator -
Standards
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Program Tailored for the New Special Educator
Assessments Tools
- - CEC Professional Standards Common Core -
- Standard 7 Instructional Planning Knowledge -
Self-Assessment -
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Program Tailored for the New Special Educator
Assessment Tools
Minnesota Competencies for Individuals Who Direct
the Work of Paraprofessionals Competency I.
Communicating With Paraprofessionals Self-Assessme
nt
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Program Tailored for the New Special Educator
Assessment Tools
New Special Education Teacher Needs Assessment
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Program Tailored for the New Special Educator
Assessment Tools
Special Education Teacher CASELOAD DATA

• Complete these items with help from your mentor
  and/or school colleagues.
• Number of students on caseload _____
• Approximate age range of the students in this
  class _________
• Number of boys _____ Number of girls _____
• Number of students by eligibility category

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Program Tailored for the New Special Educator
Professional Learning and Networking Groups

• Professional Learning - New Teacher Seminars
• Classroom Management
• Due Process and IEPs
• Working with Others Paraprofessionals and
  Classroom Teachers
• Reflective Practice Groups

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Program Tailored for the New Special Educator
Resources

• Professional materials and books are provided and
  specific to the new special education teacher and
  teaching assignment
• Program is linked to the Regional Low Incidence
  Facilitators
• Relationships developed in network groups
  continue outside the formal setting

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Policy Recommendations

• Program expectations are defined
• Standards of professional practice guide focus
  and guide professional growth
• Professional learning is specific to new teachers
  and the teaching assignment
• Coaching is provided by a trained mentor
• Observations and formative assessments are
  ongoing throughout the year
• Partnerships are allowed to form across districts
  to deliver program model

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If America is to attract, retain, and fully
develop our teaching force into high-quality
professionals who teach every child to high
standards, then we must make comprehensive
induction a priority for every teacher in every
school.
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• - Presenter

Deborah Luedtke Teacher Quality
Supervisor Minnesota Department of Education 1500
Highway 36 West Roseville, MN 55113-4266 Phone
651-582-8440 Fax [phone] deborah.luedtke_at_sta
te.mn.us
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Resource List

• Carey, Kevin "The Real Value of Teachers Using
  New information About Teacher Effectiveness to
  Close the Achievement Gap, 2004.
• Johnson, Susan Moore, Finders and Keepers, 2004.
• Learning Point Associates.
• Minnesota Department of Education, 2007 Supply
  and Demand Report.
• Mobility in the Teacher Workforce Findings from
  the Condition of Education 2005, National Center
  for Education Statistics, US Dept. of Education.
• National Commission of Teaching and Americas
  Future, 2004.
• No Dream Denied A Pledge to Americas Children,
  National Commission on Teaching and Americas
  Future, 2003.
• New Teacher Center- Executive Summary, May
  2005.

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Resource List

• Sanders and Rivers, 1996 Dolton and Newson,
  2003.
• Smith,T. and Ingersoll, R. What are the Effects
  of Induction and Mentoring on Beginning Teacher
  Turnover? American Education Research Journal,
  2004.
• Strong, Michael, Induction, Mentoring and Teacher
  Retention A Summary of Research. ATE Commission
  on Mentoring and Teacher Induction and The New
  Teacher Center, 2004.
• Tapping the Potential Retaining and Developing
  High-Quality New Teachers, Alliance for Excellent
  Education, 2004.
• The Metlife Survey of the American Teacher,
  2004-2005.
• US Dept. of Labor, August 2003.
• Why New Teachers Leave.and Why New Teachers
  Stay, American Educator, Summer 2006.