COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
P.O. BOX 2120
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120
SUPTS. MEMO NO. 167
August 20, 2004
INFORMATIONAL
|
TO: |
Division
Superintendents |
|
FROM: |
Jo Lynne
DeMary Superintendent
of Public Instruction |
|
SUBJECT: |
Funds for
Mentor Teacher Programs |
The 2004
General Assembly appropriated $2.75 million to support mentor teacher and
clinical faculty programs for the 2004-2006 biennium. Each year of the biennium
approximately $1 million will be allocated for mentor teacher programs in
school divisions, and $375,000 will be awarded to institutions of higher
education for clinical faculty programs.
School
divisions should collaborate with institutions of higher education in the
continued development and implementation of mentor teacher programs.
Participating divisions are strongly encouraged to implement projects that
reflect scientific, evidenced-based research and best practices
such as those presented as part of the Mentor Teacher Institute sponsored by
the Virginia Department of Education on August 12-13, 2004. These programs
include the Pathwise Framework Induction Program http://www.ets.org/pathwise/mentoring.html, The Santa Cruz New Teacher
Project http://www.newteachercenter.org/NTP.html, and Fairfax County Public
Schools Great Beginnings: Beginning Teacher Induction Program http://www.fcps.edu/DIS/OSDT.
For
2004-2006,funds for school divisions will be allocated on a per teacher basis
that will be determined after requests for grants have been submitted. A local
resource commitment of 50 percent is required, and funds will be retroactive to
July 1, 2004.
Participation
in this funding opportunity to support mentor teacher programs is voluntary.
However, the Education Accountability and Quality Enhancement Act of 1999
amended Section 22.1-303 of the Code of Virginia to require that school
boards must provide probationary teachers with a mentor teacher, except those
who have prior successful teaching experience, as described by Board of
Education guidelines. A copy of the Board of Educations guidelines for mentor
teacher programs may be accessed at http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/newvdoe/teached.html.
Additionally, the funds for clinical faculty programs will be awarded to
institutional officials that submit proposals designed to work with school
divisions to address mentor teacher programs in hard-to-staff schools. Requirements for mentor teacher programs in
hard-to-staff schools may be accessed at http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/newvdoe/teached.html.
If you are
interested in seeking funding for your mandatory mentor teacher program for
probationary teachers, please complete the attached affidavit verifying the
number of new teachers without teaching experience in your division for
2004-2005 and the projected number for the 2005-2006 school year. Please fax the attached form to
Dr. JoAnne Y. Carver, director of teacher education, at (804)
786-6759 no later than September 13, 2004. Upon receipt of this information,
along with your 2003-2004 Mentor Teacher
Summary Report, funds for the 2004-2005 year will be transmitted
electronically to your school division.
If you have
questions or need additional information, please contact Dr. Thomas A. Elliott,
telliott@pen.k12.va.us,
assistant superintendent for teacher education and licensure, or Dr. JoAnne Y.
Carver, jcarver@mail.vak12ed.edu,
director of teacher education, at (804) 692-0251.
JLD/jyc
c: Deans and Directors of Teacher Education
Programs
Attachment