3126. 	DISTRICT MENTORING PROGRAM

The Board of Education shall develop a district mentoring program to provide nontenured teachers, including novice professional teachers who hold a certificate of eligibility (CE) or certificate of eligibility with advanced standing (CEAS) with an induction to the teaching profession and to the school community through differentiated supports based on the teacher’s individual needs and to help them become effective professionals.
 
The goals of the district mentoring program shall be to enhance teacher knowledge of, and strategies related to, the New Jersey Student Learning Standards to facilitate student achievement and growth; identify exemplary teaching skills and educational practices necessary to acquire and maintain excellence in teaching; and assist first-year teachers in performing their duties and adjusting to the challenges of teaching.  The Board of Education shall determine how each nontenured teacher in his or her first year of employment shall be provided with supports as outlined in N.J.A.C. 6A:9C-5.1(c).  The Board shall provide an individual mentor to work one-on-one with a novice provisional teacher in accordance with N.J.A.C. 6A:9C-5.1(d). The Superintendent shall oversee the mentor selection process and ensure the individual mentor meets the minimum requirements required in N.J.A.C. 6A:9C-5.2(a).  

In accordance with the provisions of N.J.A.C. 6A:9C-5.4, an approved agency and its designated staff shall be authorized to provide the services, evaluations, and recommendations specified within N.J.A.C. 6A:9B-8.6, 8.7, and 8.9 for provisional Teachers of Supplemental Instruction in Reading and Mathematics, Grades K-8 in their employ.

The district’s local mentoring plan shall be in accordance with the requirements as outlined in N.J.A.C. 6A.9C-5.1 et seq.  

The Superintendent of Schools or designee shall develop the district mentoring plan in accordance with the requirements outlined in N.J.A.C. 6A:9C-5.3 as part of the school district’s professional development plan (PDP) pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:9C-4.4.  The district mentoring plan shall include logistics for its implementation and describe the school district’s responsibilities pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:9C-5.1 et seq.  

The Board of Education shall budget State funds appropriated for the novice teacher mentoring program in accordance with the provisions of N.J.A.C. 6A:9C-5.1(f).  The Board shall ensure that State funds appropriated for this program shall supplement, and not supplant, any Federal, State or local funds already devoted to planning and implementing a novice teacher mentor program.  The Board of Education shall ensure that State funds shall be used for one or more of the following: stipends for mentor teachers, the costs associated with release time, substitutes for mentor teachers and novice teachers, and/or professional development and training activities related to the program.

Evaluations shall be completed in accordance with the requirements of N.J.A.C. 6A:9B-8.6 

N.J.S.A. 	18A:26-2; 18A:26-2a
N.J.A.C.		6A:9B-8.4; 6A:9B-8.5; 6A:9B-8.6; 6A:9C-5.1

Date Adopted:	June 15, 2009
Date Revised:	February 22, 2010, February 21, 2017, March 16, 2017,
October 17, 2017