The primary goal of this handbook is to provide relevant and practical information for mentors as they guide the development of beginning special education teachers. Even the best prepared of new entrants face steep learning curves as they work to apply in complex school settings what they have learned from their pre-service programs. At the same time that new special educators assume their teacher roles, they are still learning to teach; therefore, they need expert and responsive guidance in using effective instructional practices. In addition, they need assistance navigating other challenges during the initial years such as working with administrators, colleagues, and parents and learning about their school communities and local policies and procedures. Increasingly, state and district professionals are providing new special education teachers with mentors, and there is a growing knowledge base about what effective mentors do. This manual provides a detailed guide for mentors and district and school leaders as they design, implement, and assess mentor programs. This manual provides information about: (1) goals that typically guide mentoring programs; (2) what is known about new special educators (e.g., various types of preparation, new teachers' experiences); and (3) what effective mentors do to provide emotional support, create a climate of support that addresses varied needs, conduct both high-quality individual and group mentor sessions, and align mentoring with professional development (PD). The manual also provides numerous vignettes, examples, and planning forms to aid in the mentoring process.