This paper reports on a longitudinal study of 30 university-prepared math and science teachers from their pre-service program into their teaching positions to better understand the conditions that attract and retain them in high-need schools. The paper uses the framework of job preview and information-rich hiring to highlight the influence of the…

This report describes a study on Arizona's beginning teacher induction, examining how induction program elements vary statewide. It also examines three induction models: the California Model, the Connecticut Model, and a model for science teachers in Arizona. In 2000, researchers surveyed 197 traditional public school districts regarding their…

Many school accountability programs, including the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act are built on the premise that the threat of sanctions attached to failure will produce higher student achievement. However, the stigma associated with failing schools and the expected costs of possible future sanctions may lead experienced teachers to leave these…

In the year 2003, the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment Program (BTSA) will become a mandatory credentialing program for California's new teachers. At a local level, the Riverside, Inyo, Mono, San Bernardino Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment Program (RIMS/BTSA) is one of 147 BTSA programs. Now entering its eighth year, the RIMS/BTSA…

The Inland Empire (California) Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment Project (IE-BTSA) is intended to develop and implement assessment strategies designed for beginning teachers. The IE-BTSA program includes three major assessments used throughout the beginning teachers' induction year: a classroom observation, a learning journal, and a teacher…

As one of several efforts to address the low retention rates of beginning teachers in California schools, the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment Project (BTSA) is providing support for new teachers along with a component that assesses their classroom competencies. The assessment component and planned evaluation studies are described. BTSA…

This paper examines whether institutions of higher education (IHEs) should be involved in collaborative induction efforts and whether such involvement would increase the accountability of IHEs' teacher preparation programs. It describes one California teacher preparation program's efforts. The program has maintained its active involvement within a…

This paper presents the voices of California beginning teachers who completed focus group discussions on their perceptions of their own development as reflective practitioners, analyzing the nature and extent of teachers' thinking. Teachers were part of the California Formative Assessment and Support System for Teachers (CFASST), which is framed…

The possibility of differences between beginning teachers and intern teachers (alternatively certified) during their first years of teaching in the elementary classroom was explored. Data was collected from 66 beginning teachers (recent graduates) and 58 intern students (intern teachers) from a California State University campus regarding…

This paper draws from a case study of first year district implementation of the California Mentor Teacher Program in one of the largest districts in California. The paper focuses on the opportunities offered to teachers who work with mentors. Through the presentation of a selection of vignettes of teachers who worked with mentors, the paper…

The needs of rural teachers differ significantly from those of teachers who begin their careers in urban and suburban districts, where staff and resources are more plentiful. Significant problems exist in finding and retaining rural teachers. This paper presents findings of a 1988 survey of 256 small or rural schools in four Southern California…

This report describes the Educational Testing Service professional development/assessment system for student and beginning teachers, "Pathwise," a classroom observation instrument, as used in the California Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment Program (BTSA) for teacher education. Three themes were noted by "Pathwise" users…

Nine San Francisco (California) second-year teachers who had conducted structured weekly meetings during their preservice program continue to meet monthly with two Stanford University researchers. At these meetings they discuss emerging values, philosophies, and pedagogical practice. The meetings involve formal check-in times for individuals to…

This study compares the criteria utilized by private and public school officials in the selection of beginning teachers. A similar study undertaken in Oregon (Webb 1980) was extended by incorporating private schools. Of the 117 California school districts sent questionnaires, 88 responded--a return rate of 75 percent. Twenty-nine of the private…

This study sought to determine the relative importance of specified criteria used in the selection of beginning teachers and also to identify the characteristics of candidates that influence hiring officials. A similar study conducted in Oregon (N. D. Webb 1980) was partially replicated and extended by including private districts and by…