Literature supports benefits of mentoring for induction-year school-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers. Yet for the past 15 years, no structured mentoring program has been offered for Oklahoma SBAE induction-year teachers. This study sought to find consensus among an expert panel representing Oklahoma SBAE regarding the impact on…

The problem addressed was that the process of pairing mentors with new teachers in the Oklahoma career and technical education (CTE) program was ineffective and lacked guiding standards. The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore the perceptions of novice CTE teachers and their mentors and administrators in Oklahoma…

In the fall of 2016, leadership in the Oklahoma Music Educators Association (OkMEA) recognized the need for a formal, music mentorship program for beginning educators. I provide a detailed description of how the mentorship co-chairs, president, immediate past president, and president-elect of OkMEA designed and implemented a statewide music…

Teacher attrition adversely impacts the academic future of the students in public schools. Each year, thousands of classrooms go without qualified teachers to provide instruction. Without qualified teachers to instruct students using college and career readiness standards, education agencies, including state departments of education, districts,…

The Oklahoma IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (OK-INBRE) provides a formalized mentoring program and grant awards to new and early-stage faculty throughout Oklahoma. The OK-INBRE Research Project Investigator (RPI) award program has supported 30 faculty from both research-intensive universities and primarily undergraduate…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to discover reasons Oklahoma T & I teachers choose to remain in teaching; many of whom were described as career switchers. Of particular interest was examining various types of teacher supports and factors, including mentorship that contributed to participants' decisions to remain in the teaching…

The purpose of this research was to examine mentoring practices for new teachers. In an effort to analyze the characteristics of effective mentors and mentoring practices, the primary goal of this study was to determine Oklahoma non-traditionally certified CTE teachers' perceptions of characteristics and elements of the mentoring process from the…

Now in its 9th year of implementation, Oklahoma's Career Tech New Teacher Induction (NTI) has an overall retention rate of 82.6%. A team approach is used and collaboration occurs between local administrators, a local mentor, and a higher education representative. This manuscript focuses on 3 years of both qualitative and quantitative data…

Teacher shortages have been steadily increasing across the nation, particularly in the field of special education. According to analyses conducted by the Center on Personnel Studies in Special Education (COPSSE), reasons for this include the fact that veteran special education teachers are retiring at a faster rate than new teachers are being…

For five years running, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) has tracked states' teacher policies, preparing a detailed and thorough compendium of teacher policy in the United States on topics related to teacher preparation, licensure, evaluation, career advancement, tenure, compensation, pensions and dismissal. The 2011 State Teacher…

This paper presents the Oklahoma edition of the National Council on Teacher Quality's 2008 "State Teacher Policy Yearbook". The 2008 "Yearbook" focuses on how state policies impact the retention of effective new teachers. This policy evaluation is broken down into three areas that encompass 15 goals. Broadly, these goals…

This study follows up two earlier studies regarding the role perceptions of Entry Year Committee members. It investigated the impressions of mentor teachers concerning their roles, and the professional benefits gained from assuming these roles. Conclusions are discussed. (MT)

The unique needs of alternatively certified teachers merit a customized induction program. This paper presents data from a recent study of beginning alternatively certified teachers in Oklahoma, examining characteristics of the teachers studied, frustrations among new teachers, insufficient resources and materials, training needs, relationships…

Teachers in career and technical settings are often recruited directly from industry with little or no pedagogical training, which can result in job dissatisfaction and teachers leaving the profession. As a response to the lack of retention and success of new career and technical teachers, a statewide committee was formed in Oklahoma in 1996 to…

This study examined perceptions held by teacher consultants, or mentors, of their role in a state-mandated Entry Year Assistance program in Oklahoma. Twenty-six teacher consultants participated in the study, responding to open-ended questions in interviews which sought their views on their roles as consultants to beginning teachers and their…