BTSA Induction Program:
Synopsis
Induction Overview
The SCOE BTSA
Consortium is a locally designed program which provides credentialed teachers with a specially
designed, standards-based program that eases them into the
teaching profession and simultaneously offers them support and
advanced training. Induction provides a bridge linking theory
and learning acquired in the California Preliminary Credential
Program to practices in their classroom.
Click here to
download our Introduction to BTSA PowerPoint slideshow
An
experienced teacher - a Support Provider (SP) - is trained in
reflective conversation and in the Formative Assessment System
and then assigned to work with each new teacher.
Support providers
are chosen by the districts and matched as closely as possible
to site, grade level and/or content area.
The Support
Provider guides, assesses, and supports new teachers to meet
the complex requirements of teaching.
Upon successful
completion of Induction, Participating Teachers (PT) are
recommended to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing for a
California Professional Clear Credential.
Eligibility for
Induction includes teachers new to the profession in
California who are teaching on a preliminary or professional
clear credential. The state provides funding for teachers in
both public schools and charter schools.
At the point of
hire, a district representative provides the program with
information about the PT and the PT comes to an
Orientation/Registration Meeting.
Induction Program
staff analyzes each beginning teacher's credential to
determine the individual requirements set forth by the
California Commission on Teacher Credentialing necessary to
obtain a California Professional Clear Credential.
Participating Teachers are supported by the SPs and the
Consortium as they meet the requirements needed to complete
their Induction.
At the point of
hire, or as soon as possible, it is critical that all eligible
Participating Teachers and Support Providers attend the
Orientation Meeting. This meeting provides an overview of BTSA
requirements.
School and
district personnel and your site principal all contribute to
the support provided to new teachers. Along with the initial
advisement, the school and district have several key roles in
supporting the Induction Program.
- The district
selects a District Coordinator to communicate with the
county BTSA Induction Program. Find out who your District
Coordinator is today!
- Your District
Coordinator, Site Administrator, or Support Provider will be
able to answer all of your local district questions (e.g.,
how to request a substitute, substitute codes).
The SCOE
Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) Induction
Program works with participating districts, universities, and
county offices to support teachers at various stages of the
Learning to Teach Continuum. District partnerships are
critical in the effective implementation of program goals.
District roles and responsibilities include,
but are not limited to, the following:
- Communicate
with the SCOE BTSA Induction Program office
- Assist in
identification of all eligible Participating Teachers
eligible for program
- Communicate
information to district office staff, site administrators,
and teachers
- Responsible
to:
- Attend BTSA
Council Meetings
- Submit
District Participating Teacher (PT) Roster
- Submit PT/SP
matches
- Assist in
collection of retention data
- Submit
District reports as appropriate (In-Kind)
- Assist
program in ensuring all Site Administrators,
Participating Teachers, and Support Providers complete
Statewide BTSA Survey
- Provide one
day of release time for classroom observations in Year 2
BTSA
- Pay annual
registration fee of $100 per Participating Teacher
- Provide
opportunities for ongoing professional development to ensure
In-Kind match
- Select
appropriate Support Providers using the SCOE BTSA Induction
Program expectations or local district selection
processes. (See Support Provider Roles and Responsibilities)
- Match Support
Providers with Participating Teachers (preferred matches
include same site, similar grade levels/content
areas)
- Facilitate
distribution of support provider stipends
- Provide
release time for make up support provider training, as
needed
- Attend
Administrators' Academy (required attendance - 1
time)
- Conduct
initial Site Orientation for new Participating Teachers to
inform them about site resources, personnel, health and
safety, and special education policies and procedures
- Limit
extracurricular duties for both the Participating Teacher
and Support Provider, scheduling common prep time, whenever
possible
- Allocate
resources to support Participating Teachers' professional
growth (e.g., workshops, materials, release time for
observations)
- Participate in
the spring Statewide BTSA Survey
The SCOE program
provides Participating Districts with funds for a Lead Support
provider that:
- acts as a
liaison between the district’s SPs and the consortium
- attend BTSA
Council meetings with the District Coordinators (DC)
- provide
regular district level SP meetings
- collect
monthly SP logs
- support SP/PT
relationships
Participating
Teachers are assigned a Support Provider to guide, assess, and
assist them in meeting the complexities of their job and to
complete the requirements of the Induction Program. This
partnership is one of the most important components of the
BTSA Induction Program. If the match-up is not an effective
one, PTs are encouraged to meet confidentially with the Lead
SP or the BTSA director to request an alternate SP.
- meet with
Partner Teachers a minimum of six hours a month to plan,
problem-solve, and reflect on teaching practice
-
collaborative events
attended together, meetings and support activities are
recorded on the Monthly Collaboration Logs
- guide
Participating Teachers in their consideration of formative
assessment evidence as they develop planned, systematic
opportunities to improve their teaching
- Provide a
confidential, experienced sounding board for their
Participating Teacher
- Gather
evidence for the PT through regular meetings, classroom
observations and reflective conversations
- Support best
practices through focus on the CSTPs and California content
standards
Support Providers
and their Participating Teachers sort through the evidence
collected and reflect on it through the lens of the CSTPs.
This peer coaching and reflective conversation supports new
teachers and also enhances the practice of the Support
Providers themselves.
Participating
Teachers and Support Providers attend together required
professional development four times per year.
These
collaborative events,
along with ongoing Induction activities, are designed to
provide teachers with opportunities to reflect on their
teaching using the California Standards for the Teacher
Profession (CSTP) and the Induction Standards as the model of
effective practice. Attendance records are maintained based on
sign-in sheets. The events also provide opportunities to
collaborate with fellow teachers and to focus on student
learning.
Participating
Teachers and Support Providers also have the opportunity to
attend RAPT (Reflection on Application of preliminary
credential learning, Planning and Teaching) Breakout
Sessions at select collaborative events during the year.
Participants will have a choice between 2-5 of these 90
minute sessions which cover a variety of areas of
professional development.
An optional
on-going collaborative event (5 meetings a year after school) is also
available. These Grade-Alike meetings are coordinated by the BTSA Consultant and Grade-Alike Coordinators and focus on
topics, content standards, ideas and hands-on activities
specific to each grade level or content area. Support
Providers with expertise in the specific grade level take a
turn to present to the grade level group.
Beyond the
beginning and advanced coaches training, Support Providers
also attend (once a year) a ‘Grand SP Day’. This day is both a
professional development day focused on the growth of the SPs
and a consortium meeting day to move SPs forward as a BTSA
team.
During the
Induction Program, Participating Teachers and their Support
Providers spend two years working through the locally
designed formative assessment system that measures the improvement of
the Participating Teachers' practice by utilizing the
California Standards for the Teaching Profession (CSTP)
and the State BTSA Induction Standards.
This Formative
Assessment System is housed in a binder that is built over two
years and includes ten entries along with other Induction
components.
It measures
student learning in relation to the state-adopted academic
content standards and performance levels for students. Using
these specific criteria, a focused and integrated system of
support and assessment guides each Participating Teacher's
professional development.
Upon completion
of the Induction Program, teachers with a Preliminary Multiple
or Single Subject Credential will be eligible to apply for a
Professional Clear Credential. Participating Teachers are sent
‘BTSA Progress Reports’ twice a year allowing them to see
which requirements of Induction are still outstanding.
When all
Induction requirements have been fulfilled, along with the
Formal Observation, the PT is sent a letter of completion
along with the application to clear.
When the PT
returns the completed application, he/she is recommended (by
the director) for their clear credential.
