Professional Learning and Support

The SEED grant program from the U.S. Department of Education provides funding to increase the number of highly effective educators by supporting the implementation of evidence-based preparation, development, and enhancement opportunities for educators.

This toolkit, developed by the Learning Policy Institute, provides resources to understand and address teacher shortages through effective training and support for new teachers.

This brief explores induction and mentoring as an effective strategy to retain teachers. A definition of induction and mentorship programs is provided, followed by a summary of supporting research on this strategy, state policy examples, and considerations for policymakers.

This paper reviews an extensive body of research on teacher recruitment and retention, and identifies five major factors that influence teachers’ decisions to enter, stay in, or leave the teaching profession. Induction and support for new teachers is discussed as a strategy to attract and retain teachers.

This policy snapshot highlights research about effective induction programs and strategies for setting effective policy related to induction plans. It also includes short spotlights on existing state induction programs, as well as sample regulatory language.

This brief helps state and district leaders make informed policy decisions that take into account the evidence base for mentoring and induction strategies in order to improve supports for and equitable access to great teachers and leaders. The snapshot describes mentoring and induction strategies, how states and districts have implemented these strategies, and the empirical studies and evidence demonstrating the strategy’s effect on educator and student outcomes.

This toolkit provides regional comprehensive centers and states with ready-to-use tools and resources to facilitate meaningful conversations with local education agencies about the design and implementation of effective, high-quality mentoring and induction programs. Toolkit materials summarize research and best practices, highlight relevant examples, and provide streamlined processes for action planning.

This tool helps educator preparation programs, local education agencies, and state education agencies reflect on how they are incorporating and
aligning high-leverage practices from preservice coursework to inservice practice within beginning teacher induction programs.

This professional learning module helps state and district teams learn how teacher evaluation data are used in self-reflection and formative feedback; practice using teacher evaluation data in planning for professional learning for individuals and the organization; and explore next steps for ensuring that school and district structures support a teacher evaluation system focused on professional growth.

This professional learning module helps state and district teams identify professional learning approaches that support evaluators in developing more accurate and reliable evaluation skills. The module uses collaborative activities and exercises to help evaluators develop stronger coaching and feedback skills and create a comprehensive plan for preparing all educators for implementing evaluation.