Department of Education
Professional Standards Board
REGULATORY IMPLEMENTING ORDER
1502 Educator Mentoring
Final
I. Summary Of The Evidence And Information Submitted
The Professional Standards Board, acting in cooperation and consultation with the Department of Education, seeks the consent of the State Board of Education to amend 14 DE Admin. Code 1502 Educator Mentoring. It is necessary to adopt this regulation in order to fully implement educator mentoring, pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1210(c) and 14 Del.C. §1305(o). This regulation concerns the duties and responsibilities of educator lead mentors, mentors, and new educators. All educators serving on an Initial License must successfully participate in new educator mentoring in order to be eligible for a Continuing License. In addition, educators new to Delaware or new to roles or districts within the state must participate in mentoring activities.
Notice of the proposed amendment of the regulation was published in the News Journal and the Delaware State News on May 26, 2004, in the form hereto attached as Exhibit “A”. The notice invited written comments. Comments supportive of the regulation were received from the Governor’s Advisory Council for Exceptional Children.
II. Findings Of Facts
The Professional Standards Board and the State Board of Education find that it is appropriate to amend this regulation to comply with changes in statute regarding the licensure and certification of educators.
III. Decision To Adopt The Regulation
For the foregoing reasons, the Professional Standards Board and the State Board of Education conclude that it is appropriate to amend the regulation. Therefore, pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1205(b), the regulation attached hereto as Exhibit “B” is hereby adopted. Pursuant to the provision of 14 Del.C. §122(e), the regulation hereby amended shall be in effect for a period of five years from the effective date of this order as set forth in Section V. below.
IV. Text And Citation
The text of the regulation amended shall be in the form attached hereto as Exhibit “B”, and said regulation shall be cited as 14 DE Admin. Code 1502 from the Administrative Code of Regulations of the Department of Education.
V. Effective Date Of Order
The effective date of this Order shall be ten (10) days from the date this Order is published in the Delaware Register of Regulations.
APPROVED BY THE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS BOARD THE 1st DAY OF JULY, 2004
Harold Roberts, Chair Bruce Harter
Sharon Brittingham Valerie Hoffman
Norman Brown Leslie Holden
Heath Chasanov Carla Lawson
Edward Czerwinski Mary Mirabeau
Angela Dunmore Gretchen Pikus
Karen Gordon Karen Schilling Ross
Barbara Grogg Carol Vukelich
FOR IMPLEMENTATION BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION:
Valerie A. Woodruff, Secretary of Education
IT IS SO ORDERED This 15th Day Of July, 2004
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Dr. Joseph A. Pika, President
Jean W. Allen, Vice President
Richard M. Farmer, Jr.
Mary B. Graham, Esquire
Valarie Pepper
Dennis J. Savage
Dr. Claibourne D. Smith
1502 Educator Mentoring
1.0 Content.
1.1 This regulation shall apply to mentoring activities required of (1) all educators who hold an Initial License and (2) all educators who hold a Standard or Professional Status Certificate issued prior to August 1, 2003, or a Continuing, or Advanced License[,;] who are new to the State of Delaware, new to an employing authority, or who move from one category of position to another (i.e., teacher to administrator), pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1210(c).
2.0 Definitions.
The following words and terms, when used in this regulation, shall have the following meaning unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
“Department” means the Delaware Department of Education.
“Educator” means a public school employee who holds a license issued under the provisions of 14 Del.C. Ch. 12, and includes teachers, specialists, and administrators, and as otherwise defined by the Standards Board and the State Board pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1203, but does not include substitute teachers. For the purposes of this regulation, licensed and certified charter school teachers, and teachers or specialists who are employed on temporary contracts of 91 days or longer duration shall be included under the term “educator”.
“Employing Authority” means any entity which employs educators, and includes, but is not limited to, school districts, charter schools, boards of directors, or management companies.
“Experienced Educator” is an educator who holds a Continuing or Advanced License, or an educator who holds a Standard or Professional Status Certificate issued prior to August 1, 2003, and a Standard Certificate in the area assigned[, and who has satisfactory DPAS evaluations].
“Lead Mentor” means a teacher, specialist, or administrator who holds a Standard or Professional Status Certificate issued prior to August 1, 2003, or a Continuing or Advanced License, who has participated in the training specified for lead mentors and who is employed by an employing authority as a lead mentor and performs the duties and responsibilities assigned that position. Educators serving as lead mentors must have satisfactory DPAS evaluations, and may not be on a DPAS improvement plan.
“License” means a credential which authorizes the holder to engage in the practice for which the license is issued.
“Mentor” means a teacher, specialist, or administrator who holds a Standard or Professional Status Certificate issued prior to August 1, 2003, or a Continuing or Advanced License, who has participated in the training for mentors specified by the Department and the employing authority. Educators serving as mentors must have satisfactory DPAS evaluations, and may not be on a DPAS Improvement Plan.
“Mentoring” means activities prescribed by the Department or other employing authority in which a holder of an Initial License must engage during the three-year term of the Initial License. Mentoring also means activities prescribed by the Department or other employing authority for educators who are new to Delaware or who move [to another employing authority from one category of position to another, such as from teacher to specialist or from teacher or specialist to administrator, regardless of the level of the license held].
“NASSP” means the National Association of Secondary School Principals.
“New Educator” means an educator who holds an Initial License.
[“Site Coordinator” means an individual appointed by an employing authority to oversee an educator mentoring program.]
“Standards Board” means the Professional Standards Board established pursuant to 14 Del.C. §1201.
“State Board” means the State Board of Education of the State pursuant to 14 Del.C. §104.
3.0 New Educator Mentoring.
3.1 In accordance with 14 Del.C. §1210(c), educators who are new to the profession and who hold an Initial License shall participate in mentoring activities prescribed by the Department. Each new educator will be assigned a mentor for his or her first year in the profession, with continuing support in years two and three, who will assist the new educator in becoming acclimated to the role, the school or other setting, and Delaware content standards and Delaware Professional Teaching Standards, applicable national specialist standards, or Delaware Administrator Standards. The new educator will meet with his or her mentor at least 30 documented hours, which may include a combination of in-school and after-school time, during the first year of employment. The assignment of a mentor beyond the first year of employment in Delaware is at the discretion of the employing authority, based upon a review of the educator’s performance.
3.2 The new educator shall, during the three-year term of the Initial License, attend such activities as are planned by the Department as part of the New Educator Mentoring Program and offered in individual employing authorities.
3.3 The new educator shall participate in workshops and other activities offered for new educators as part of the New Educator Mentoring Program by the employing authority.
3.4 The new educator shall complete the requirements of the New Educator Mentoring Program, which shall consist of no more than 60 hours [in the first year], inclusive of meetings between the mentor and the new educator.
3.4.1 The New Educator Mentoring Program shall be aligned with Danielson’s (1996) “A Framework for Teaching” and shall include training and support in the components of the Delaware Performance Appraisal System, including descriptive, non-evaluative feedback. [In the first year, 18 hours of training shall be based on the Pathwise Induction Program.]
3.5 Failure by a new educator to complete the requirements of the New Educator Mentoring Program shall result in the denial of a Continuing License.
4.0 Experienced Educators New to the State of Delaware.
4.1 Experienced teachers and specialists new to the State of Delaware who hold an Initial License shall participate in mentoring activities prescribed by the Department. Each teacher or specialist shall be assigned a mentor for the first year of employment in the State. The mentor will assist the new teacher or specialist in becoming acclimated to the role, the school or other setting, and Delaware content and teacher or specialist standards. The teacher or specialist will meet with his or her mentor at least 30 documented hours, which may include a combination of in-school and after-school time, during the first year of employment. The assignment of a mentor beyond the first year of employment in Delaware is at the discretion of the employing authority, based upon a review of the teacher’s or specialist’s performance.
4.1.1 The teacher or specialist shall, during the three-year term of the Initial License, attend such activities as are planned by the Department and offered by individual employing authorities.
4.1.2 The teacher or specialist shall also participate in workshops and other activities concerning employing authority specific practices offered for new teachers and specialists by the employing authority.
4.2 Experienced teachers and specialists new to the State of Delaware who hold a Continuing or Advanced License shall, within the first year of employment, participate in, and successfully complete, a Department-sponsored mentoring program which focuses on current best practices in curriculum, instruction and assessment aligned to state standards.
4.3 Experienced educators new to the State who are employed as school administrators shall participate in mentoring activities specified by the Department, as well as in mentoring activities required by the employing authority.
4.4 Experienced teachers and specialists new to the State of Delaware who hold Initial Licenses shall complete the requirements of the New Educator Mentoring Program, which shall consist of no more than 60 hours, inclusive of meetings between the mentor and the experienced teachers and specialists.
4.4.1 The [New] Educator Mentoring Program shall be aligned with Danielson’s (1996) “A Framework for Teaching” and shall include training and support in the components of the Delaware Performance Appraisal System, including descriptive, non-evaluative feedback. [In the first year, 18 hours of training shall be based on the Pathwise Induction Program.]
4.5 Failure by an experienced teacher or specialist new to the State of Delaware to complete the requirements of the [New] Educator Mentoring Program shall result in the denial of a Continuing License.
5.0 Experienced Delaware Educators New to an Employing Authority.
5.1 Experienced Delaware educators who hold a Continuing or Advanced License, or a Standard or Professional Status Certificate issued prior to August 1, 2003, who move to a different employing authority shall, within the first year of employment, participate in, and complete, an employing authority sponsored mentoring program which focuses on current best practices in curriculum, instruction and assessment aligned to state standards.
5.2 Experienced Delaware administrators moving to a new employing authority shall participate in that employing authority’s designated mentoring program during the first year of employment.
6.0 Experienced Delaware Educators New to a Category of Employment. [Reserved]
[6.1 Experienced Delaware educators who move from a teacher, specialist, or administrative category to any other category, whether within the same or a different employing authority, shall participate in mentoring activities specified by the Department, as well as in mentoring activities required by the employing authority.]
7.0 Duties and Responsibilities of Mentors.
7.1 Lead Mentors.
7.1.1 Teacher lead mentors must:
7.1.1.1 Satisfactorily complete training in mentoring and coaching development provided by the Department for lead mentors[. A minimum of one lead mentor per district shall be trained in the Pathwise Induction Program]; and
7.1.1.2 Work a minimum of 45 documented hours per year in Lead Mentor Activities. Lead Mentor activities may include, but are not limited to, a combination of in-school and after-school time, per year in the program in a leadership position, planning mentor training, providing two-day mentor training to aspiring mentors, assisting mentors with specific issues, and other responsibilities as directed by the site coordinator.
7.1.2 Administrative lead mentors must:
7.1.2.1 Satisfactorily complete training in mentoring and coaching development provided by the NASSP Leadership Development and Assessment Program.
7.1.2.2 Satisfactorily complete training in the mentoring and coaching facilitator development provided by the NASSP Leadership Development and Assessment Program or Assessor Training for the Developmental Assessment Center provided by the NASSP Leadership Development and Assessment Program;
7.1.2.3 Work a minimum of 45 documented hours per year in Administrative Lead Mentor activities. Administrative Lead Mentor activities may include, but are not limited to, a combination of in-school and after-school time, in the program in a leadership position, planning mentor training, providing two-day mentor training as prescribed by NASSP to aspiring mentors, assisting mentors with specific issues, and other responsibilities as directed by the [program site] coordinator; and
7.1.2.4 Serve on the administrative mentoring program advisory committee.
7.2 [Educator] Mentors.
7.2.1 Teacher [and Specialist] mentors must:
7.2.1.1 Satisfactorily complete training in mentoring and coaching development provided by the Lead Mentors;
7.2.1.2 Attend structured meetings concerning the mentoring program as directed by the district;
7.2.1.3 Facilitate 30 documented contact hours, which may include a combination of in-school and after-school time, with their protégées annually which are designed to help the new teacher acquire additional skills and knowledge appropriate to their specific positions; and
7.2.1.4 Submit contact log documentation to site coordinator January 15 and May 15. This documentation must be forwarded to the Department by May 30.
7.2.2 Administrative mentors must:
7.2.2.1 Satisfactorily complete training in Mentoring and Coaching Development
provided by the NASSP Leadership Development and Assessment Program;
7.2.2.2 Attend a minimum of three (3) structured meetings with protégées;
7.2.2.3 Facilitate 30 documented contact hours annually in Administrative
mentoring activities. Administrative mentoring activities may include, but are not limited to, a combination of in-school and after-school activities which are designed to help the new administrator link school leadership theory and on the job practice;
7.2.2.4 Submit contact log documentation to [program site] coordinator January 15 and May 15. This documentation must be forwarded to the Department by May 30.
8.0 Mentors and lead mentors who are paid in accordance with the provisions of 14 Del.C. §1305 shall be paid an extra responsibility salary supplement annually, upon documentation of satisfactory fulfillment of duties and responsibilities, in accordance with the schedule adopted annually by the Standards Board, with concurrence of the State Board.
