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Mentoring and Induction FAQ

Mentoring and Induction FAQ

Mentoring and induction programs are an effective strategy to improve success and retention of beginning teachers while increasing student learning and achievement. According to the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders, “mentoring and induction programs are only as effective as the instructional supports that they offer to beginning teachers. Building strong, evidence-based mentoring and induction programs that are customized and tailored to local contexts, especially for high-need schools, helps states and districts

  • address high rates of beginning teacher attrition and capitalize on their best assets— experienced teachers with extensive insights to share as mentors;
  • improve the quality of classroom instruction; and
  • narrow gaps in equitable access to effective educators for students of color, students with disabilities, and students from low-income backgrounds.”

State law (MCL 380.1526) requires districts to assign mentors to new teachers and for new teachers to receive an additional 15 days of professional development over their first 3 years of employment, including First Aid and CPR training in the first year. Below are answers to frequently asked questions around mentoring and induction practices in Michigan. 

Mentoring

  • The law (MCL 380.1526) states that teachers within their first three years of classroom teaching are required to be assigned a mentor and receive additional professional learning specific to new teachers by their employing district. 

  • Teachers new to a district who have more than three years of classroom teaching are not required by state law to receive a mentor or additional professional learning. Districts may choose to provide a mentor or additional professional learning per local policy. 

  • Yes. Teachers with the Full-Year Basic Substitute Permit, Expert Substitute Permit, and on an extension of the Daily Substitute Permit are required to be assigned a mentor. Find more information in the Teacher Permit Options Overview.  

  • The law states that one or more master teachers, college professors, or retired teachers shall be assigned as a mentor(s) to the teacher. The law does not define “master teacher” so specific qualifications can be determined by the local district.

  • There are no specific requirements in law regarding the components of a mentor session, but activities should be aligned to the Mentoring and Induction Standards and any specified local policy. 

  • Yes. Mentoring hours may be counted as education-related professional learning toward recertification for both the mentor and mentee. 

  • In previous years, mentoring hours have been entered as Non-Traditional State Continuing Education Clock Hour (SCECH) programs or entered by educators into their Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS) account as district provided professional development (DPPD) and approved by the district. Effective July 1, 2020, these hours may be entered by the district into yearlong DPPD SCECH programs or as a separate SCECH program. Please contact your district for more information on how mentor hours are being entered for recertification purposes. 

Induction

  • The law states that teachers within their first three years of teaching shall receive 15 days of intensive professional development induction into teaching during the three year period. The professional learning induction should be based on a professional development plan and include classroom management and instructional delivery. Also mentioned is that the induction should include the experience of effective practices in university-linked professional development schools, and regional seminars conducted by master teachers and other mentors. Also, as of August 1, 2023, a MDE approved First Aid and CPR training must be provided to teachers in their first year of employment in classroom teaching if they do not already hold a valid First Aid and CPR card. For further information on what types of professional development counts for new teachers, please review our Professional Learning Guidelines.

  • MCL 380.1526 requires at least 15 days of additional professional learning over a teacher’s first three years of employment. Per Michigan Department of Education (MDE) guidance, this equates to a total of 90 hours over the three years.  

  • No. MCL 380.1527 specifies in subsection 3 that hours used to fulfill DPPD hours for all teachers are unable to also be used to fulfill the hours required for new teachers in MCL 380.1526.  

  • No. Districts are only mandated to provide the initial training for new teachers in their first year of employment in classroom teaching who do not already hold a valid First Aid and CPR card. Renewal trainings for any educators is not required to be provided. 

  • Yes, professional learning hours for new teachers may be used for recertification per MDE guidance. 

  • New teacher hours are reported by the district into the Registry of Educational Personnel (REP) in field 24. For more information on this process, please refer to page 79 of the Center for Educational Performance and Information’s (CEPI) REP Manual.

    For new teacher hours to be counted for recertification, new teacher hours must be entered by the district as SCECHs. These hours may be uploaded by the district as part of a DPPD SCECH program encompassing all DPPD hours or as an individual program. Contact your district for further details. 

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