State Senator John Fonfara
May 6, 2008
Fonfara Backs Legislation to Create New Mentoring Programs For Teachers
The vice chair of the General Assembly's Education Committee, Senator John Fonfara (D-Hartford) strongly supported a bill approved by the Senate and House of Representatives that creates a task force to design a new mentoring program for teachers in Connecticut.
The bill eliminates the Beginning Educator Support and Training (BEST) program, a two-year induction program of support and assessment for new teachers, including the section of the BEST program that required new teachers to submit videos as part of their assessment.
The legislation establishes a 21-member task force to develop a plan for a new support program for beginning teachers to replace the BEST program. It also includes a new teacher mentor assistance program; establishes requirements for new teachers to complete the program; and, outlines mentor eligibility, assignment, training, and the frequency of meetings between mentors and new teachers.
"My concern is that the primary focus of the current program is on observation of a new teacher with very little actual mentoring," said Senator Fonfara. "Parents and kids deserve better from the state and the Department of Education with regard to the support and training we provide for new teachers. We need teachers who have been on the job, and understand what the problems are, to help new teachers develop the skills they need for success in the classroom."
"Increasing the role of a mentor to help young teachers succeed is especially important in our urban communities--our urban high schools and under-performing schools," said Senator Fonfara. "I believe we have an opportunity to make a real difference in these schools with this legislation. I hope the task force will look at how we can improve new teacher mentoring across the state, but particularly in our urban school systems."
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