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Ellen Moir Advocates for State Support for Beginning Teachers

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Ellen Moir

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October 2015

In an EdSource commentary piece, New Teacher Center (NTC) founder and CEO Ellen Moir advocates for Governor Brown to sign legislation designed to support teachers in their induction period. At a time where teachers are underpaid and California faces intense teacher shortages, Assembly Bill 141 takes a step in supporting teacher preparation by prohibiting districts from charging beginning teachers to participate in a required mentoring and induction program. Moir draws on her two decades of experience working with districts to argue that highly effective mentoring programs are critical not only for teachers but for student achievement. These mentoring and induction programs provide essential feedback to novice teachers when they need it most, during a pivotal time period when they begin to hone their craft. Moreover, the benefits expand beyond educators and extend to students and taxpayers through increased student achievement and reductions in teacher turnover and reductions in district recruitment costs.