California Agency Salutes District for its Support of New Teachers
California Agency Salutes District for its Support of New Teachers
California’s Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) has presented Redwood City School District (RCSD) with full accreditation of its Induction Program, a program offering extensive on-the-job support and mentorship to new teachers in their first two years.
An Induction Program for new teachers serves to foster continual growth and a collaborative learning community for educators as they work with mentors within their school site and the district. Studies show that Induction Programs help teachers feel more prepared, which positively affects both student learning outcomes and teacher retention.
“We thank the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing for recognizing our work in supporting the professionals who are starting their teaching careers,” says RCSD Director of Human Resources Erin Kekos, who led the district’s year long accreditation process starting in 2019.
“Our students deserve to have the very best educators working with them and our induction program supports the work of the high caliber educators we recruit to our schools. Whether they are new graduates or professionals making a career change, teaching candidates can be assured that our district will support our teachers as they start their exciting careers in education.”
As part of the evaluation process, the CTC visited RCSD and interviewed program administrators, professional development providers, teacher mentors, candidates, those who have completed the program, and school personnel.
Among the many attributes of the RCSD Induction Program, the CTC Review Team praised the positive feedback communicated by candidates and program completers, as well as the dedicated group of veteran teacher mentors offering individualized support to new teacher candidates.
Other program highlights noted by the CTC are the inclusion of equity-focused reflection, and the School Board's dedication to supporting the program financially and with direct involvement.
Redwood City School District’s Induction Program Accreditation is effective until 2027.