Illinois New Teacher Collaborative

In October of 2006, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) awarded ten grants to support locally developed and implemented induction and mentoring for beginning teachers. Over time, Illinois has continued to provide financial support for these programs to increase program quality and effectiveness. Funding has also allowed for gradually growing this initiative by increasing the number of programs receiving state dollars to support this important work. Grant recipients include large and small districts, Regional Offices of Education, colleges and universities, and other professional development agencies located throughout Illinois. These sites represent a broad spectrum of characteristics/demographics, i.e., size, income, grade levels, subject areas, partnerships, location, and delivery systems. The ISBE funded programs use a variety of approaches incorporating mentoring, formative assessment with new teachers, and intensive professional development for the participants based on, at least in part, individual induction plans. All teachers served with grant funds are new to the profession and are in their first or second year of teaching.