Sample Contract Language

Text for illustrative purposes only. Consult with legal counsel before adopting or adapting any language here.

SAMPLE 1: Manitowoc Public School District Board of Education Teachers' Agreement

Teacher Mentor Program

A. Teachers newly hired to the District shall be assigned a veteran teacher mentor and must participate in a five-day induction program prior to in-service week. The newly hired teacher will be paid at the summer curriculum rate for the induction program.

B. Veteran teachers who are selected as mentors must participate in a mentor training workshop during the summer for which they will be compensated at the summer curriculum rate. The mentor shall also participate in the induction program prior to in-service for which the mentor will be reimbursed at the summer school teaching rate. In addition, mentors will receive a stipend of $600 each year to compensate them for time spent before and/or after the teaching day meeting and working with their new teacher during the school year.

SAMPLE 2: Sweetwater School District #1

Teacher Assistance Program

Relationship to Teacher Evaluation:

The primary purpose of the TAP is to provide teachers with site specific and/or content specific assistance through peer coaching and conferencing with mentors.

The requirements for summative evaluation contained in the SSD#1 Professional Development Plan shall remain the responsibility of the school administrator or designee. In order to promote the highest levels of trust and assistance, strict rules of confidentiality shall be maintained through the concept of the data curtain between mentor and the teacher's evaluator. Observation data and discussion between the participant and mentor shall remain confidential unless the participant requests that data be shared with the building evaluator when all parties are present. The exception to the data curtain would occur at the beginning of an evaluation cycle when the principal should share expectations and goals for improvements and/or remediation with the participant and mentor. The mentor should include these areas in the observations and consulting dialogue with the participant. Mentors shall not provide data or testimony in subsequent job renewal or dismissal actions.

When the participants exit from the program, that action shall be deemed to be without prejudice. Mentors shall provide to the TAP Panel information regarding hours of observations, issues addressed, feedback sessions held, and other pertinent general summative judgments for the performance of the participant.

Participant Selection for Program:

Based on available funding and a desire to maintain a 1:1 ratio between mentor teachers and program participants, the TAP Panel will annually select participants for the program from the following tiers:

A. Teachers who must be admitted to the program are those new, with less than three years of experience to SSD#1

B. Teachers who may be admitted to the program based upon Panel decision:

1. new, with more than three years of experience.
2. any teacher who has self-referred.
3. teachers referred by building principal or supervisor, if the teachers so desire.

If an evaluator recommends a teacher for the TAP process, the evaluator shall notify the teacher and the TAP panel in writing. Such notification shall include the basis for seeking the assistance.

If a teacher self-recommends for the intervention process, the teacher shall notify his evaluator and TAP panel in writing. Such notification shall include the basis for seeking the assistance.

Recommendations for participation in the program shall be discussed by the teacher and evaluator before being forwarded to the panel.

SAMPLE 3: Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools and Austin Peay State University

"Best of the Best" Teacher Mentor Program

Proposed Mentor/Student Placement Program

I. LEA Mentor Application/Screening Program

The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS) as the LEA will develop a Mentor Application and Screening Program for prospective mentor teachers. Teachers who want to participate will be reviewed, interviewed and accepted into the mentor program based upon standards developed and implemented through the Department of Instruction in the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System. Final decision for selection of the mentor will rest with the Office of the Director of Schools.

II. LEA Mentor Program Supervision

Academic Supervisors for the Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools will be responsible for on-site supervision for the duration of the Austin Peay State University (APSU) student's training period in the program. APSU will also supervise students it places in the program.

The CMCSS Department of Instruction will require all mentors and APSU student program trainees to share a dual role in the classroom, especially if the program is of one year duration.

III. Program Funding Incentives for CMCSS Mentors

Mentor participants in the program will be funded at the local level by the CMCSS.

Mentor stipends will be paid for four days of mentor training. Example:

a.) 2 mentors for each elementary school, i.e. x 17 elementary schools = 34 $75 per day x 4 days equals mentor training cost of: $10,200.

Mentor board supplement will be paid for mentor training. Example:

a.) The CMCSS will request a Board approved funding supplement consisting of $500 per mentor teacher in the program. Funding based upon the possibility of 34 mentor teachers would consist of: $17,000.

Mentor program training and board supplement cost.

a.) Possible funding cost to the CMCSS for one year of program funding as the LEA would total: $27,200.

Individual mentor (possible earning for a one-year local term in CMCSS)

a.) Each individual LEA mentor teacher could expect to earn an addition $800 per year as a mentor in the LEA program working with APSU students.

Possible mentor supplement from APSU.

a.) This does not include any possible funding from APSU, i.e. possible mention of adjunct faculty status equal to an additional $1,200.

IV. Future Employment of Student Trainees

The CMCSS will be interested in the employment of the student trainees at the end of their program based upon some of the following conditions.

a.) If the CMCSS has appropriate positions available.

b.) If the student trainee meets the SEA and LEA certification requirements.

c.) If the trainee meets the CMCSS employment practices.

d.) CMCSS will accept positions in Special Education, Music, Art, etc. if conditions for the system's needs and those of the students are met.

Next: Sample Mentor Training Program Outline