• Standard 1: Institutional Infrastructure to Support Educator Preparation

    Item 1: Vision Statement

    Burbank Unified School District’s New Teacher Induction Program is guided by this vision: Through individualized,  job-embedded inquiry & action research, mentoring, and professional development, new teachers will develop into lifelong reflective teaching practitioners whose skill sets & dispositions will allow our students, our district, and our community to thrive.  

    Description of Research Base for Induction Program

    The Burbank Induction Program is committed to providing continuity between teacher preparation programs, the induction of new teachers, and their ongoing professional development. Candidates in the program participate in an inquiry-based process which allows them to apply and examine the effectiveness of the knowledge and skills acquired in their preliminary credential program to their current teaching assignment.  The California Standards for the Teaching Profession are the foundation for growth for each candidate. The new teacher is guided by his or her mentor, a trained, experienced teacher, who meets with the candidate a minimum of one hour per week.  Using the CSTP Continuum of Practice, candidates and mentors determine the individual needs of the new teacher, and using the Plan-Teach-Reflect-Apply (PTRA) cycle embedded through the induction program, new teachers engage in the work of strengthening their professional practice until goals have been satisfactorily met.  This work includes, but is not limited to, the following opportunities: 

    • Review of the Teaching Performance Assessment (TPA) and/or the Preliminary Program Transition Plan.
    • CSTP-based self-assessment upon entry to the program and twice more during their induction activities, the development of an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) which includes inquiry based learning & action research.
    • CSTP-based professional development opportunities that are applied directly to their classrooms and reflected upon in the ILP.
    • Observations of their mentor and of accomplished fellow classroom teachers, and the sustained guidance and support of experienced, trained mentors.
    • Apply what they have learned through their professional development activities directly in their classrooms and provide evidence of that application in their combined ILP submissions.

    All mentors receive training in Laura Lipton's and Bruce Wellman's Mentoring Matters protocol of practice to develop and refine essential mentoring skills, including learning-focused conversations, just-in-time support, induction program requirements, and the California Standards for the Teaching Profession. 

    The Burbank Induction Program is based upon tenets of Education Code 44279.1-44279.7, known as the Marian Bergeson Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment System.  Our program’s vision is supported by the following research in teaching & learning, mentoring, and induction practices:

    Teaching & Learning

    Marzano, Robert J. Classroom Instruction That Works : Research-Based Strategies for Increasing

    Student Achievement. Alexandria, Va: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2001.

    Marzano, Robert J.  School Leadership that Works From Research to Results. Alexandria, VA: ACSD, 2005. 

    Marzano, Robert J. What Works in Schools: Translating Research into Action. Alexandria, Va:

    Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2003. 

    Adult Learning Theory

    Knowles, M. and Associates. Andragogy in Action: Applying Modern Principles of Adult Learning.

    San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1984.

    Mentoring & Induction Practices

    “High Quality Mentoring and Induction Practices.” New Teacher Center. 

    https://newteachercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/BRF-HQM-US-1708-EN_final.pdf  www.newteachercenter.org  (2016)

    Educational Leadership. (Special Issue: Supporting New Teachers.) May 1999 | Volume 56 | Number 8. 

    Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. 

    Website Link to Burbank Unified School District’s New Teacher Induction Page

    Website Link to Program Review Page for BUSD New Teacher Induction Program

    Induction Handbook

     

    Item 2: Stakeholder Involvement Table

    Induction Stakeholder Involvement

    Name

    Title

    Induction Program Duties

    Matt Hill

    Superintendent, Burbank Unified School District

    Unit Head

    Sharon Cuseo

    Assistant Superintendent, Instructional Services

    Oversees induction at the programmatic level including fiscal viability, hiring program staff, & evaluating program effectiveness.  

    Dr. Peter Knapik

    Director of Elementary Education, Instructional Services

    Member of BUSD’s Induction Advisory Committee.  Assists program leadership with steering, decision making, and interviewing program graduates upon exit. 

    Rebecca Mieliwocki

    TOSA: Teacher on Special Assignment Coordinating new teacher induction and secondary educator development.  

    Coordinates new teacher induction day to day, oversees hiring & training of mentors, works with elementary and SPED induction TOSAs to run the program, plans and delivers induction meetings and professional development offerings, scores ILPs, facilitates Induction Advisory Committee meetings and communication, recommends new teachers for clear credentials with the CTC.  

    Jennifer Gomez

    Special Education Teacher &  Mentor,  John Burroughs HighSchool, and Induction TOSA

    Provides program support for education specialist preliminary credential holders, plans and delivers professional development for new teachers, oversees and supports SPED mentors, and is on the Induction Advisory Committee.  

    Jennifer Griffith

    Teacher & Mentor, Joaquin Miller Elementary School, and Induction TOSA

    Provides program support for elementary / multiple subject preliminary credential holders, plans and delivers professional development for new teachers, oversees and supports elementary mentors, is on the Induction Advisory Committee.  

    Jennifer Almer

    Curriculum Specialist & Mentor, Joaquin Miller Elementary School

    Former elementary education induction program coordinator.  Currently providing PD for elementary teachers with Jennifer Griffith.  

    Dr. Jennifer Meglemre

    Principal, David Starr Jordan Middle School

    Member of BUSD’s Induction Advisory Committee. Assists program leadership with steering, decision making, and interviewing program graduates upon exit. 

    Laura Flosi

    Principal, Edison Elementary School

    Member of BUSD’s Induction Advisory Committee. Assists program leadership with steering, decision making, and interviewing program graduates upon exit. 

    Shari Auproux

    Curriculum Specialist and Mentor, Joaquin Miller Elementary School

    Member of BUSD’s Induction Advisory Committee. Assists program leadership with steering, decision making, and interviewing program graduates upon exit. 

    Mark Norberg

    Teacher & recent program graduate, John Muir Middle School

    Member of BUSD’s Induction Advisory Committee. Assists program leadership with steering, decision making, and interviewing program graduates upon exit. 

    Cristy Timmons

    Intervention Teacher and recent induction program graduate, Joaquin Miller Elementary School

    Member of BUSD’s Induction Advisory Committee. Assists program leadership with steering, decision making, and interviewing program graduates upon exit. 

    Robyn Russon

    Teacher and Mentor, John Burroughs High School

    Member of BUSD’s Induction Advisory Committee. Assists program leadership with steering, decision making, and interviewing program graduates upon exit. 

    Jeanne Savoy

    Retired Teacher and BUSD Induction Program Coordinator

    Member of BUSD’s Induction Advisory Committee. Assists program leadership with steering, decision making, and interviewing program graduates upon exit. 

    Vanessa Goodwin

    Associate Professor of Special Education, CSUN

    Member of BUSD’s Induction Advisory Committee as well as CSUN’s Student Teaching and Internship Coordinating Committee (STICC).  Assists program leadership with steering and decision making. Provides a vital link between teacher preparation and our new teacher induction work.  

     

    Item 3: Published Policy Documents Proving Collaboration Among Stakeholders

    Memorandum of Understanding with Glendale Unified School District 

    CSUN Student Teaching and Internship Coordinating Committee Agenda and Notes

    Induction Advisory Committee Welcome Letter

    Induction Advisory Committee Fall Meeting Agenda

    Regional Induction Directors’ Meeting Agenda & Presentation

    https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1QR73hi24eOUjyW5oUdZ6n-FPO9ggbcitfimSabS2-0s/edit?usp=sharing

    Regional Induction Directors’ Meeting Sign In Sheet for Fall 2019

     

    Item 4: No Additional Documentation

    Item 5: No Additional Documentation

    Item 6: Diversity Documentation

    Burbank Unified School District seeks to recruit a diverse group of new hires and support our diverse teaching corps through a variety of methods.  

    Evidence

    Brief Description of Evidence

    Link

    Migrating to EdJoin

    In 2018, Burbank Unified School District went from paper-based applications for district openings to using EdJoin for online recruitment of new teacher candidates.  Typically, we would receive 60 applications for an opening for a classroom teacher. After appearing on our EdJoin page, our listings routinely pulled 150+ applications from across all regions of California and from states all over the nation. 

    All BUSD Jobs: http://www.edjoin.org/Home/Jobs?countyID=0&districtID=354

    Certificated: http://www.edjoin.org/Home/Jobs?countyID=0&districtID=354&catID=1

    Certificated Management: http://www.edjoin.org/Home/Jobs?countyID=0&districtID=354&catID=2

    University Partnerships

    Burbank Unified School District maintains partnerships with three dozen institutes of higher education in the Southern California region from whom we receive a diverse array of student teachers & teaching interns as well as information and updates about the teacher preparation pipeline.  The student populations of these IHEs are diverse and our contact with these students helps introduce them to our district culture allowing for a smooth transition to full time teaching once hired. This is the master list of universities and student teacher/intern placements. We have contracts and board reports for all 36 agencies.  Included here is one sample. We can provide all 36 if necessary.  

    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1noxoOno2ajUfz9hQLrCecRnS3-h1qC0r

    Educational Excellence: Pathways to Equity Summit & CTA Diversity & Equity Focus Groups

    On Tuesday, September 24th, BUSD Superintendent Dr. Matt Hill and the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Dr. John Paramo attended the Equity Summit offered by LACOE called “Innovation. Inclusion. Empowerment”.  This day of workshops, discussions and learning moments is designed specifically for teams of principals and teachers, parent leaders, and central office administrators to deepen their explorations of how these pathways can lead us closer to our goals in pursuit of educational equity.

    Our next steps include working with CTA and BTA to create focus groups for administrators, teachers and support staff around bias and diversity training that will occur in focus groups.  These focus groups and the training process is being designed now for implementation in the 2020-2021 school year.  

    https://www.acsa.org/Professional-Learning/Conferences/educational-excellence-pathways-equity-summit


    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1yDTS53n7-Z42R8dU4-a_Meaw7XOL560U

    STICC: CSUN’s Student Teaching and Internship Coordinating Committee

    BUSD’s Induction Program Coordinator is a participating member of the STICC Advisory Committee, offering guidance and support to program leaders.  This committee governs student teaching placements, seminar support, internship agreements and placements. Efforts to ensure diversity and access to all are a feature of the group’s vision and work.  

    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1rdCQct1hamrxo13Gp7zbxllVNr8uQWDm

    Program Completer Survey Data from the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (2018)

    Survey data provided to our district administrators and program coordinators is analyzed to discover positives in our induction work and areas for focused improvement as it relates to our participants.  In 2017-18 our cohort was large enough to generate a results set delivered to us for analysis. In 2018-19 our graduating cohort was too small to trigger a data set to be returned to us. In 2019-2020 we will have a large enough cohort to receive data.  

    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1yDTS53n7-Z42R8dU4-a_Meaw7XOL560U

     

    Item 7: Job Descriptions & Evaluation Forms

    Job Description for Secondary Induction Program TOSA

    Job Description for SPED Induction Program TOSA

    Job Description for Elementary Induction Program TOSA

    Certificated Employee Performance Evaluation

    Description of Evaluation Scores

    Mentor Roles & Responsibilities

    Mentor Application

    Mentor Selection Metrics

     

    Item 8: Process for Recommendation of a Clear Credential

    Program coordinators use a tracking tool to note the induction cohorts’ efforts in attending meetings, completing assigned professional development opportunities, meeting weekly with mentors, & submitting quality work on time. This spreadsheet helps coordinators ensure participants  have completed four semesters of successful induction coursework, have attended the required weekly meetings, monthly PLC meetings, professional development, & have demonstrated growth toward mastery of the six California Standards for the Teaching Profession. If so, new teachers who have fulfilled all of the stated requirements, as seen in the tracking tool, are considered cohort members in good standing and can be recommended for their clear credential.  The same process occurs for early completers after three successful semesters of induction program meetings and coursework. If at any point in the progression, concerns arise about 1) the quality of the mentee’s work, 2) the commitment to the spirit and/or requirements of the work, or 3) the effectiveness of the mentor/mentee match, program coordinators intervene to counsel new teachers and/or supervise revision rounds on ILP work until the candidate is successfully back on track.