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​​Educator Induction Plan Guidelines

Introduction: Standards Aligned System | Educator Effectiveness System: Act 82 of 2012
Preparing the Induction Plan: Teacher Induction Participants | Goal and Competencies | Needs Assessment | Professional Development Activities and Topics | Evaluation and Monitoring | Documentation of Participation and Completion | Appendix A

Updated: March 2023

Overview

A high-quality Educator Induction Plan (EIP) is an essential first step to facilitate entry into the education profession and the teaching of Pennsylvania’s high academic standards. Support for new teachers increases retention rates, and those who participate in intensive induction programs are more likely to:

  1. Use instructional practices that improve student achievement;
  2. Assign challenging work to diverse student populations;
  3. Use standards-based curriculum frameworks; and
  4. Accomplish the goals of the curriculum.

Without the supports of a standards-based system, even the most talented educators are at risk of leaving the profession. High-quality induction programs can help to prevent new teachers from leaving the teaching profession.

Since 1987, school districts, intermediate units, charter schools, and area career and technical schools in Pennsylvania have been required by the Pennsylvania Code (22 Pa. Code § 49.16 and § 49.83) to have a state-approved teacher induction plan for first-year teachers.

Each school entity must submit an induction plan to the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) for approval. The plan for the induction includes:

  • First-year teachers;
  • First-year educational specialists;
  • Teachers in pre-kindergarten programs, when offered;
  • Long-term substitutes, who are hired for a position for 45 days or more; and
  • Newly employed teachers with prior school teaching, as required by the school entity.

Beginning in the 2024-2025 school year (SY), the length of the EIP must be a minimum of two school years; however, the school entity may choose a longer period. The regulations require that induction plans be updated every six years.

The EIP must be prepared by an Educator Induction Committee which includes teachers (chosen by teachers) or educational specialists (chosen by educational specialists), and administrative representatives chosen by administration.

22 Pa. Code § 49.16(d) states that the induction plan must reflect a mentor relationship between the first-year teacher, long-term substitute or educational specialist, teacher educator, and the induction team for the duration of the induction program.

According to 22 Pa. Code § 49.16(e), criteria for approval of the induction plan must include induction activities that focus on teaching diverse learners in inclusive settings. Diverse learners include English Learners and students with Individualized Education Programs (IEP).

Participation in the EIP process is optional for nonpublic and private school entities serving students from birth through grade 12 but is required for permanent certification. Nonpublic and private school entities may submit induction plans to the PDE for approval.

State-owned and approved schools for special education are required to submit EIPs to PDE. Other private schools must have a PDE-approved EIP on file to enable their teachers/specialists to obtain a Level II Certificate.

The EIP process recognizes the need for special induction activities to strengthen the capacity of new school administrators to become outstanding managers and educational leaders, and to enable them to make better informed decisions which improve their schools’ teaching and learning environments with the ultimate outcome of improving student achievement. The Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership Initiative (PIL) (Act 45 of 2007) provides a statewide, standards-based, leadership professional development and support system that embraces the regional collaboration of the intermediate units and their partners.

Standards Aligned System

The Standards Aligned System (SAS), developed by PDE, is a comprehensive, research-based resource to improve student achievement. SAS identifies six elements that impact student achievement:

  • Standards, Assessments,
  • Curriculum Framework,
  • Instruction,
  • Materials and Resources, and
  • Safe and Supportive Schools.

Schools and educators across Pennsylvania are supported in their efforts to integrate SAS into the classroom by PDE’s SAS portal at www.pdesas.org.

The SAS portal is designed to organize and deliver educational content carefully aligned to the Pennsylvania Academic Standards and provide educators with integrated classroom tools to enhance their teaching effectiveness. The SAS portal also provides Pennsylvania educators with leading edge networking technologies that create opportunities to communicate and collaborate with peers across the Commonwealth.

Effective professional development, beginning with aligned induction activities, will help prepare new teachers to utilize the SAS framework, along with student performance data, improve student achievement, and enhance instructional practices.

Pennsylvania's Standards Aligned System

Elements of SAS 

There is extensive research regarding what makes a great school. Although there are many intangible components, research supports that high performing Pennsylvania schools and school systems tend to have six common elements:

  1. Standards – Pennsylvania’s Core Standards define what students should know and be able to do as a result of instruction.
  2. Assessments – Assessments offer tools and resources to support the process of assessing, evaluating, and documenting student learning to improve professional practice and increase student achievement.
  3. Curriculum Framework – Drawn from the Pennsylvania Core Standards, the Curriculum Framework is a set of teaching topics by subject and grade level further defined using Big Ideas, Concepts, Competencies, Essential Questions, and Vocabulary.
  4. Instruction – Pennsylvania has adopted the Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching as the overarching vision for effective instruction in the commonwealth. The model focuses the complex activity of teaching by defining four domains of teaching responsibility:
    • Planning and preparation
    • Classroom environment
    • Instruction
    • Professional responsibilities
  5. Materials and Resources – Support standards align instruction and include Voluntary Model Curriculum, learning progressions, units, lesson plans and multimedia content examples for use in planning and delivering instruction.
    • Learning progressions span grades K-12 and include what all students should know and be able to do as a result of successfully moving through grades K-8 and by taking specific courses in grades 9-12.
  6. Safe and Supportive Schools – Supplies resources and exemplars to promote active student engagement in a safe and positive learning environment. Areas within the element include the following:
    • Engagement
    • Safety
    • Environment

Educator Effectiveness System: Act 13 of 2020

Act 13 of 2020 requires a percentage of the teaching assessment to be based on observation, including: Planning and Preparation; Classroom Environment; Instruction; and Professional Responsibilities. The Pennsylvania Department of Education has developed a rating scale to reflect student performance measures and employee observation results and establish overall score ranges for each of the four rating categories: Distinguished, Proficient, Needs Improvement, and Failing. Information about the rating scale can be found on the Educator Effectiveness page on the SAS Website. The remaining percentage of the professional classroom teacher assessment will be data driven using multiple measures that includes Building Level Data, Teacher Specific Data, and LEA Selected Measures.

Temporary professionals are evaluated twice during the school year and Professional Classroom Teachers and Non-Teaching Professionals are evaluated once during the school year. An administrator supervises teachers using the Observation and Practice Framework or a PDE-approved alternative model.

Preparing the Induction Plan Teacher Induction Participants Educator Induction Committee

The educator induction committee is responsible for the development and operation of the educator induction program at each school. The committee must include teacher or educational specialist, or both, selected by teachers, educational specialists and administrative representatives chosen from the school entity.

Sample committee member list:

​Name ​Category (Job Title) ​Selected By
​John Doe​Principal​Administration
​Sally Smith​Elementary teacher​Teachers

Higher education teacher preparation programs may be represented on the educator induction committee to enable colleges/universities to meet the requirement of providing ongoing support for novice educators in partnership with LEAs during their induction period, including observation, consultation, and assessment (22 Pa. Code § 49.14(4)(ix)). The size of the committee is determined locally.

The educator induction committee is responsible to perform the following:

  1. Ensure proper representation on the committee;
  2. Conduct meaningful needs assessment activities;
  3. Develop an appropriate educator induction program; and
  4. Conduct an annual evaluation of educator induction program.

An educator induction coordinator shall be identified and shall perform the following duties:

  1. Schedule and implement an appropriate induction program, as designed, and directed by the educator induction committee,
  2. Chair the educator induction committee,
  3. Oversee the educator induction program,
  4. Maintain adequate record keeping of educator induction program activities and participating educators,
  5. Coordinate and oversee selection of mentors and assignment of inductees,
  6. Provide training for new mentors, and
  7. Identify and provide for appropriate resources to support educator induction activities (i.e., time, scheduling, space, and funding).

Below are the building educator induction team membership, roles, and responsibilities.

  1. Building educator induction teams include the principal, mentors, inductees, and other support staff as needed.
  2. The principal’s role as instructional leader is to organize building orientation activities, including a thorough introduction to the school and staff, policies and procedures, and students.
  3. The principal facilitates the mentor/mentee relationship, ensures reasonable working conditions, and formally evaluates inductees.
  4. Other administrators or support staff can provide job-specific help to teachers and/or specialists.

Mentors

Chapter 49 of the Pennsylvania Code requires a mentor relationship between the education induction team and first-year teachers, educational specialists, and long-term substitutes who are hired for a position for 45 days or more. The mentor relationship is required for the length of the induction program; however, the assigned mentor may vary. The educator induction committee should determine the criteria for mentor selection (see 22 Pa. Code § 49.16).

Recommended criteria are as follows:

  1. Similar certification and assignment
  2. Outstanding work performance
  3. Models continuous learning and reflection
  4. Knowledge of district/school policies, procedures, and resources
  5. Ability to work with students and adults
  6. Willingness to accept additional responsibility
  7. Mentor training or previous experience
  8. Compatible schedules so the mentor and inductee can meet regularly
  9. Training in use and application of the Standards Aligned System
  10. Understanding the levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy and Webb’s Depth of Knowledge
  11. Understanding the concept of promoting further inquiry by asking open-ended questions and utilizing open-ended tasks
  12. Differentiated learning that supports higher order thinking skills and the development of metacognitive skills
  13. Developing assessments that are based on standards and eligible content
  14. Data analysis training (e.g., Pennsylvania Value Added Assessment System (PVAAS)

Mentors are those educators recognized for instructional leadership and their ability to work collaboratively on development of job-embedded knowledge and skills. Being a mentor is an honor and mentoring provides the opportunity for leadership. Mentors also gain from the experience that refines their skills and enhances professional growth. However, it is also a demanding responsibility and may include district incentives.

Mentors provide the following types of support to inductees:

Instructional support such as:

  1. Classroom management
  2. Standards-based instructional planning and implementation
  3. Standards-aligned teaching strategies
  4. Differentiated instruction and supports for struggling students
  5. Observations and conferencing with the beginning teacher
  6. Instruction for diverse learners in inclusive settings, including English Learners and students with IEPs
  7. Data-informed decision-making

Professional support such as:

  1. Information about school policies and procedures
  2. Student formative and summative assessments and evaluation
  3. Educator Effectiveness in accordance with Act 13 of 2020 and 22 Pa. Code § 19.1a et seq.
  4. Information about quality professional development opportunities

Personal support such as:

  1. Introductions to other faculty and administrators
  2. Personal encouragement within the context of a confidential relationship
  3. Liaison to referral to other key people and resources

Mentors of first-year teachers and supervisors of student teachers (does not include pre-student teachers) may earn Act 48 credit only if the LEA approves the professional development hours. Mentors/Supervisors may receive up to 15 hours per inductee or student teacher totaling no more than 45 hours in a compliance period.

Inductees

Inductee responsibilities should include attending all orientation activities, seeking help when needed, observing experienced teachers/specialists, meeting regularly with mentors, meeting with other inductees to discuss experiences, and evaluating the program. Inductees are expected to:

  1. Actively participate in mentoring activities and relationships;
  2. Seek out help from colleagues;
  3. Accept and act upon constructive feedback through open communication with the mentor;
  4. Schedule observation of experienced teachers at work;
  5. Schedule classroom observation by the mentor;
  6. Maintain and submit accurate records of induction activities (e.g., observations, training sessions, conferences) to be awarded an Induction Completion Letter; and
  7. Maintain a confidential relationship with the assigned mentor.

School principals provide support such as:

  1. Opportunities for professional development related to the Code of Professional Practice and Conduct for Educators (22 Pa. Code Chapter 235). The code is found in Appendix A and sets forth rules of conduct to which professional educators are legally bound. New employees should be informed of the code and given a copy.
  2. Creating a culture of teaching and learning that supports professional collaboration among both new and veteran teachers.
  3. Designing appropriate schedules to support new teachers as they develop professional skills.
  4. Acquiring and providing appropriate resources to support educator induction activities (time, scheduling, space, funding)
  5. Periodically evaluating (twice during the school year) temporary classroom and non-teaching professionals using the Educator Effectiveness System in accordance with Act 13 of 2020.
  6. Facilitating activities to enhance the relationship between mentors and beginning teachers.
  7. Accepting the confidential relationship between each teacher and mentor
  8. Identifying and selecting highly qualified mentors

Goals

The overarching goal of the educator induction program is to provide support for new educators to ensure an orderly and successful experience during the two years of employment. Individual goals could include the following:

  1. To provide educators with an overview of professional practice within the context of the Observation and Practice Framework for Teaching;
  2. To provide new educators with basic information and knowledge about the school, school district, and resident students to increase their effectiveness in fulfilling their duties;
  3. To provide specific training in the Standards Aligned System, data informed decision making, curriculum, lesson planning, teaching strategies, classroom management, resiliency, and effective interaction with students;
  4. To provide new educators with staff development experiences to achieve a successful transition into the district’s educational program; and/or
  5. To provide experience, professional insights, and encouragement to achieve success as new employees.

Needs Assessment

The needs assessment is completed by reviewing multiple information sources and it is used in establishing goals and competencies for the EIP. The needs assessment should include data from multiple perspectives (e.g., student achievement levels, identification of strengths and areas of concern based on teacher surveys).

Needs assessment data should be collected using valid indicators of student knowledge and skills such as:

  1. PSSA and Keystone Exam data, Classroom Diagnostic Tools data, PVAAS, and eMetric data, and data from other standardized tests, benchmark assessments, or locally developed and validated assessments. Ongoing student achievement data analysis will provide teachers with focused educational activities aimed at improving student achievement;
  2. Data on instructional models will provide new teachers with information on educational initiatives at the local, state, and national levels;
  3. Knowledge of successful research-based instructional models such as those found on PDE’s SAS web portal under “Instruction” should be considered;
  4. Interest surveys used as documentation for the comprehensive plan, or locally developed surveys by intermediate units or school districts that provide focused direction for new teachers. Such surveys should be valid indicators of quality leadership and quality teaching, reflect a continuous learning ethic, and be indicative of educators’ ability to make artful use of the supporting educational infrastructure; and
  5. Information collected from previous educator induction programs (e.g., program evaluations and second-year teacher interviews).

Professional Development Activities and Topics

The Educator Induction Plan must ensure professional development activities contain the following content and topics:

  • Develop Teacher Competency
  • Increase Student Learning
  • Professional Ethics Program Framework Guidelines (Chapter 49) (PDF)
    • The standards of behavior, values, and principles that inform and guide professional decision-making. These standards of behavior, values and principles include those detailed in the Pennsylvania Model Code of Ethics for Educators, as adopted by the Professional Standards and Practices Commission.
  • Culturally Relevant and Sustaining Education Competencies (Chapter 49) (PDF)
    • Education that ensures equity for all students and seeks to eliminate systemic institutional racial and cultural barriers that inhibit the success of all students in this Commonwealth—particularly those who have been historically underrepresented. Culturally relevant and sustaining education encompasses skills for educators including, but not limited to, approaches to mental wellness, trauma-informed approaches to instruction, technological and virtual engagement, cultural awareness and emerging factors that inhibit equitable access for all students in this Commonwealth.
  • Introduction to Educator Effectiveness, the process used to evaluate professional employees and temporary professional employees in PK-12 education across the commonwealth (School Districts, CTCs, and IUs only)

In accordance with Act 13 of 2020 and 22 Pa. Code § 19.1a et seq., a percentage of an educator’s evaluation is comprised of multiple measures of student achievement. The Observation and Practice Framework for Teaching, which is the observation/evidence instrument for the educator evaluation system, focuses the complex activity of teaching by defining four domains of teaching responsibility, each with its own set of essential professional practice components. The four domains and their components are listed below. When developing the educator induction plan, the Observation and Practice Framework and its four domains and their components should be the primary focus for new teacher professional development offerings. Details of the Observation and Practice Framework can be found on PDE’s Standards Aligned System web portal, as well as through online professional learning opportunities on the SAS web portal that are aligned to the domains and components of the Observation and Practice Framework.

Domain 1: Planning and Preparation, including selecting standards-based lesson goals and designing effective instruction and assessment

Component 1a: Demonstrating Knowledge of Content and Pedagogy

  1. Knowledge of content and the structure of the discipline
  2. Knowledge of prerequisite relationships
  3. Knowledge of content-related pedagogy

Component 1b: Demonstrating Knowledge of Learners

  1. Knowledge of child and adolescent development
  2. Knowledge of the learning process
  3. Knowledge of students’ skills, knowledge, and language proficiency
  4. Knowledge of students’ interests and cultural heritage
  5. Knowledge of students’ special needs

Component 1c: Setting Instructional Outcomes

  1. Value, sequence, and alignment within the discipline and related disciplines
  2. Clarity of instructional outcomes
  3. Balance of different types of learning with coordination and integration
  4. Suitability for diverse learners

Component 1d: Demonstrating Knowledge of Resources

  1. Resources for classroom use
  2. Resources to extend content knowledge and pedagogy
  3. Resources for students

Component 1e: Designing Coherent Instruction and Service Delivery

  1. Learning activities
  2. Instructional materials and resources
  3. Instructional groups
  4. Lesson and unit structure

Component 1f: Designing Learner Assessments

  1. Congruence with instructional outcomes
  2. Criteria and standards
  3. Design of formative assessments
  4. Use for planning

Domain 2: Educational Environment, including establishing a culture for learning and appropriate classroom management techniques that maximize instructional time

Component 2a: Creating an Environment of Respect and Rapport

  1. Teacher interaction with students
  2. Student interactions with other students

Component 2b: Establishing a Culture for Learning

  1. Expectations for learning and achievement
  2. Importance of content
  3. Student pride in work

Component 2c: Managing Procedures

  1. Management of instructional groups
  2. Management of transitions
  3. Management of materials and supplies
  4. Performance of non-instructional duties
  5. Supervision of volunteers and paraprofessionals

Component 2d: Managing Learner Behavior

  1. Expectations
  2. Monitoring of student behavior
  3. Response to student misbehavior

Component 2e: Organizing Physical Space

  1. Safety and accessibility
  2. Arrangement of furniture and use of physical resources

Domain 3: Delivery of Service including the use of research-based strategies which engage students in meaningful learning and utilize assessment results to make decisions about student needs.

Component 3a: Communicating with Learners

  1. Expectations for learning
  2. Directions and procedures
  3. Explanations of content
  4. Use of oral and written language

Component 3b: Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques

  1. Quality of questions
  2. Discussion techniques
  3. Student participation

Component 3c: Engaging Learners in Learning

  1. Activities and assignments
  2. Grouping of students
  3. Instructional materials and resources
  4. Structure and pacing

Component 3d: Using Assessment in Instruction and Service Delivery

  1. Assessment criteria
  2. Monitoring of student learning
  3. Feedback to students
  4. Student self-assessment and monitoring of progress

Component 3e: Demonstrating Flexibility and Responsiveness

  1. Lesson adjustment
  2. Response to students
  3. Persistence (learning a broad repertoire of strategies to support student learning)

Domain 4: Professional Development, including using systems for managing student data and communicating with student families.

Component 4a: Reflecting on Practice

  1. Accuracy (of a lesson’s effectiveness)
  2. Use in future teaching (redesign of lessons)

Component 4b: Maintaining Accurate Records

  1. Student completion of assignments
  2. Student progress in learning
  3. Non-instructional records

Component 4c: Communicating with Stakeholders

  1. Information about the instructional program
  2. Information about individual students
  3. Engagement of families in the instructional program

Component 4d: Participating in a Professional Community

  1. Relationships with colleagues
  2. Involvement in a culture of professional inquiry
  3. Service to the school
  4. Participation in school and district projects

Component 4e: Growing and Developing Professionally

  1. Enhancement of content knowledge and pedagogical skill
  2. Receptivity to feedback from colleagues
  3. Service to the profession

Component 4f: Showing Professionalism

  1. Integrity and ethical conduct (Required: Code of Professional Practice and Conduct for Educators (22 Pa. Code § 235) - Appendix A of this document.
  2. Service to students
  3. Advocacy
  4. Decision making
  5. Compliance with school and district regulations

Evaluation and Monitoring

School entities should evaluate the educator induction program annually and revise as needed. Achievement of the program goals and competencies is directly related to how well the program served inductees; therefore, acquisition and evaluation of participant feedback data is essential and provides the basis for program revisions and continuous improvement.

Systematic data collection on the educator induction program design, implementation, and outcomes may include but is not limited to:

  1. a. Survey of participants – new teachers, mentors, principals, and other members of the educator induction committee – to determine levels of satisfaction and to understand the strengths and weakness of the program;
  2. b. Analysis of activities and resources used in the program; and
  3. c. Aligned program evaluation instruments that provide quantit​ative and qualitative data (e.g., survey/questionnaires, individual and group interviews, and observation tools) to determine the impact of participating teachers and their students.

The results of program evaluation, the implications of new knowledge about teaching and learning, and the identified strengths and needs of new teachers form the basis for adjustments and improvements in program design for future years.

Documentation of Participation and Completion

School entities must maintain accurate records of completion of the program and provide a copy of a certificate of completion to the inductee. Evidence of successful participation and completion of the educator induction program must be maintained by the district/school leadership for each inductee, including any long-term substitutes. All pertinent records are to be available to support completion of Instructional I to Instructional II Certification as set forth by PDE.

Private and Non-public School Entities:

Requesting an Application:
After reviewing the EIP Guidelines, private and non-public school entities wishing to submit an Educator Induction Plan should email the PDE Division of Planning and Professional Development at RA-EDACT48APP@pa.gov to request information on registering for the Future Ready Comprehensive Planning Portal (FRCPP) to begin work on the Educator Induction Plan.

Please include in the email your AUN, Pennsylvania Department of State Entity Number, Entity Name, and that you are wishing to complete an Educator Induction Plan.

Approval and Submission:
The EIP must be approved by the Educator Induction Committee and the board of directors of the school entity prior to being submitted to the PDE for approval. The timeframe for approval for all applicants of the Approved Provider Plan is typically 30–90 days. There are times that the process may be shorter or longer dependent upon the application itself and response time by the applicant. For example, once a reviewer sends an application to the applicant, the applicant has 30 days to respond. In turn, the reviewer has 30 days to review the application for approval or requested edits and clarifications. The process continues in this manner until final approval is granted.

Public School Entities:
Induction Plans are a component of Comprehensive Plans located within the Future Ready Comprehensive Planning Portal (FRCPP). Prior to submission, a school entity shall make its professional education plan available for public inspection and comment for a minimum of 28 days prior to approval of the plan by the school entity's governing board.

Appendix A

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Professional Standards and Practices Commission
Forum Building, 607 South Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17120​
Phone: (717) 787-6576

Annex A Title 22. Education Part XIV. Professional Standards and Practices Commission Chapter 235. Code of Professional Practice and Conduct for Education (PDF)