PROGRAM REVIEW

1.1 Program Summary

Program Design

1. The Rialto Unified School District Induction Teacher Program operates under the oversight of the Associate Superintendent of Human Resources. The Executive Director of Human Resources conducts direct administrative supervision, while the Induction Program Specialist manages daily operations. The Induction Program Specialist leads a team of six full-time release mentors responsible for the comprehensive execution of the program’s day-to-day functions.
2. In Person - Pathway Matrix attached
3. The Program Specialist conducts weekly staff meetings with the Induction mentors to discuss program business, review optional Induction candidates' Professional Learning Experiences, and provide updates on Induction candidates and mentor Professional Learning Experiences. The Program Specialist facilitates monthly meetings with individual Induction mentors to reflect and complete mentor professional growth plans. The Program Specialist meets biweekly with the Executive Director to discuss program updates and review program needs. The Executive Director also meets monthly with the Induction team. The Associate Superintendent meets regularly with the Executive Director for updates on the Induction Program. Three times per year, the Associate Superintendent, Executive Director, and Induction staff hold Advisory meetings to gather input and provide updates to the larger educational community and partners. 
4. Internal district partners and external community partners convene three times per year via the Induction Advisory Council to provide feedback, share insights, and recommend program enhancements. Insights and recommendations gathered from these diverse perspectives are systematically reviewed during Induction staff meetings to drive continuous improvement and execute planned program modifications. 

2. Induction Job Placement and the Mentor/Coaching System

1. Candidates are matched with mentors based on aligning their eligible credentials.  To ensure an equitable system of support, full-release mentor assignments are determined by the Induction Mentors' caseloads and prior experience. Our team collaboratively assesses each candidate's needs—considering factors such as grade level—to distribute pairings equitably. 
2. The mentors are selected through applications, interviews, and classroom observations conducted by the Executive Director of Human Resources and the Induction Program Specialist. The Induction Mentors and Program Specialists are evaluated by the Executive Director of Human Resources during their respective evaluation years, based on the California Standards of the Teaching Profession. Mentors establish annual professional growth goals aligned with the 2018 Mentor Continuum of Practice by conducting a self-assessment to identify focus areas. To monitor progress and refine mentoring practices, mentors engage in bimonthly collaborative and reflective sessions with the Program Specialist. Additionally, the team meets regularly to share successes and challenges, evaluate mentor-candidate dynamics, and provide constructive feedback when a pairing requires additional support. If a mentoring relationship remains ineffective after targeted interventions and multiple collaborative approaches, the Program Specialist reassigns the candidate. Candidates are informed of this protocol and the Change of Mentor Request Form during Advisement and Orientation. 
3. During weekly one-hour mentoring sessions, candidates collaborate with their mentors to establish tailored professional growth goals based on a self-assessment aligned with the California Standards for the Teaching Profession (CSTP). Through reflective dialogue, candidates select specific CSTP elements and indicators to design an actionable plan featuring measurable growth objectives for each cycle. As candidates execute the Identify-Learn-Improve inquiry process, mentors provide supervision, coaching, and formative evaluation during weekly check-ins and classroom observations, utilizing shared, documented weekly data. To support goal attainment, the Program offers optional CSTP-aligned Professional Learning Experiences and equips mentors with specialized resources, external professional development opportunities, and collaborative exercises during team meetings. Additionally, mentors partner with site and district leadership to coordinate aligned resources and professional learning tailored to candidate needs. 
4. Candidates select Professional Learning Experiences (PLEs) that directly align with their identified CSTP focus areas, individual growth goals, and current teaching assignments. These learning opportunities are provided through school sites, district departments, and the Induction Program. To ensure application and continuous growth, mentors follow up on professional learning during weekly support meetings and conduct classroom observations, helping candidates demonstrate teaching competency and fulfill credential-clear requirements. 
5. All candidates, mentors, and other constituents give input in the form of surveys and collaborative conversations. All Induction Candidates complete three program surveys each year: Mid-Year and End of Year or Program, Mentor Satisfaction; Year 2 and Early Completion Option candidates complete an End of Program Survey. Induction Mentors complete an end-of-year survey, as well as end-of-year self-assessments regarding their own performance and growth. Candidates complete feedback forms regarding the effectiveness of the Induction Program's optional Professional Learning Experiences. The results are reflected on and analyzed by the Induction Team at staff meetings following the event/activity; results are analyzed for improvement and modifications for continuous improvement.

3. Assessment of Candidates

1. Candidate progress is systematically evaluated through structured classroom observations and weekly mentoring meetings focused on reviewing the Individual Learning Plan (ILP) and core program requirements. The program utilizes a collaborative, ongoing progress-monitoring tool to track each candidate's growth and completion milestones. When candidates encounter professional challenges, mentors collaborate with the program team to identify targeted coaching strategies and problem-solve interventions. If additional support is required to ensure satisfactory progress, the candidate, mentor, and program leadership collaboratively develop a Professional Improvement and Continuation Plan. This targeted plan establishes focused, measurable goals to assist the candidate in successfully fulfilling program requirements and achieving credential completion. 
2. The Program ensures candidates are fully informed of assessment criteria and competency expectations starting at Advisement and Orientation through a comprehensive review of the Program Pathways. Ongoing guidance regarding progress toward program competencies and imperatives is regularly provided and documented in each candidate's Program Support Log. Additionally, overall progress toward mastery is formally evaluated and discussed with candidates at the conclusion of each Inquiry Cycle within the Individual Learning Plan (ILP) and recorded on the Program Support Log. 

1.1.1 Program Summary