2/6/2018
Why is mentoring so popular as a school district development tool? The simple answer: it works! Districts in New York State, especially when matching up with an Institute of Higher Education (IHE), are now eligible to apply for this year’s Mentor Teacher Internship Program grant, due postmarked by March 9, 2018. Districts and BOCES may apply, and districts that are designated High Need by NYSED receive an extra 10 points, and applicants with a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with an IHE receive an extra 5 points. Here’s the NYSED MTIP webinar.
The program was established in 1986, and it enables experienced teachers to serve as mentors, providing guidance and support to beginning teachers (interns) in their first year or two of teaching. The induction they receive will “engage [them] in a productive and satisfying teaching and learning experience.” The induction experience is designed to focus on and enhance the teacher’s skills, and support retention in the teaching profession.
A district or BOCES consortium may apply for funding for up to 6 interns. This is an ideal opportunity for your new teachers. Different mentoring models are acceptable, with the goal of making it accessible to more districts. These models include using either full-time or part-time mentors.
Applications are required to include a strong evaluation plan, consistent with the alignment of the New York State Mentoring Standards, and the New York State Teaching Standards. Both documents are included in the RFP.
Via Evaluation can help your grant team complete the application, drafting your evaluation section for your review at no cost. Upon grant award, Via Evaluation can conduct your mentorship program evaluation expertly and efficiently. With over 20 years of experience evaluating grants from NYSED, Via Evaluation is one of the most experienced evaluation firms in the state.
If you would like to hear more about how Via Evaluation can support your work with MTIP, please call Gary Ciurczak at (716) 362-0627 or email me at [email protected].
