Once teachers have completed their teacher preparation program and gotten a teaching position, they are often surprised to find that they aren’t actually finished with their credential.
Teachers in California must complete an induction program within five years to earn their clear professional credential, but not everyone has access to induction or chooses to participate right away.
The purpose of induction is to provide new teachers in their first and second years of teaching with mentorship so that they are more effective in their classrooms and get support in those most challenging years. Unfortunately, when teachers delay induction because they don’t have access to induction programs in their district and must pay to participate in a program, or put it off for several years for other reasons, the program can begin to feel more like a hurdle than a support.
