vations and evidence accumulated
through the teacher’s annual performance
evaluation and one area for
development of professional practice
derived from individual, collaborative
team, school, or school district
improvement goals. The code allows
for more than the minimum requirements,
and additional hours of
PD may be required for teachers in
low-performing schools, as determined
by the Commissioner.
Progress on meeting the individual
PDP should be discussed at each
educator’s annual summary conference,
but can occur more frequently
throughout the year. Evidence
of progress toward meeting the
requirements of the PDP may be
provided by either the teacher and/
or the supervisor.
It is important to note that all teachers
governed by the professional
development requirements must
have an individual PDP within 30
instructional days of the beginning
of their respective teaching assignments.
The code requires that the school
district (through the immediate
supervisor) “maintain accurate
records of each teacher’s progress in
meeting the individual professional
development requirement … Such
records shall include a copy of each
teacher’s current PDP and timeline,
as well as any documentation
and evidence showing the teacher’s
progress toward meeting the plan’s
requirements.”
“If a teacher leaves the employ of
one New Jersey school district and
is hired by another, the previous
employing school district shall share
with the new employing school
district the teacher’s individual PDP
and all supporting documentation. If
the current individual PDP is found
to be unsuitable to the teacher’s new
assignment, the new employing
school district shall ensure a revised
54 – AR Handbook
individual PDP and timeline is
created within 30 days of hire by the
employee’s new supervisor in collaboration
with the new teacher.”
Mentoring New Teachers –
Not Optional!
The code also requires that all school
districts “develop a district mentoring
program to provide non-tenured
teachers, including novice provisional
teachers who hold a CE or CEAS,
with an induction to the teaching
profession and to the school district
community through differentiated
supports based on the teachers’
individual needs and to help them
become effective professionals.”
The goals of the district mentoring
program are to enhance teacher
knowledge of, and strategies related
to, the New Jersey Student Learning
Standards (NJSLS) to facilitate
student achievement and growth;
identify exemplary teaching skills
and educational practices necessary
to acquire and maintain excellence
in teaching; and assist first-year
teachers in performing their duties
and adjusting to the challenges of
teaching.
All novice provisional teachers
whose positions require possession
of instructional certificates pursuant
to are required to comply with the
district mentoring program requirements
and be assigned a one-to-one
mentor. Districts are also required
to develop an alternative mentoring
experience for all teachers new to
the district who hold permanent
certificates.
What’s Required of the District
Mentoring Plan?
All district boards of education that
employ nontenured teachers must
develop a plan that will identify how
each nontenured teacher in his or
her first year of employment will be
provided with the following supports:
• Comprehensive induction to
school district policies and
procedures, including, but
not limited to, introduction
to school district curricula,
student assessment policies, and
training on the school district’s
evaluation rubric, including
setting and assessing student
learning through student growth
objectives.
• Individualized supports and
activities, which shall be
assigned at the school district’s
discretion and shall be aligned
with the Professional Standards
for Teachers, the Standards for
Professional Learning, and the
school district’s Commissionerapproved
teaching practice
instrument. The supports and
activities shall be guided by:
• The nontenured teacher’s
degree of preparation and
experience.
• The nontenured teacher’s
individual professional
development plan (PDP)
developed within 30
instructional days of the
beginning of the teaching
assignment.
• Areas of focus within the
district mentoring plan.
• Goals of the school and
school district plans for
professional development.
• One-to-one mentoring, which
is required for each novice
provisional teacher through
the provision of an individual
mentor to work one-to-one with
a novice provisional teacher at
the beginning of the contracted
teaching assignment.
• The mentor teacher should
provide observation and
feedback, opportunities