Whitman Elementary - Tulsa Public Schools

• subject-area pairing of mentors and beginning educators
• rigorous mentor selection and mentor training from the New Teacher Center
• sufficient time for mentors to collaborate with and observe new educators
• formative assessment structures and tools that assists beginning educators to advance
along a continuum (rubric) of professional growth and an individual learning plan.
The Tulsa New Teacher Induction program is currently engaged with 128 first and second year
teachers. Eight District mentor coaches have completed their third of four Developmental Academy
trainings. The four academies (held each year) allow our veteran teacher mentors to learn and refine
their mentoring skills, problem solving issues of mentoring, stretch their own levels of classroom
practice, and develop their leadership capacity.
III.
Retention of Teachers
Teach for America. TPS recognizes that Teach For America corps members are extremely strong
teachers and are eager to bring in more each year. In a recent survey, roughly 90% of TPS principals
reported that TFA corps members make a positive difference in their school. In addition, 90% of
principals rated corps members as effective as teachers with more experience in terms of student
achievement.
In 2009, the first year of partnership between TPS and TFA, 70 corps members were placed in
TPS schools. Of those 70, nearly 30 corps members remain in a TPS classroom today, and 54 corps
members (72%) remain in education as a whole, even after their initial two-year commitment. This is
well above the national average of 66%. The success has been a product of specific strategies put in
place in the region. TFA has worked with university partners and TPS to create a fast track to school
leadership, connected corps members with leaders of the community to talk through long-term career
interests, and held meetings with principals to stress their importance in retaining corps members. With
new corps members coming in each year, and continued success in retention, TFA will play an integral
role in successful student achievement and future leaders in the district.
Annual Retention Stipends for Occupational Therapists. Because of the District’s significant
need to retain its occupational therapists, the District currently provides these personnel a $5,000
annual retention stipend. This policy has been in effect since 2007-2008.
7