BTSA: A Help or A Hindrance?

Teacher induction programs are implemented to assist and support first and second year teachers. With many schools experiencing teacher shortages as well as high attrition rates of teachers, the induction programs are designed to retain and prepare more highly qualified teachers. BTSA, Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment is a popular induction program used by many school districts. BTSA provides a mentor, as well as curriculum for the support of their new teacher. Although BTSA and other induction programs are in place for support, often these induction programs place an undue burden on the new teacher along with the required demands of a teaching career. When examined in context of a new teacher’s education, the induction program lacks innovative information and often repeats information recently learned from the teaching credentialing program. BTSA assignments are required to receive a clear teaching credential. Assignments for the first and second year teachers revolve around a yearlong case study of chosen students in their classroom. The TPE’s, Teacher Performance Expectations that have been satisfied through the credentialing program are once again requested by BTSA to be revisited. Through Professional Learning Communities as well as feedback from Induction Participants, this study reviews mandated work in the BTSA program at a suburban Los Angeles County School District. The outcome of this comparison varies by district. Many induction programs are redundant and do require the first or second year teacher to complete many tasks that may or may not be beneficial. The consequence of redundant induction programs along with other factors contribute to new teacher burnout. This study captures possible factors that contribute to teacher attrition due to redundant requirements that some induction programs contain. Mentor support as well as professional development implementation are also included as a solution to retain first and second year teachers. Through careful examination of BTSA Support Provider requirements by the District and through feedback during the Professional Learning Community, mentor support in relation to BTSA Beginning Teacher anxiety, administrator observations, and return rate are studied. Through this focus, results centered and revolved around district responsibility to implement and enforce BTSA Support Provider requirements. Districts that do not have enough support providers often turn to retired teachers in order to fill the role of support provider. This proved troublesome when BTSA Participants required classroom management strategies as well as curriculum assistance. The lack of support, often unnoticed by the district or school site, increase anxiety in the first and second year teachers. This correlates to teacher attrition and burnout. This study hopes to provide a lens into the BTSA teacher perspective as well as offer suggestions for improvement in the BTSA teacher induction program with regard to these issues.