BTSA

Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment
The Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment program is co-administered by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing and the California Department of Education.
 
What is BTSA?
 
 The Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) Program is a two-year induction program of support and formative assessment designed to meet the needs of  participating teachers in the Bakersfield City School District.  The culmination of the two-year program is the issuance of the new teacher¡¦s Professional Clear Credential. 
BTSA consists of:
 
s       Pairing participating teachers with experienced teachers who serve as support providers, and providing them time to work together,
s       Offering professional development opportunities and academies to meet the requirements for earning a Professional Teaching Credential,
s       Building a support network by providing opportunities to dialogue with colleagues,
s       Providing a system of formative assessment that will allow beginning teachers to grow professionally.
 
What is Induction?
 
1.      Induction is structured professional education and individual guidance for first and second year teachers who have earned a California Preliminary 
         Credential.
2.      Induction includes two-years of support and formative assessment provided by experienced teachers trained to coach on the use of the state adopted
         academic content and performance levels for students.
3.      Induction is the pathway from Preliminary Teaching Credential to a Professional Clear Teacher Credential.
 
BTSA Program Goals
 
s         Ensure the professional success and retention of promising new teachers.
s         Improve student performance through enhanced training, information, and assistance for new teachers.
s         Improve the working conditions and job satisfaction of teachers by reducing professional isolation.
s         Establish a system of performance assessments based on the California Standards for the Teaching Profession.
 
California Standards for the Teaching Profession
Adopted by the California Department of Education, the California Standards for the Teaching Profession provide a framework of common expectations for teachers. 
 
The standards are:
 
1. Engaging and Supporting all Students in Learning.
2. Creating and Maintaining Effective Environments for Student Learning.
3. Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student learning
4. Planning Instruction and Designing Learning Experiences for All Students
5. Assessing Student Learning
6. Developing as a Professional Educator

Beginning/Participating Teachers
 
Teachers in their first or second year of teaching with their preliminary Credential, or out of state credentialed teachers, who want support and assistance in the classroom can participate in the BTSA program.
 
Through BTSA they receive:
 
s         Individualized in-classroom support from support providers
s         Profession development activities designed to improve teaching performance
s         Specific confidential feedback on teaching performance
s         Available university credit and applied coursework towards a Masters Degree
s         A Professional Clear Credential
 
Beginning teachers are asked to work closely with their support provider and to attend monthly professional development opportunities while they complete the induction program requirements.
 
Support Providers
 
Support Providers are successful, experienced teachers who assist participating teachers, desire professional growth, and can show administrative support for their participation.  Each support provider will work with one or two beginning teachers from their school-site (if possible) throughout they school year.
 
Research has indicated that as support providers, the experienced teachers benefit from their participating in BTSA.   Learning about new approaches helps to clarify their own thinking and improves their teaching practice.
 
Support providers:
 
s    Guide and assist participating teachers in developing and implementing an individual professional development plan,
s    Hold regular scheduled support sessions for their new teachers, and
s    Attend participating teacher seminars as well as special support provider workshops.
 
With the California Standards for the Teaching Profession as the foundation for new teacher development, the support providers participate in training sessions that will enhance their knowledge of instruction and collaborative coaching strategies. These sessions enable support providers to scaffold teacher learning and develop effective practices.
 
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California Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment
California Commission on Teacher Credentialing
 

 


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