Preconditions
Please scroll to the bottom of the page to view the Provisional Site Visit Preconditions document as submitted and approved.
General Institutional Preconditions
Precondition 1: Leadership Support
This signed letter provides assurance of Gateway Public School’s commitment to and support of the credentialing programs that Gateway High School offers through the Gateway Induction Program.
Precondition 2: Enrollment and Completion
The institution understands that once it enrolls candidates, that candidates must be able to complete the program, even if the program plans to close (see Statement of Assurance).
Precondition 3: Responsibility and Authority
Gateway’s Chief of Schools and Programs is the individual responsible for ongoing oversight of all educator preparation programs offered by the institution.
The position responsible for direct program management is the Gateway Induction Program Director. The attached Organizational Chart identifies the relationship between this position and the Chief of Schools and Programs.
The Chief of Schools and Programs is the authorized designee for credential recommendations. The Induction Director and Credential Analyst are both authorized submitters and responsible for credential recommendations. The authorized designee may assign additional authorized submitters.
Gateway Induction provides assurance that all authorized submitters are current employees of Gateway Public Schools as described in the Induction Program Director and Credential Analyst job descriptions.
Precondition 4: Lawful Practices
Gateway Public Schools & Induction Program Non-Discrimination Statement
Page 31 of Gateway Induction Handbook
Statement of Non-Discrimination
Gateway Induction Anti-Discrimination Policy
Gateway Schools Anti-Discrimination Policy
Precondition 5: Commission Assurances
The Gateway Induction Program assures the full execution of all required and applicable program standards and evaluation of the program upon those standards through the willing participation in the Commission’s accreditation system.
Precondition 6: Requests for Data
The qualified officer for reporting data and responding to all requests from the Commission will be the Gateway Induction Director. Gateway Induction assures its understanding and responsibility to update contact information with the Commission as needed and minimally on an annual basis (see Statement of Assurance). Contact information for the program coordinator or designee will be updated annually to the Commission.
Precondition 7: Veracity in all Claims and Documentation Submitted
Gateway Induction affirms the veracity of all statements and documentation submitted to the Commission.
Precondition 8: Grievance Process
Gateway Induction is committed to resolving issues in a timely and professional manner for any candidate who has questions or conflicts with program prerequisites, requirements, participation hours, grades, special needs provision, discrimination policy, program extension request rationale, satisfactory progress requirements, and/or denial of credential(s) issuance according to these grievance and appeal process.
Precondition 9: Faculty and Instructional Personnel Participation
Precondition 9 does not apply to Gateway Induction, as we are a Local Education Agency.
Precondition 10: Communication and Information
The Gateway Induction website includes information to the public, prospective educators, and enrolled candidates about admission requirements and successful completion criteria for the Gateway Teacher Induction program. Candidates enrolled in the program are also provided a Teacher Induction Handbook with all program information.
Precondition 11. Student Records Management, Access, and Security.
The Gateway Induction Program assures its maintenance of all student and employee records in a locked vault, which is Gateway High School’s institution record retention policy (see Statement of Assurance).
Candidates have access to transcripts and/or other documents for the purpose of verifying academic units and program completion. The Gateway Induction Program Director or their designee (e.g. the Induction Program Administrative Associate/Credential Analyst) provides records to candidates upon request.
Candidates are also provided with progress feedback for each Milestone submission (October, March, May) as well as a final program completion verification (June).
Individual candidate progress records are maintained in Google Drive with restricted access.
Any paper progress records are kept in a locked cabinet in the Chief of Schools and Programs Office at Gateway High School. The office of the Chief of Schools and Programs at Gateway High School is locked when not in use and not accessible by the public.
Precondition 12: Disclosure
Gateway High School assures that it does not use any outside entity to provide direct educational services to candidates in the Gateway Induction Program (see Statement of Assurance).
Teacher Induction Program Preconditions
1. Induction Program Design
The Gateway Teacher Induction Program is a two-year, individualized, job-embedded induction program that provides mentoring support to new credential candidates that begins in the first year of teaching. The attached Gateway Induction Program Candidate Experience outlines the professional learning followed within the two-year timeframe.
Eligible teacher candidates participate in the Gateway Induction Program upon their hire within the district. Teacher Eligibility Criteria stipulate the requirements for participation in the program for new teachers and is also publicly available on the Gateway Induction website and the program brochure. Enrolled candidates also receive this information in the Gateway Induction Handbook (page 5)
2. Mentor Assignation
Gateway Induction Mentor-Candidate matches are made within the first 30 days of Teacher Candidate enrollment, and Gateway Induction Mentors will begin working with Teacher Candidates on or before the first day of school. Induction Program Mentor and Teacher Candidate matches will be site-based whenever possible, and the Induction Program Director will match Teacher Candidates with mentors according to credentials held, grade level and/or subject area, as appropriate to the Teacher Candidate’s employment.
If a grade level and/or subject area match is not possible, teacher candidates will be matched with an induction mentor and a qualified content coach, as outlined in our candidate handbook (page 33).
The Gateway Induction Program uses a spreadsheet to track Teacher Candidate enrollment, date of mentor match, and credentials and grade level/discipline-specific support for each year of Induction participation.
3. Induction Program Time, Support and Mentoring Assurance
The Gateway Induction Program provides an average of at least one hour per week of individualized Teacher Candidate support via an induction mentor, as highlighted on our website and the Induction Candidate Handbook (page 7), and the policy is shared with teacher candidates and mentors at Induction Orientation. Mentors and teacher candidates also input weekly meeting sessions and mentor support hours in Teacher Candidate Learning Focused Conversation Logs (LfC). The Induction Credential Analyst regularly monitors mentor-teacher candidate support logs and teacher candidate and goals progress. Finally, teacher candidates complete a Mid-Year and End-of-Year survey, where they input mentor-mentee hours as another assurance that teacher candidates are receiving appropriate weekly mentoring support.
4. Individual Learning Plans (ILP)
Each Teacher Candidate will develop Individualized Learning Goals (ILP) within the first 60 days of the Teacher Candidate’s enrollment in the program. This expectation is highlighted on the Gateway Induction website, Slide 12 of the program Orientation (see Milestone 1), on page 8 of the Induction Program Handbook under Program Expectations, and in the Candidate Letter of Commitment. Additionally, the mentors check in on their mentor-mentee progress in developing Individualized Learning Goals in the October mentor workshop session.
The Gateway Induction Program Director tracks Program progress through a progress spreadsheet (see Column AB) to ensure every candidate has formulated an individualized learning plan (ILP) goal within the first 60 days of enrollment in the program. Additionally, the 60-day ILP goal deadline is included on the Gateway Induction Candidate Progress Checklist under Developing and Reflecting on Professional Goals. The Induction Program Director will also contact and counsel/provide direct support to candidates who are not on track for meeting the 60-day goal-setting requirement as an additional support for ensuring goal completion.
5. ILP Design and Implementation Purpose
Gateway Induction Program understands that all candidates’ Individual Learning Plans must be designed and implemented solely for the professional growth and development of the participating teacher and not for evaluation for employment purposes. This is outlined in a Statement of Assurance by our Unit Head. It is also included in the Milestones Calendar for teacher candidates, our Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), and the Induction Candidate Handbook (see page 24).Gateway ensures that Individual Learning Plans for Induction are not used for evaluation for employment purposes in the following ways:
- All mentors must maintain strict confidentiality to ensure that the Individual Learning Plan is implemented solely for the professional growth and development of the Teacher Candidate and NOT for teacher evaluation/employment purposes.
- The Induction Program Director further emphasizes this in email communication with partner school administrators and evaluators within the first 60 days of the school year.
- Additionally, during the Triad Meeting with the school administrator, mentor, and teacher candidate, each mentor reminds the administrator of this strict confidentiality and Induction for the purpose of professional growth and development rather than evaluation/employment.
- This confidentiality is further emphasized at the program Orientation and is stated in our Teacher Candidate Letter of Commitment and Gateway Induction Candidate Milestones Calendar.
6. Early Completion Option Advisement
The Gateway Induction Program website includes a detailed overview of Early Completion Option (ECO) eligibility criteria, as well as an explanation of “experienced and exceptional” for teacher candidates and mentors. Additionally, all teacher candidates will be informed of the Early Completion Option during the Gateway Induction Orientation (see Slide 22). This session also highlights the Early Completion Overview & Application Process. The Program Director will also provide ongoing communication through email regarding mentor matches; program deadlines and instructions; purchasing units; Early Completion; and Mid-Year and End-of-Year survey feedback. ECO information is also shared on page 29 of our Induction Candidate Handbook and during Orientation. A direct link to the ECO application is also posted on our program website.