The Comprehensive Induction Program is divided into four years focusing on providing a comprehensive suite of coaching cycles and ongoing professional learning activities and supports carried out over time that meet state, district and/or school goals.

Program areas include:

  • Classroom and related arts teachers
  • School counselors
  • School social workers
  • School psychologist
  • School nurses

Classroom and Related Arts Teachers

The purpose of the Comprehensive Induction Program is to provide a systematic structure of support for beginning teachers and school specialists to:

  • become familiar with school, district and state policies
  • enhance and strengthen their professional knowledge and practice through ongoing coaching cycles
  • promote engagement in collaborative and reflective practice and
  • take assessment of their growth and impact on student academic, social and emotional learning.

Delaware provides a four (4) year induction program for teachers with less than 2 years of verified teaching experience. Additionally, teachers who are new to Delaware Public Schools engage in activities specific to the district or charter they are employed in to assist with becoming knowledgeable about the Delaware Evaluation System and any other programs and systems that are utilized in Delaware.

The Comprehensive Induction Program for teachers strives to meet the following objectives:

  1. Empower and support LEAs to plan and implement comprehensive mentoring and induction programs that meet the specific needs of teachers and are aligned with state and local initiatives.
  2. Establish a state-wide collaborative community of education practitioners that willingly and openly share resources, assistance, and ideas that increase the support provided to educators.
  3. Support LEAs in the selection and training of highly effective coaches.
  4. Assist LEAs in the development of “assessment literate” educators who can review student data and use that data to drive instruction in the classroom.
  5. Build reflective practitioners who review their present level of professional performance and use that data to set professional learning goals.
  6. Support teachers in building self-efficacy and furthering their professional growth and development.
  7. Provide coaches who to engage teachers in teaching and coaching cycles that include planning and preparation, teaching and assessing, analyzing and reflecting and collaborative professional learning communities.

Initial Phase

During the initial phase of the school year, teachers will be paired with a coach that will provide support through ongoing coaching cycles. The induction teams within the district/charter that teachers are employed will work together to help assure that all the requirements for issuance of an initial license have been met, that there is an active license and that teachers have been formally processed and coded correctly by the Human Resources Department.

Teachers should have an established DEEDS account with a completed application for licensure and certification. DEEDS accounts need to have a current work email address and be updated anytime there is a change in employment in a Delaware district/charter. Educator dashboards should be monitored and reviewed for any communication from Licensure and Certification regarding meeting or maintaining license requirements.

Program Requirements

Below is a list of requirements for each year of the Comprehensive Induction Program (CIP). Districts and charter schools may include additional supports and requirements at the local-level.

  • Complete the ethics course approved by DOE and upload the certificate of completion to the DEEDS educator dashboard.
  • Participate in Professional Learning experiences designed to provide new teachers with the knowledge of, and support necessary to become familiar with, the Delaware Teacher Growth and Support System, or the Employing Authority’s alternative evaluation system approved by the Department.
  • Attend monthly coaching cycle meetings scheduled by the employing district/charter to engage in teaching and coaching cycles with the assigned Induction Coach that include planning, preparation, teaching, assessing, analyzing, reflecting and collaborative professional learning.
  • Complete all action steps assigned by the induction coach

  • Attend monthly coaching cycle meetings scheduled by the employing district/charter to engage in teaching and coaching cycles with the assigned Induction Coach that include planning, preparation, teaching, assessing, analyzing, reflecting and collaborative professional learning.
  • Complete all action steps assigned by the induction coach
  • Preview and discuss areas of need with the assigned Induction coach using the Department-specified self-analysis to begin identifying 1 to 2 areas of growth that will guide the focus for Year 3 and Year 4 of the Induction Program.

  • Identify 1 to 2 areas of growth that will be the focus of the year for Professional Learning that will support strengthening teacher learning and teaching practices.
  • Participate in, track, document, and reflect upon, as required by the Department, no less than 15 hours of Professional Learning experiences throughout the school year that enhance a teacher’s understandings and abilities in the teacher’s job, leading to more effective instruction.
  • Align the professional learning to 1 or more of the following: the Delaware Teaching Standards, the Professional Learning Standards , and the Delaware Teacher Growth and  Support System (DTGSS)
  • Upload documentation of the completed 15 hours of Professional Learning to the DEEDS dashboard.
  • Within 60 days of the initial license expiration date and completion of the program, log in to DEEDS to complete an application for a continuing license.