Perspectives on Induction of Beginning Special Educators

Abstract

The call to provide beginning special educators with induction support is widespread, due in part to teacher turnover and the need to develop a highly qualified teaching force. The scholarly foundation for induction and the current state of induction support is unclear. In this article, the authors summarize the empirical studies pertaining to induction for special educators, describe key features of effective programs, summarize state-level policy initiatives, and offer recommendations. Findings include the importance of learning more about mentoring, connecting induction to developing good practices that support student learning, and strengthening the research agenda by further developing the list of research questions and using additional methods for data collection and analysis.