Journal of K-12 Educational Research 39 support received in their first year, crediting mentors and wide variety of campus and district assistance. A recommended practice was scheduled meetings, ideally aligned by grade, team, or department. Despite lacking common planning time in some cases, beginning teachers appreciated mentor support. A unique beginning teacher distinction was the parent code District Values, attracting them to the organization. The District’s core values and 15 attributes promoting life skills resonated, impacting staff, students, and families. Beginning teachers also identified with the District’s mission, often citing the founder’s vision as influential. Research Question 2 (RQ2) What are the perceptions of charter school mentor teachers about the components of an induction program? The researcher examined the second dataset for RQ2 regarding mentor teachers, identifying two themes were Teacher Skills and District and Campus Supports. Mentors appreciated the District’s induction components for beginning teachers, but mentioned the challenges of mentorship, requiring extra time for planning and meetings. They valued the Mentor Program Manual’s support. Mentors urged the District to handle curriculum writing and lesson planning, enabling beginning teachers to focus on classroom management and relationships. They advocated for instructional rounds and release time for observing experienced teachers to enhance beginners’ skills. Research Question 3 (RQ3) What are the perceptions of charter school principals about the components of an induction program? The researcher analyzed the first data set in response to RQ3 related to principals. The three themes were Teacher Skills, Student Supports, and District and Campus Supports. Like beginning teachers and mentors, most of the responses coded to the theme, Teacher Skills, fell under Classroom Management and Discipline and Preparation parent codes. They felt the items mentioned under these codes were the foundational building blocks to success in the classroom, so the targeted support had to occur first and foremost. The principal participants felt the teacher shortage and those entering the teaching field currently impact their campus and the subsequent supports that must be provided. The background knowledge and experience these beginning teachers bring to their classroom are different than those in the past who have come with student teaching experience and a 4-year degree in the field of education, so the support must start at the very basics. The principal participant responses indicate they know they cannot do the work alone and greatly value the support from the Instructional Coaches and the mentor program. Implications According to Smith and Ingersoll (2004), teacher turnover can be attributed to the lack of support beginning teachers receive during their first year. The more induction supports a district can provide; the more likely beginning teachers will remain in the profession (Ronfeldt & McQueen, 2017). Research by the Texas Education Agency (2022) indicated providing support to beginning teachers could impact new teacher turnover by as many as 3,500 teachers staying in the profession per year. The findings of the current study add to the existing body of research on what researchers have said are essential components of induction for beginning teachers. The current study confirmed the hypothesis that the more support a district could provide a beginning teacher, the less likely they are to leave the District and the profession. Induction is more than simply providing a mentor or teacher with professional development. According to Breaux and Wong (2003), it has three primary purposes: 1. to provide instruction in classroom management and effective teaching techniques, 2. to reduce the difficulty of the transition into teaching, and 3. to maximize the retention rate of highly qualified teachers. The current study’s beginning teacher, mentor, and principal participants’ responses overwhelmingly aligned with these three purposes.
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