(1) PURPOSE. The intent of this rule is to establish requirements for the implementation and funding of mentor teacher programs which support protégé teachers in local school systems (LSSs).
(2) DEFINITIONS.
(a) Protégé teacher- a teacher with fewer than three years of teaching experience or a teacher who needs support and guidance, as identified by the LSS.
(b) Mentor teacher- a peer who has a Teacher Support Specialist (TSS) certificate endorsement issued by the Professional Standards Commission (PSC) and who has been chosen by a selection committee to provide assistance and guidance to assigned protégé teachers.
(c) Mentoring unit- a minimum of 15 hours of work completed by a mentor teacher with one or more protégé teachers.
(d) Selection committee- a school-based committee whose majority is comprised of teachers for the purpose of choosing teachers to serve as mentors to protégé teachers.
(e) Stipend- remuneration to mentor teachers for a minimum of 15 hours of work with one or more protégé teachers that is verified by the LSS.
(3) REQUIREMENTS.
(a) LSSs interested in participating in the Mentor Teacher Program shall have a plan on file locally and shall submit to the Georgia Department of Education by May 1 on forms provided by the department an annual application that contains the following information:
1. The number of participating mentor teachers, protégé teachers served, and mentoring units used during the current school year and the anticipated number to be used the following school year.
2. A description of any additional criteria, other than that cited in paragraph (2)(b) of this rule, used for the selection of mentor teachers for the following school year.
(i) LSSs shall give priority to assigning mentor teachers to protégé teachers who are first-year teachers. Second- and third-year teachers and other teachers who have needs identified by the LSSs, including teachers at risk of leaving the profession, teachers returning to the profession after extended absence, or teachers from out-of-state shall also be considered.
3. An assurance statement signed by the LSS superintendent or designee verifying that all mentor teachers who receive a state stipend hold the Teacher Support Specialist (TSS) certificate endorsement from the PSC and that they have completed the work identified in the local plan necessary to earn the mentoring units requested.
4. Summative evaluation results regarding program effectiveness and any proposed program changes to increase program effectiveness in succeeding years.
(b) Compensation.
1. A mentor teacher can earn stipends for not more than three mentoring units per school year.
2. Stipends shall be contingent upon annual appropriations by the Georgia General Assembly and the total number of approved mentoring units earned by teachers serving as mentors and who are participating in the statewide Mentor Teacher Program.