Project GATE

The Project GATE (Getting Assistance to Teach Effectively) is a systematic structure of support for new/early-career special education teachers to assist them in becoming competent and effective professionals This year’s Project GATE will include a 2nd year mentoring component in which selected mentor-mentee teams from the 2005-2006 activity will continue participation in the activity.

Objective:

To implement a mentoring program for 89 newly-hired special education teachers (including those who are out-of-field and who were hired within the last three years) to improve job success and satisfaction as well as position retention. Newly hired teachers who are teaching in low performing schools will be targeted and recruited for participation in the mentorship program.

Collaboration Plan:

Project GATE is a collaborative project with Miami Dade County Public Schools – Office of Professional Development and the Office of Special Education and Psychological Services and Dade/Monroe PDP. Funding for Project GATE, in part, was provided by the Florida

Department of Education, State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG), and was made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education,

Office of Special Education Programs CFDA#84.323 A

Target Population:

Newly-hired ESE Teachers including those who are out-of-field

Timelines:

OCTOBER 1, 2006 – June 1, 2007

Mentor/Mentee Initial Training Sessions:

A series of 3-4 mentor/mentee planning meetings will be conducted so that (1) mentors can be trained in roles, responsibilities and procedures, (2) mentees can identify needs and learn how to be the most out of this mentoring experience, (3) mentor/mentee teams can meet and plan their mentoring goals and objectives, and (4) training of best practices in ESE.

Mentoring Classroom Visits:

A total of 5 site visits will occur. The mentor is to visit the mentees classroom three and the mentee is to visit the mentor’s classroom twice. Each of these visits will be followed by discussions of observations.

Face-to-Face Collaborative time:

Mentors and mentees will schedule a minimum of 10 hours of face-to-face collaboration time outside of the classroom. At these meetings, they will discuss issues related to previous mentee and mentor classroom observations, as well classroom questions/concerns that have developed.

Web-based and/or Phone Collaborative time:

Mentors and mentees will engage in web-based and/or phone mentoring time. Emails, bulletin board forums, and/or phone conversations will be used to address classroom questions/concerns.

Outcomes:

Participants will complete an evaluation at the end of the school year regarding changes in participants’ knowledge, skills, and/or attitudes as a result of project activities.
Participants will complete a survey regarding knowledge, skills, and/or attitudes that they acquired from the project activities and how they use them in their classroom.
Participants will be surveyed annually after exiting from the program to determine long-term effectiveness of the mentoring program.
Evaluations will be used to modify activities for the following project year.
Number of participants who report at follow up that the skills/tools acquired during mentoring are being used.

Impact:

Achievement of project objectives will be measured by the following:

Successful completion of 1st year of teaching

Continued teaching assignment in a classroom with children with disabilities.

Retention of participants in Project GATE. Retention data will be collected in the Fall and Spring of each subsequent school year.

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