Principal Induction and Mentoring

Significant research over the past fifteen years has confirmed that effective school leadership is associated with better outcomes for students, teachers, and schools. In particular, district and school leaders who are strong instructional leaders; aligned with DESE's anti-racist leadership competencies to focus on culturally responsive teaching and curricula; and focused on recruiting, retaining, and supporting teachers of color will benefit all students, especially Black, Latinx, Asian, Indigenous, and multiracial students.

To this end, the Department has developed the following resources to support novice principals and their mentors. These resources reinforce the recently updated Guidelines for the Preparation of Administrative Leaders and fulfill the annual requirements in the Standards for Induction Programs for Administrators (603 CMR 7.13).

Principal Induction and Mentoring Handbook

The Principal Induction and Mentoring Handbook supports novice principals and their mentors to well serve all students with diverse educational needs. Specifically, each learning module in this Handbook is designed to disrupt historical patterns of racial inequity by equipping districts and leaders with the tools, resources, and supports to:

• Continually provide educators with the knowledge, strategies, and actions designed to recognize and foster racial equity in instructional practices and in one's own leadership practices, through the practice and acquisition of the anti-racist leadership competencies,
• Effectively manage, support, and retain educator talent within their buildings, including recruiting, retaining, and supporting educators of color, and
• Focus on culturally responsive teaching, leading, and curricula that are high quality and evidence-based.

The Principal Induction and Mentoring Handbook, which covers two years of mentoring supports, and the accompanying mentor supplement are now available:

• Principal Induction and Mentoring Handbook
  (Updated August 2022)

• Mentor Supplement
  This mentor supplement is designed to provide guidance, support, and reflective opportunities for mentors as they guide their mentees through the learning modules in the Principal Induction and Mentoring Handbook. (Updated August 2022)

Last Updated: August 31, 2022