Resource Training & Solutions is proud to offer comprehensive programs, valuable resources, and implementation support tailored for schools and districts across central Minnesota. Our mission is to recruit and retain top-notch educators in our regional schools.

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We engage closely with school leaders and mentors to ensure new educators receive meaningful interactions that cultivate reflective practices and continuous growth, ultimately enhancing the learning experience for students.

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As a central hub, Resource Training & Solutions collaborates with the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), the New Teacher Center, and the Student Centered Learning Collaborative to drive initiatives focused on effective new teacher onboarding and mentoring.

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MDE Mentoring & Induction Grant

The MDE grant offers funding from July 2024 to June 2027 to support regional partnerships by creating high-quality, sustainable Mentoring and Induction programs that provide ongoing support for early career and new-to-position educators.

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Grant Outcomes:

Student Outcomes: Improved student outcomes, particularly for historically underserved students.
Recruitment and Retention: Develop, recruit, and retain inclusive, culturally sustaining educators.‍
Teacher Effectiveness: Accelerate the practice of early career and new-to-position educators to cultivate optimal learning environments.‍
Culture: Foster more inclusive and culturally responsive instructional cultures across regional schools.

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What is the Mentoring & Induction Partnership?

The partnership includes three major initiatives supported by related grant funding:

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1. Mentor Program Development

Develop/update and implement a comprehensive Newly Hired Educator Onboarding, Mentoring, and Induction Plan that ensures goals, resources, and support systems are in place to help early career and new-to-position educators thrive in an inclusive working environment.
Implement pre-service and in-service onboarding programming designed to help new educators prepare for the first days of school.

2. School Leader Training & Support

Provide customized leadership support.
Conduct a First Days of School Onboarding planning workshop for school leaders and mentors.
Perform Induction Plan Analysis, Development, and Implementation.
Offer Optimal School Environment Professional Development.
Provide opportunities to apply for mini-grants at the end of the year to support continued work.

3. Mentor/Coach Development & Support

Deploy highly conscious Induction Coaches/Mentors who feel efficacious in mentoring practices.
Focus the first round on preparing for the first two weeks of school and related interactions with students, parents, and the community.
Continue induction support throughout the first three years of teaching, focusing on providing an
Optimal Learning Environment.
Expand programming to support Literacy, Math, and MnMTSS coaches who support all teachers.

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Phases of Implementation

The partnership's approach to developing and strengthening Mentorship & Induction programs is implemented in four phases spanning from July 2024 - June 2027. Schools may start at different phases of implementation and may need to dedicate longer times within phases to ensure that their Mentoring & Induction program remains viable and effective over the long term. Sustainability planning occurs at all phases of the partnership and is crucial for the program to continue benefiting early career educators and our regional education community after the grant program has ended.

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Phase 1: Recruitment & Understanding Current Conditions

The goal of Phase 1 is to establish a shared understanding of the current state of new teacher practice and professional development systems in place to support early career teachers.

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During this phase, The Partnership and school leadership teams will collect and analyze data to support the identification of school/district-based instructional priorities that will drive the Mentoring and Induction program strategy within each school. Some of the activities in this phase could include classroom observations of early career teachers, administration of student surveys, conducting student & early career teacher empathy groups, and school leadership teams conducting self-evaluations of key professional development structures.

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Phase 2: Establishing Enabling Conditions

The goal of Phase 2 is to establish the enabling conditions that will lead to an effective long-term implementation of the program based on the findings from the first phase.

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This phase will be highly differentiated based on individual school/district needs. This can include activities such as establishing a vision for Mentoring and Induction, establishing a formal mentoring selection process, refinement of existing professional development systems and structures, revising roles and responsibilities, and defining a strategy for early career teacher professional learning. Identifying trends, strengths, and areas needing attention related to enabling conditions will continue to be supported throughout the remaining phases.

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Phase 3: Building School Leader and Mentor Capacity

The goal of Phase 3 is to build local capacity to implement the co-designed Mentoring and Induction program at each school.

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During this phase, there will be ongoing training and job embedded support for school/district leaders and school-based induction mentors on effective mentoring practices, social emotional learning, and related induction activities. In addition, some of the activities in this phase could include customized professional development for leadership teams, site-based strategic planning and cross-regional networking opportunities for mentors and school/district leaders.

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Phase 4: Ongoing Refinement and Expansion

The goal of Phase 4 is to ensure the sustainability of the Mentoring and Induction program through cycles of continuous improvement at the school and program level.

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During this phase, program and school/district leadership implement cycles of continuous improvement, where feedback from program leaders, key stakeholders, and program evaluations informs ongoing enhancements. This iterative process allows school/district Mentoring and Induction programs to adapt to meet specific needs and contexts. This phase fosters partnerships to leverage resources, share expertise, and advocate for support and recognition of the program's value.

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Opportunities Available:

Assistance in the development and implementation of a research-based district induction plan to support and retain newly hired educators.
Quarterly community of practice meetings for mentors and coaches.
Professional development and support opportunities for mentoring and new teachers.
Districts/Schools will have the opportunity to apply for mini-grants at the end of each school year throughout the 3-year grant program to assist in the continued implementation of the program.
Check back for additional information on these opportunities.

Enrollment for the Mentoring & Induction is available now through the summer of 2025.

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Mentoring & Induction Partnership Form >>

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Contact Information

For more information, please contact Kelsey Harps, Mentoring Coach, at kharps@resourcecoop-mn.gov.

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This opportunity is partially funded with a grant from the Minnesota Department of Education using federal funding, CFDA 84.027A, Special Education - Grants to States

Mentoring & Induction Partnership Form

Click Here

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We offer members a wide range of high-quality products and services at discounted rates.

By combining the purchasing power of all Members, we can achieve volume pricing on quality products and services from reputable vendors. We work with the vendors but FOR the Members.

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Our Cooperative Purchasing Program offers members a wide range of high-quality products and services at discounted rates. By combining the purchasing power of all Members, we can achieve volume pricing on quality products and services from reputable vendors. We work with the vendors but FOR the Members.

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Membership is open to:

Schools
Cities, Counties, Governmental Agencies
Nonprofit organizations and other partnership agencies.
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Satisfying Minnesota competitive bidding requirements.

Vendors we provide are the result of either formal bids (identified as State Bid or SB) or negotiated contracts (identified as Preferred Vendors or PV).

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The contracted vendors we have known as State Bid or SB vendors are established through formal bids and purchasing from them satisfies Minnesota competitive bidding requirements - regardless of the amount of the purchase. The ability to do so is outlined in Minnesota Statutes123A.2 and 471.345.

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The combination of these two statutes gives members the ability to purchase from contracted vendors while remaining in compliance with the Minnesota competitive bidding requirements.

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View our Cooperative Purchasing Vendor Directory.

Express Purchasing Connection

Express brings you the ease and convenience of ordering from multiple vendors on one site while knowing that the contracts you are purchasing from have been chosen according to state purchasing regulations.

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Search for products in the following categories:

Building & Grounds
Classroom Supplies
Office Supplies
Technology
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The easiest way to sign up at the Cooperative Purchasing Express website:

Go to cpcexpress.org
On the left side of the page and 2/3rd down is a blue "register now" button. Click it.
Fill out the form - There are six parts of the form you must complete. They all have asterisks on them. The rest of the parts are optional. Notice that when you put down your school or CCOGA name a drop down list comes up of all the eligible organizations. You can use this to finish your organization name.
You will get a confirmation email shortly. Click on the verification link and then you can jump right in and start shopping!
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Any questions?

Please contact us at express@purchasingconnection.org or by phone at (888) 739-3289.

Contact This Department

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Mentoring & Induction

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