relative to providing an induction program for new teachers.

HB 1608 requires all school districts to establish an induction program for new teachers during their first three years of practice. The bill mandates that every beginning teacher be assigned a trained mentor within the first two weeks of employment, along with a support team that includes an administrator qualified to evaluate teachers. To ensure objectivity, the legislation explicitly prohibits mentors from having any evaluation oversight of the teachers they support. Districts must provide release time for both mentors and new teachers to conduct classroom observations and mentoring activities, while also submitting annual reports detailing program activities, participant numbers, and retention rates to the Department of Education.