Sacramento County Office of Education #115

Program Summary
The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) is the LEA for the Sacramento Induction Consortium, a
regional program that partners with school districts, charter organizations, and private schools to clear
teaching credentials. SCOE administers a CTC approved Induction program for Multiple and Single Subject
Clear and Education Specialist Clear Credential candidates (the latter program was approved in 2010). The
Sacramento Induction Program, housed within SCOEs School of Education, is a two-year program aimed at
providing support and assistance to teachers early in their career. Participating Teachers (PTs) in the program
can expect a purposeful, logically sequenced structure of professional development. The SCOE Induction
program has been serving participating teachers since 1997 and has built a reputation as a dynamic,
professional resource in our service region.
Program Design
The Sacramento County Office of Education employs qualified staff to lead the induction program.
The Program Director is given the level of authority to facilitate regular collaboration necessary to improve
candidate teaching and learning. SCOE has re-formed the BTSA Advisory group into the Educator
Credentialing Advisory Council that meets periodically to support the coordination of the administrative
components of the program. The programs leadership team also includes the SCOE Executive Director of the
School of Education, partner-identified BTSA Induction Coordinators who implement the program
successfully within his or her respective district in accordance with the BTSA goals, and the design team who
take a collaborative role in the leadership of the Sacramento Induction Consortium.
Strong partnerships have also been formed with Sacramento State University, University of CA Davis, private
universities with campuses in the Sacramento region, and intern programs serving Capital Region districts
such as Fortune School of Education. Representatives from co-sponsors are members of the SCOE Educator
Credentialing Advisory Council and/or the Capital Region Teacher Preparation Network. At these meetings,
information is shared reciprocally.
The Sacramento BTSA Consortium utilizes the Formative Assessment for California Teachers (FACT)
system, which is supported by the State of California, to support and inform participating teachers (PTs) about
their professional growth as they reflect and improve upon their teaching as part of a continuous improvement
cycle. Formative assessment data guides the classroom teacher in planning appropriate instruction to assist
students in focusing their learning. Through the FACT system PTs collect evidence for Induction Standards,
engage in focused professional growth activities of their choice, receive individualized support from a trained
Support Providers (SP), and engage in continuous reflection and discussion of evidence in order to make
professional judgments about their teaching practice. These assessment tools guide the participating teacher in
examining teaching practices and the characteristics of the class to maximize student learning. Additionally,
the participating teacher is asked to gather evidence that supports and documents how standards are met to
present at a summative event called the Professional Induction Presentation (PIP). This formative assessment
system is supported by the Commission and regularly undergoes feedback, evaluation, and modification
The Consortium establishes an annual Evaluation Plan to inform all stakeholders about how identified
evaluation tools will be used. This plan describes each assessment instrument, states the purpose, how each
tool will be used, and when each instrument will be administered. Assessments include those from multiple
internal and external sources, e.g. collected from MyBTSA records, candidate files, and local/informal
evaluation instruments. In addition state program evaluation survey data is used. The results of program
evaluation form the basis for adjustments and improvements in program design. Program sponsors also
participate in external reviews designed to examine program quality and effectiveness.

Course of Study (Curriculum and Field Experience)

Participating Teachers receive professional development aimed at their immediate and specific needs, interests, and goals
as an extension of their prior experiences in their pre-service programs, and their PACT/TPA rubric performance. PTs
work with their SPs as described to develop goals and objectives for their Individual Induction Plans (IIPs) and design a
professional development Action Plan to address their individual needs. The program includes full support and a
thorough and frequent monitoring of progress through classroom observations, written and verbal feedback, and
assistance in implementation of the formative assessment tools used in the state developed Formative Assessment for
California Teachers (FACT), weekly conversations, mentoring, curriculum support, professional materials and learning
opportunities, model lessons, and communication with site administrators regarding school site teacher needs. The
sequence of coursework is described in the chart.

Assessment of Candidates
The Sacramento BTSA Consortium recognizes that teaching is a complex process and that new teachers need a
logically sequenced structure of extended preparation, professional development, and support to continue developing
the skills and abilities needed to foster learning with a diverse student population. The program provides advice to
applicants across their experience through many avenues.
SCOE uses the Formative Assessment for California Teachers (FACT), to assess, inform, and support PTs as they
grow in their professional practice. Induction leadership regularly assesses all aspects of the program to ensure that
activities and FACT tools reflect a logical developmental progression for PTs. The feedback received has confirmed
that the progression of FACT works for all of the stakeholders within the BTSA Induction Program.
In addition to FACT, the program uses the Continuum of Teaching Practice. SPs work with PTs to locate their
practice on this rubric. During the mid-year review, the PTs participate in a process to reassess their practice on the
Continuum and make necessary adjustments to their goals, objectives and next steps as delineated on their IIP.
Portfolios are reviewed mid-year and assessed in May.
The Sacramento BTSA Consortium requires each segment of the program to be successfully completed in order to
recommend a candidate for a Clear Credential. Each participating teacher tracks program progress of these
requirements on his or her password protected MyBTSA website. Each support provider is trained to review
documentation and to understand the rubric for evaluating whether work is complete. This database records include:
Documentation of teaching performance assessment (TPA) outcomes from the professional teacher
education program, when available
Posted Individual Induction Plan (IIP) and all revisions. The IIP documents planned professional growth
activities based on formative assessment information and individual needs. When available, the PT will
bring an exit IIP from the teacher preparation program that will form the baseline for continued professional
growth and development
Completion of the Formative Assessment for California Teachers (FACT) modules that demonstrate
application of the California Standards for the Teaching Profession (CSTP), state-adopted frameworks and
adopted curriculum materials in one content area in the context of his/her instructional practice, and the
Induction Program Standards, beyond what was demonstrated for the preliminary credential
Participation in professional development activities as indicated on the IIP
Attendance at quarterly seminars
Consistent communication with a support provider
It is the intent of the program that all participating teachers successfully complete the Induction Program. Thus, the
Sacramento Induction Consortium provides an online data collection and reporting system that collects, stores,
tracks, and transfers data. This system ensures that PTs can monitor their progress towards successful completion.
Program leaders can review uploaded FACT documents to help monitor and guide the PTs progress
The Sacramento Induction Consortium takes its role in credentialing seriously and will not grant a clear credential
until all completion requirements are met and the candidate has provided evidence of having exhibited all aspects of
the California Standards for the Teaching Profession and the Induction Program Standards at a professional level.
Upon completion of all credential and program requirements, PTs share FACT documents and supporting evidence
at a summative event. The program reviews the candidates portfolio and the Program Director recommends all
candidates who complete all work using the online credential recommendation system through CTC. Records are
maintained of all recommendations and all CTC verifications.
Conclusion
The Sacramento Induction Program is highly regarded because activities are situated within the context of the school
and the district, the program is flexible, and the leadership is committed to a culture of partnership and to the vision
of professionalism. Induction is not done to the teacher, but with the teacher. New teachers connect their areas
of focus to the needs of their students, the classroom, and the school. Opportunities are offered for the new teachers
to collaborate, self-select professional development, and engage in standards-based evaluation. Support providers
have opportunities to meet as a group to problem solve and hone their mentoring skills, and lastly, SCOE attempts to
build leaders who understand and support new teacher growth.