Impacts of the Retired Mentors for New Teachers program

Title:	Impacts of the Retired Mentors for New Teachers program
Description:	This study evaluates the impact of the Retired Mentors for New Teachers Program, a two-year intervention at the elementary-school level. The program pairs recently retired, master educators with probationary teachers in high-need schools. These retired educators provide the teachers with weekly support over two years that includes tailored in-class observations, coaching, and mentoring. The study used a randomized controlled trial approach to assess the program’s impact on student learning in reading and math, on teacher turnover, and on teacher evaluation ratings. To assist education leaders interested in replicating the program, the study also gathered detailed data on the program’s cost to the school district and return on investment over time. Key findings include that students of teachers collaborating with retired mentors demonstrated a significant improvement in math achievement equivalent to one month’s worth of added instructional time. At an annual local cost of $171 per student, the positive impacts on math achievement produce a return on investment that can pay back the program’s cost more than 15 times over, through increased student earnings over time.
Online Availability:	Download, view and print the report as a pdf file. (521KB)
Cover Date:	March 2017
Web Release:	March 14, 2017
Publication #:	REL 2017225
Center/Program:	REL
Associated Centers:	NCEE
Authors:	Dale DeCesare, Abby McClelland: Augenblick, Palaich and Associates; Bruce Randel: Century Analytics
Type of Product:	Impact Study
Keywords:	Faculty Professional Development Randomized Control Trials Teachers
Questions:	For questions about the content of this Impact Study, please contact: Amy Johnson.