The RIMS-BTSA Consortium Professional Teacher Induction Program represents a large consortium of four county offices of education (Riverside, Inyo, Mono, and San Bernardino), two institutions of higher education (California State University, San Bernardino and University of California, Riverside), and over 100 additional participating agencies across California, including public school districts, charter schools, private schools, and the California Education Authority. The program annually serves approximately 2,000 teachers within the state of California.
Each agency within the consortium has specific roles and responsibilities. The Riverside County Office of Education, the program sponsor, is responsible for the coordination and implementation of the program. Inyo, Mono, and San Bernardino counties support these efforts as cosponsors. California State University, San Bernardino, College of Education, provides curriculum and instructional support to the program. The Teacher Professional Development Program at the University of California, Riverside, Graduate School of Education, is responsible for data collection and research studies for the RIMS-BTSA Induction Program.
The participating agencies are responsible for identifying eligible participating teachers and selecting qualified support providers, as well as providing any district required professional development training for their participating teachers and support providers.
All agencies demonstrate strong institutional commitment to teacher induction by devoting substantial staff time and resources to the RIMS-BTSA Induction Program. The commitment of collaboration within the consortium provides a unique strength to the process of teacher induction.
Our Vision
The Vision of the RIMS-BTSA Consortium Professional Teacher Induction Program is to provide the bridge between the pre-service teacher preparation programs and real-world applications in the classroom. The induction process introduces and enhances the value of professional reflection that leads to lifelong professional growth. The program strives to provide experiences and support for the participating teacher leading to a practice that portrays an accomplished level of professional teaching.
Our Mission
The Mission of the RIMS-BTSA Consortium Professional Teacher Induction Program is to:
- enhance the academic achievement and overall growth of students by providing formative support
and assessment to the participating teacher;
- improve teaching performance through mentoring, reflection, and self-assessment;
- promote the professional well-being of participating teachers through the support process;
- retain well-qualified teachers in the profession;
- fulfill the requirements related to new teacher induction and the California credentialing process.
Program Goals and Objectives
Teacher induction programs endeavor to provide participating teachers with an exemplary program of personalized professional development based on the California Standards for the Teaching Profession. These standards reflect a holistic, developmental view of teaching and address the diversity of students and teachers in California schools today. Participating teachers demonstrate effective teaching skills to educate students who are culturally, linguistically, and academically diverse through the lens of equity for all learners. Planning and delivery of classroom instruction is linked to a teacher’s understanding of the students and school community, the subject matter and curriculum, and effective instructional methods and strategies including the use of technology to enhance instruction.
The induction process recognizes and values the diversity of teachers’ backgrounds, perspectives, skills, knowledge, and practices. Although the standards articulate a common vision of excellence in teaching, the induction program honors the fact that different teachers have different ways to fulfill the standards effectively and to pursue excellence in their own professional practice.
The induction process is embedded primarily in a one-on-one mentor relationship between the participating teacher and the support provider. Teachers are provided opportunities to apply key learning to their classroom practice through a system for self-assessment and reflection and professional development activities tailored to their individual teaching needs.