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By Carrie Marovich
Monday, October 14, 2013
Challenged by crowded college classes and saddled by spiking tuition fees, newly-minted teachers in California have a new adversary to confront – a potential fee of up to $2,500 some employers are charging for induction training that is required for most incoming classroom educators.
Induction programs are generally operated by school districts, county offices of education and some universities. They provide mentoring, support and critical feedback to beginning teachers during their first years in the profession.
The state has in the past provided districts as much as $4,000 per participating teacher to provide the service – but that money has been absorbed into the new Local Control Funding Formula and cash-strapped districts are struggling to find ways to cover the expense.
Sean McCarthy, Instructional Support Coordinator for Murrieta Valley Unified, said his district is committed to teacher induction and so far, wants to keep the expense off the new teachers -- but there’s growing concern about the impact
Even as President Obama and GOP House leaders appear to edge closer to a deal on the federal shutdown – schools across the country and in California face the unhappy likelihood of having to dip into their general fund money to pay for subsidized meals soon if the standoff continues.