Citigroup Foundation Grant Targets New Teacher Retention in Santa Barbara County

To address Santa Barbara County’s critical need for new teacher support and to encourage more new teachers to stay in the profession longer, the Citigroup Foundation and Teachers Network are working with the Santa Barbara County Education Office to support the New Teacher Resource Program. The Citigroup Foundation is the pioneering and sole corporate sponsor of the program in California, having awarded an overall grant of $144,900 this year, in addition to major support last year, which is directly benefiting seven educational entities throughout the state. Since January 2004, the Citigroup Foundation has awarded more than $1.7 million in grants to support education programs in California.

“We are extremely grateful to the Citigroup Foundation for providing the funding that has enabled us to support new teachers in those critical first two years,” said County Superintendent Bill Cirone, who chairs the board of Teachers Network.

“We know that we lose a lot of talented, capable individuals in those first few years if we do not give them support like the kind they receive through BTSA (Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment program) induction programs. The resource materials made possible by the Citigroup Foundation make a real difference,” he said.

Through the New Teacher Resource Program, new teachers throughout Santa Barbara County receive excellent support materials, including a New Teachers Handbook, a two CD-ROM set of Successful Teaching Practices in Action, and access to New Teacher Online Survival Courses that are aligned with topics covered in the handbook. At the beginning of the school year, all participating teachers in Santa Barbara County attend an orientation seminar where these materials are distributed.

Dr. Lynnette Cavazos, director of the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment program (BTSA) run through the Santa Barbara County Education Office, coordinates the program in California. She piloted the program with six educational entities in California last year — in total, supporting approximately 750 teachers in the Santa Barbara County Education Office, Compton Unified, Los Angeles County Office of Education, Norwalk-La Mirada Unified, San Jose Unified, and Santa Clara County Office of Education. This year, a seventh site has been added: the Sacramento County Office of Education.

“The shortage of top-notch teachers is a critical issue facing many California school systems,” said Cali Garcia-Velez, president of Citibank West, a member of Citigroup. “We believe supporting the development of new teachers on the job is a smart investment that will result in higher teacher retention rates and improved student achievement. The partnership between the Citigroup Foundation, Teachers Network, and the Santa Barbara County Education Office will provide new teachers with the resources and encouragement they need to be successful in the classroom.”

As an integral part of the New Teacher Resource Program, new teachers have access to five online courses essential to their success: Classroom Management; Aligning Standards, Curriculum & Assessment; Strategic Planning; Families as Partners; and Teaching Methods. Courses are conveniently available from either a teacher’s home or school computer. Access to these courses — along with the complementary CD-ROM set of videos and the New Teachers Handbook — are all provided to teachers as part of the Citigroup Foundation grant.  

“The resources available through the New Teacher Resource Program — provided through the Citigroup Foundation — were incredibly helpful tools that really helped me in my day-to-day work with students in the classroom,” shared one of the many teachers participating in this groundbreaking program throughout California. “For example, I am so thankful for the suggestions on classroom management and how to work with parents — as well as for the wide variety of teaching strategies that the Handbook, CD-ROMS, and on-line courses have provided me. This kind of support keeps me motivated and eager to keep teaching.”

The Santa Barbara County BTSA Induction Program serves all 23 school districts in the county, plus teachers in Santa Barbara County Education Office divisions. The program currently serves 200 new teachers as well as experienced teachers who serve as support providers.

The goals of the BTSA induction program include ensuring professional success; providing an effective transition into a career in education; improving the educational performance of students; ensuring that an individual induction plan for each participating teacher is based on ongoing observation and reflection; ensuring that a support provider gives intensive individualized support; improving the rigor and consistency of performance assessments and the usefulness of those assessments to teachers and decision-makers; and examining alternative ways through which the public and educational professionals can be assured that new teachers who remain in the field have attained acceptable levels of professional competence.

“We are currently serving 200 new teachers in Santa Barbara County,” explained Dr. Cavazos. “The aim is to develop caring, competent, and qualified teachers for every student attending school within the county.” The retention rate for BTSA participating teachers in this county is close to 95 percent.

About Teachers Network
Teachers Network is a non-profit organization—by teachers, for teachers—with a 25-year track record of success, dedicated to improving student learning in public schools nationally and internationally. Teachers Network is unique in its focus on professional development as the key to improving student achievement. Using the power of an award-winning website, videos, and print resources, Teachers Network leverages the creativity and expertise of a national and international community of outstanding educators. Through its leadership, Teachers Network empowers teachers to transform public schools into creative learning communities. For more information about Teachers Network, see www.teachersnetwork.org.

About Citigroup and the Citigroup Foundation
Citigroup (NYSE: C), the leading global financial services company, has some 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 100 countries, providing consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, and wealth management. Major brand names under Citigroup's trademark red umbrella include Citibank, CitiFinancial, Primerica, Smith Barney and Banamex. The Citigroup Foundation focuses its grants primarily in three areas: building communities and entrepreneurs, financial education, and educating the next generation. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com.