ABSTRACT
Zumwalt & Craig (2005) note that in recent decades, new, fi rst-time teachers represent an increasing proportion of the teaching force. Additionally, available studies indicate that new teachers tend to fi nd their fi rst jobs in lower performing schools with high numbers of minority and low-income students (Zumwalt & Craig, 2005). This is certainly the case for graduates of our university in the Pacifi c Northwest. Most accept fi rst-time teaching positions in hard-to-staff, rural schools with high linguistic and cultural minority populations in Oregon and western Idaho. Furthermore, data indicate that many new teachers leave the profession during their fi rst three years of teaching (Ingersoll, 2001; National Center for Education Statistics, 2007), making support for beginning teachers even more important.
