Mentoring and first-year teacher supports: How do music educators measure up?

Professional development for early career educators was examined to determine potential differences in the quality of mentorship and school-provided supports for music and nonmusic disciplines. A nationally representative sample of early career educators (N = 6,134) drawn from the most current restricted-use Schools and Staffing Survey 2011–12 data was used to compare these engagements by discipline. Data were analyzed using ordinary least squares multiple regressions with state fixed effects to control for potential differences in educational polices. Results indicated that first-year music educators received significantly lower-quality mentorship and induction supports. Implications of this study include the need for school policy makers to strengthen the support provided to early career music educators such as offering partnerships with local music teacher mentors and music-specific induction programs.