Policies & Procedures

Non-Discrimination Policy

Acalanes Union High School District abides by non-discrimination policies for decisions around participants in the program and are made without consideration of differences due to gender or other constitutionally or legally prohibited considerations. These decisions include those regarding the admission, retention, progress monitoring,  and program completion. 

A non-discrimination policy for employees and Induction Candidates is provided via annual notifications and is posted on the AUHSD’s  website .

Grievance Process

Induction Candidates are informed of the grievance process during the annual beginning year Orientation. Participating Teachers confirm that they have received information regarding all program policies, including the Grievance Process, by completing the Participating Teacher Induction Program Agreement Form.

If a Participating Teacher has a concern or complaint regarding any aspect of the Induction Program, that cannot be addressed with or through the Mentor, the Candidate will begin the Grievance Process described below.

Step One: Informal Complaint.

• Candidate emails the Coordinator of New Teacher Support, who oversees the Induction Program, to request a meeting to discuss concerns and work towards a resolution. 

Step Two: Formal Complaint

• If the issue is not resolved informally (Step 1), a written complaint may be submitted to the Coordinator of New Teacher Support.

• The Coordinator of New Teacher Support will conduct an investigation and meet with all parties within 15 working days of receipt of the complaint.

• After the meeting, the Coordinator of New Teacher Support will send a written response to the complainant within three working days.

Step Three: Appeal to the Deputy Superintendent of Administrative Services

• If unresolved at Step 2, the complainant may file an appeal with the Deputy Superintendent of Administrative Services using the same Grievance Form.

• The Deputy Superintendent of Administrative Services will conduct an investigation and meet with the complainant within 15 working days upon receipt of the complaint.

• After the meeting, the Deputy Superintendent of Administrative Services will prepare a written response to the complainant within 20 working days.

Extensions, Leaves and Transfers

Extensions

The AUHSD Induction process has been carefully designed for completion within a  two-year timeline (one year for ECO Candidates). Due to extenuating personal circumstances, if a Participating Teacher is unable to complete the Induction requirements within the required timeline, an extension may be requested in writing and submitted to the Coordinator of New Teacher Support by either the Mentor or Candidate.  

Depending on the length of the extension requested, the AUHSD Induction Program may require verification of the circumstances leading to such a request. The conditions of extension will be documented in writing and may not exceed more than one academic semester.

Leave of Absence

If a Participating Teacher takes a leave of absence from AUHSD during their Induction enrollment, they are required to submit a copy of the AUHSD Human Resources document granting approval for their leave (with the estimated duration) to the Coordinator of New Teacher Support.

An approved Leave of Absence will, in effect, halt the two-year Induction timeline. If the circumstances of the Leave of Absence change, the teacher must notify the Coordinator of New Teacher Support in writing.

Transfer to Another Induction Program

If an Participating Teacher (PT) leaves AUHSD midway through the Induction Program (after the completion one year) to seek employment at either a public or private k-12 school, their Induction documentation may be transferred to another CTC approved Induction Program in California. Upon the request of the PT, a transcript can be sent to another accredited Induction program. AUHSD can not send transcripts, unless the PT has agreed to their release in writing.

Request to Change Mentor

AUHSD Mentors are highly qualified veteran teachers, who have been trained to facilitate a collaborative inquiry process to benefit Participating Teachers.. However, if the initial Mentor/Teacher pairing, due to scheduling conflicts and/or lack of collegial connection looks to hinder an Induction Candidate's professional growth, the Coordinator of New Teacher Support will facilitate a Mentor change. Induction Candidates must submit their email their request for a Mentor change within the first 30 days of starting the program. Requests made after this period will trigger the Grievance Process outlined below.

Teach-Out Plan

In the event that AUHSD’s Teacher Induction Program closes, each enrolled Participating Teacher (PT) will have the opportunity to complete their Induction requirements through the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) Teacher Induction Program, unless the PT withdraws, is dropped or is admitted to another program.  CCCOE has provided a letter to affirm that each PT’s Induction journey would continue with minimal disruptions. The Coordinator of New Teacher Support will provide individualized guidance and consultation to PT’s in order to guarantee a smooth and successful transition.

To this end, AUHSD guarantees to provide the following written documentation to CCOE’s Teacher Induction Program:

• An individual transition plan.

• Details of remaining requirements to finish the program/year.

• A transcript of completed activities through an Induction Transcript.