Toledo Public Schools, Ohio

The Toledo Federation of Teachers and the Toledo Board of Education began implementing the Toledo Plan, the result of a labor-management agreement on peer mentoring and evaluation, in 1981. The plan provides an Intern Program to evaluate and develop new teachers' classroom teaching as well as peer review for veteran teachers. An Intern Board of Review, staffed by five union and four management representatives, and chaired by labor and management alternatively, determines teachers' status.

Effective Professional Development

Highly successful teachers released from classroom duties for up to three years work with the new and veteran teachers and receive a stipend in addition to their regular salaries. Novice teachers work with their assigned mentors for their first two semesters of teaching. The consulting teacher then conducts a complete evaluation of the new teachers' progress and success in meeting the teacher-developed performance standards set by the Toledo Public Schools. The consulting teacher then makes recommendations to the Intern Board of Review about the novice teachers' employment status. In addition to mentoring, new Toledo teachers attend a five-day New Teachers Academy before school begins.

Evaluating Effectiveness

The Toledo plan has received national recognition for improving teacher effectiveness, including the Innovations in American Government Award from Harvard University. Districts across the United States have replicated the plan.

This video talks more about Toledo's work:

This profile is based on Beach, A. & Kaboolian, L. (2003). Public Service Public Savings: Case Studies in Labor Management Initiatives in Four Public Services. Washington, DC: PSLMC.