Starting this month, beginning teachers and their mentors—in consultation with their district—have the option of replacing TEAM reflection papers and project submissions with mentorship engagement logs documenting at least 10 hours of mentoring per module. Consistent with current practice, two or more modules per year are required. Modules include classroom environment, planning, instruction, assessment, and professional responsibility.
The 2026-2027 school year marks a transition year piloting this new process, which focuses more deeply on professional dialogue and growth. Although beginning teachers (those in the first three years) and their mentors can continue with reflection papers and projects this coming school year, that model will be phased out in 2027. The Connecticut State Department of Education, therefore, encourages transitioning to the new TEAM 2.0 model, using mentorship engagement logs in the 2026-2027 school year.
The shift to this new model comes as a result of research into recent feedback from beginning teachers and mentors as well as decades of dashboard data identifying trends in how participants experience and perceive the TEAM Program. TEAM 2.0 offers greater flexibility, differentiated experience reflecting educators’ roles and contexts, learning demonstrated through classroom practice and application rather than reflection papers, and improvements to mentor recruitment and training.
