To make matters worse, she said, school systems are not doing enough to mentor young teachers. Forman, who is freed from classroom duties for a year, was to be introduced in a White House ceremony with President Bush today. The National Education Association, a major teachers' union, reports that 20 percent of new hires leave teaching within two years, and that half of new teachers in urban public schools leave teaching after five years. 15 at the Middlebury school. The teacher of the year program, sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers and Scholastic Inc., the publisher of educational and children's books, named its first winner in 1952.
Colleagues generally nominate teachers for the state-level award.
The winner's home state and district ensure salary and benefits during the year away from the classroom.