To support Relay students and their programs, each state and licensure pathway may have specific mentor requirements. Below is a summary of expectations for mentors, organized by student pathway and state. Please be sure to review your state guidance for additional state specific requirements. 

 

 State-by-State Requirements

Colorado

• Residency first year and Non-Resident first year: Must comply with Colorado Department of Education and Colorado Center for Rural Education guidelines, including 3 years of experience, effectiveness ratings, and specific subject-area support.
• Residency second year: No Relay mentor requirement; state rules apply.
• Non-Resident second year and Advanced Certificate: No mentor required.

Connecticut

• Residency and Non-Residents: Mentors must be experienced and in the same content area or grade band; no specific state qualifications.
• Mentors are required to provide a minimum of 50 mentoring hours over two years. Additional state requirements. 

Delaware

• All programs except Advanced Certificate: Mentor must meet Delaware Department of Education requirements, including teaching in a high-need school and sharing licensure/content area.
• must have satisfactory DPAS evaluations, and may not be on a DPAS Improvement Plan

Georgia

• Non-Resident and Residency first year: Mentor must be certified and meet experience/effectiveness standards. Mentor teaching certification credentials must match the mentee’s certification pathway. 
• Residency second year: State standards apply, no additional Relay requirements. 

Illinois

• All pathways except Advanced Certificate: Must follow Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) standards for mentoring, including formal mentor assignments and evaluations.

New Jersey

• Residency: Mentorship is embedded in program design and monitored by a Director of Clinical Practice. The mentor must have an instructional certificate and, when possible, is certified in the subject area in which the novice provisional teacher is working.
• Non-Resident: State requires an assigned mentor who provides weekly support and is trained per NJDOE rules. The mentor must have an instructional certificate and, when possible, is certified in the subject area in which the novice provisional teacher is working.

 

New York

• Residency first year and Non-Resident first year: Mentor must be experienced in the content/grade area; support should be weekly. The mentor must have a teaching certificate that matches the content area of the mentee.
• Residency second year and Non-Resident second year: Mentor support required for candidates on transitional B certification. The mentor must have a teaching certificate that matches the content area of the mentee. Additional state requirements. 

Pennsylvania

• Residency first year and Non-Resident first year: Relay faculty observe and support candidates; The mentor must be employed by the same school, similar endorsement.  
• Year 2 : The mentor must be employed by the same school, similar endorsement.  
• Advanced Certificate: No mentor required unless otherwise arranged.  

Rhode Island

• Residency first year and Non-Resident first year:  Mentor must have 3+ years of experience and hold a valid teaching certification in the same area as the resident. 
• Residency second year and Non-Resident second year: Mentor must have 3+ years of experience and hold a valid teaching certification in the same area as the resident. 

Tennessee

• Mentor teachers should be certified, experienced, and ideally in the same content area. Support is coordinated with LEAs.

Texas

• All pathways except Advanced Certificate: TEA mandates mentor teachers with 3+ years of experience, same certification area, training, and demonstrated results with students. Mentors must provide 1.5 hours of weekly support and participate in documentation and evaluation.

Washington, D.C.

• Non-Resident and Residency first year: Mentor must be certified and meet experience/effectiveness standards. Mentor teaching certification credentials must match the mentee’s certification pathway. Additional state requirements may apply. 
• Residency second year: Mentor teaching certification credentials must match the mentee’s certification pathway. Additional state requirements may apply. 

 

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Notes

• Mentor definitions vary by state, and districts or partner schools may set higher standards than Relay.
• Candidates should confirm expectations with their certifying state agency, program lead and/or residency director to ensure compliance.
• Relay does not require mentors for Advanced Certificate programs unless state rules apply