Under both the Mentor teacher and the Teacher Leader designation are the following words which set off alarm bells in my head: For mentor teacher you have to receive "a recommendation for the designation from an employing Virginia school division superintendent or designee or accredited nonpublic school head..." Under Teacher Leader you have to be an NBCT OR have "a recommendation from an employing Virginia school division superintendent or designee or accredited nonpublic school head...." Here's my problem with that: too subjective; too open to "favors" for friends that will erode the efficacy of these positions and titles. Too many opportunities to make the entire profession look bad and the process look like a sham. Ask Fairfax county teachers who remember how their early attempts (in the 80's?) at identifying "master teachers" worked out when the designation was left up to the school head to select. Lots of resentment and damaged relationships were left in the wake of that experiment. I would like to see these ladders based on some kind of documentation. In my mind, national boards have always resolved the "political favor" problem by making the assessments blind (candidates identified by number only). Along with these career designations should be some assumption of leadership within the building. Question: Why does a teacher earn the title of "mentor teacher" only AFTER mentoring for three years? Why wouldn't a teacher be moved into the mentoring role, perhaps receive some training and THEN become a mentor?