For the National Center to Improve Policy and Practice in Special Education Professional Development, a group of district administrators recently completed an analysis of state policy on induction and mentoring. State policy is important because it helps districts design and deliver induction programs and supplements local resources that are made available to support beginning teachers and their mentors. When induction policy is linked to state policy on teacher standards, preparation, and certification and licensure, a comprehensive framework for teacher professional development may be established. In this paper, the authors identify the components of policy that promote high-quality mentoring practice, analyze the status of state policies throughout the United States, and consider how state policy influences mentoring programs. (Contains 1 table.)