This report discusses a 2-year evaluation of the California Early Childhood Mentor Teacher Program (CECMTP), in which experienced child care teachers serve as mentors, using their classroom as a practicum environment to train student teachers. The evaluation assessed the extent to which CECMTP goals were met by answering the following three questions: (1) is the CECMTP reaching qualified and experienced teachers and positively influencing their efforts to improve quality in the community; (2) what are the strengths and weaknesses of the CECMTP as assessed by program participants; and (3) is mentoring an effective alternative for a field practicum compared to a traditional lab school experience? Seventy-eight mentors and 129 lab students, mentees, and community teachers employed in child care centers who had never participated in a supervised teaching course were surveyed. Observational data on classroom quality and teacher behavior was collected for the lab students, mentees, and community teachers. Findings indicated that mentor classrooms were rated as better than community classrooms, but not as good as lab sites, and as mentors gain experience mentoring, they become more effective teacher trainers. Recommendations included extending the connection between mentors and post-practica students, and increasing the pool of mentors serving low income children. (AJH)