This article analyzes teacher induction policy and practice in 12 districts in the urban Midwest. Attention is paid to induction policy as well as the enactment of induction in urban, suburban, and rural school districts. Findings suggest marked differences between district programs and little difference between states despite different policy contexts. Low levels of novice support were found in urban, high-minority, low-income districts while mid-range and high levels of novice support were found in suburban districts. In districts with low-quality induction programs, where novices and mentors struggled to feel satisfied with induction programs, retention and its ensuing challenges prevail. Abundant evidence suggests the importance of induction policies for new teacher training and retention in the U.S. (American Federation of Teachers, 1998; Smith & Ingersoll, 2004; Strong & St. John, 2001). This article addresses the induction policies in the states of Kansas and Missouri and illustrates the current effects of these policies on the practices of induction in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. (Contains 2 tables and 4 figures.)