
Role of Australian Government in school education • States and territories have responsibility for delivery of education • The Australian Government contributes significant funding and takes on a leadership and coordination role in policy development.
National Plan for School Improvement Five areas of reform: • Quality teaching • Quality learning • Empowered school leadership • Meeting student need • Transparency and accountability
The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) • AITSL provides leadership in promoting excellence in the teaching profession. • AITSL has developed: • The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers • The Australian Professional Standard for Principals • The Teacher Performance and Development Framework • Nationally consistent teacher registration • Certification of Highly Accomplished and Lead teachers
The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers • The Standards: • are a public statement of what constitutes teacher quality • make explicit the elements of high-quality teaching in 21st-century schools • make clear the knowledge, practice and professional engagement required across teachers' careers • contribute to the professionalisation of teaching and raise the status of the profession.
The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (continued) The four professional career stages of the Standards:
Teacher Performance and Development Framework • The Framework will help to build a culture of teacher quality, feedback and growth. • It will improve teacher effectiveness and consequently student outcomes. • It will ensure all teachers have access to effective, continuous and constructive feedback throughout their careers.
Importance of teacher performance and development • Quality of teaching • Improvement in student outcomes • Better appraisal and feedback • Targeted development
The Framework animation Click image to play
Teacher Certification • Teachers can be certified at the Highly Accomplished and Lead levels of the Standards. • Certification is voluntary and involves: • Initial self-assessment; • Submission of evidence, including a written statement addressing the standards; and • Classroom observation. • Certification is managed by each state or territory teacher regulatory body.
Certification offers opportunity for: • professional growth • national recognition and portability • enhancing collaboration within and across schools • career progression while remaining in the classroom • improving practice in order to improve outcomes for students
Certification (continued) • Under the Rewards for Great Teachers initiative, teachers certified at the Highly Accomplished or Lead levels will receive a one-off bonus payment.
Where to find out more National Plan for School Improvement: www.betterschools.gov.au Teacher Standards, Teacher Performance and Development Framework and Certification: www.aitsl.edu.au Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations: www.deewr.gov.au