ACCREDITATION OF TEACHERS POLICY OPERATIONAL POLICY

Transcription

1 ACCREDITATION OF TEACHERS POLICY OPERATIONAL POLICY June

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS... 2 BACKGROUND... 4 PURPOSE... 5 POLICY OBJECTIVES... 5 PART ACCREDITATION OF TEACHERS The Teacher Accreditation Authority (TAA) Provisional and Conditional accreditation of teachers Accreditation of casual teachers at the point of engagement Role of the school principal in the accreditation of casual teachers at the point of engagement Accreditation of teachers returning after an absence of 5 or more years Recognition of interstate teachers Leave of absence from accreditation Appeals Application for accreditation Role of the TAA following accreditation at the point of employment Role of BOSTES Role of the external assessor Role of the principal Role of the supervising teacher Role of the mentor Role of the teacher presenting at Proficient PART THE PATH TO ACCREDITATION AT PROFICIENT Process for accreditation Developing consistent practice against the Standard Descriptors Length of employment before making accreditation decisions Maximum relevant timeframe for gaining Proficient Casual and part-time teachers length of service for completion of mandatory accreditation Extending the maximum period Accreditation at Proficient Teacher for returning teachers Resource support for teachers in the Diocese of Broken Bay Review and analysis of teaching programs and student learning outcomes Classroom observations The role of self assessment Sources of evidence collection The accreditation decision The accreditation report Maintaining records of accreditation Transferring records Non-accreditation

3 PART REFUSAL AND REVOCATION OF ACCREDITATION AT PROFICIENT A decision of the Catholic Schools Office to refuse to accredit at Proficient Application for an Internal Review The review panel Process for the review Outcomes of the review Appeal to the Administrative Decisions Tribunal (ADT) Flowchart of a decision not to accredit A decision of the Catholic Schools Office to revoke or suspend Accreditation PART NON-FINANCIAL TEACHERS PART REVIEW OF A DECISION TO DECLINE ACCREDITATION AT HIGHLY ACCOMPLISHED / LEAD STANDARD ANNEXURE A

4 BACKGROUND Work on the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers commenced under the auspices of the Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs (MCEECDYA) in Significant work was undertaken by the National Standards Sub-group of the Australian Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs Senior Officials Committee (AEEYSOC) during The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) assumed responsibility for validating and finalising the Standards in July The new Australian Professional Standards for Teachers were approved by the NSW Minister for Education on 27 July 2012 and phased in from 1 October 2012 by BOSTES. The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers provide the framework for accreditation. 1 They describe what teachers need to know, understand and practice to be able to ensure quality learning opportunities for students. The standards form a foundation for career planning and assist teachers to map and determine their professional learning and development needs. Accreditation processes provide a tool for professional engagement amongst teachers on issues of quality teaching. The Institute of Teachers Act 2004 (the Act) provides the foundation for accreditation at Proficient. Accreditation is required of teachers following a period of practice through a schoolbased accreditation process of demonstrating achievement of the teaching standards at Proficient. Under the Act, the Director of Schools in the Diocese of Broken Bay is the Teacher Accreditation Authority (TAA) who has delegated to school principals responsibility for developing, implementing and monitoring a school based accreditation process that meets the requirements of the Act. Teachers are first accredited (provisionally or conditionally) based on an assessment of their qualifications. The Initial Accreditation Policy is available on the BOSTES website. This policy document should be read with reference to other relevant material, in particular the Catholic Schools Office Induction Planner (refer Annexure A) 1 The NSW Professional Teaching Standards were replaced by the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers following a transition period between 1 Oct 2012 and Dec

5 PURPOSE The purpose of this document, Policy on Accreditation of Teachers, is to outline the framework for accreditation and supporting infrastructure in the Diocese of Broken Bay. It is intended as a guide to provide information to principals, supervising teachers, mentors and teachers in general on the Catholic Schools Office (TAA) procedures for accreditation. The policy supports the implementation of BOSTES policy as it relates to: the accreditation of teachers at the point of employment the accreditation of teachers at Proficient the voluntary accreditation of teachers at the levels of Highly Accomplished and Lead It incorporates advice previously given in BOSTES Policy for the Accreditation of Returning Teachers and Policy for the Accreditation of Casual, Temporary and Part-time Teachers (2005). The policy sets out the requirements of accreditation and describes the roles and responsibilities of the teacher working towards accreditation, Teacher Accreditation Authority, BOSTES, the principal, supervisor, mentor and external assessor. The policy outlines the requirements for teachers to demonstrate the: Standard Descriptors in the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers The requirements will help to establish fair, consistent and valid processes for mandatory accreditation at Proficient. Underpinning the policy is a process of nurturing and supporting the accreditation candidate s entry or re-entry into the teaching profession. POLICY OBJECTIVES The Policy on Accreditation of Teachers seeks to achieve the following objectives: to maintain a high quality of teaching in New South Wales to assist early career and returning teachers to develop their practice consistent with expected practice represented by the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers to assist schools in supporting teachers to integrate the Standard Descriptors into their classroom practice to support the knowledge, skills and capabilities of teachers by providing appropriate recognition of classroom practice. 5

6 PART 1 ACCREDITATION OF TEACHERS 1.1 The Teacher Accreditation Authority (TAA) The Teacher Accreditation Authority (TAA) is a person or body authorised to determine if a teacher meets the requirements for accreditation within BOSTES Framework of Professional Standards for Teachers. The Catholic Schools Office, Diocese of Broken Bay has been approved by the Minister for Education as a TAA and initially accredits teachers employed or engaged in Broken Bay Diocesan systemic schools at the point of employment. The Director of Schools, as representative of the authority vested in the Broken Bay TAA, has delegated the responsibility for accreditation at Proficient to school principals. Since January , it has been a legislative requirement for the CSO to either provisionally or conditionally accredit teachers at the point of employment. Provisional and conditional accreditation for teachers must be provided by the Teacher Accreditation Authority for the school in which the teacher is first employed. This accreditation is transferable and is independent of the schools or school systems in which the teacher may work. The decision to accredit a teacher either provisionally or conditionally is made against an assessment of the applicant s initial teacher education qualifications. A person who has completed a course of Initial Teacher Education approved by the Minister is deemed to have met the Graduate standards for teachers and will be provisionally accredited on employment. 1.2 Provisional and Conditional accreditation of teachers Subject to an application for accreditation, the Catholic Schools Office will provisionally accredit a Teacher if she/he has: a) completed a recognised course of Initial Teacher Education from a NSW university b) completed a course of Initial Teacher Education recognised by a Teacher Registration Authority from another Australian State or Territory c) teaching qualifications as recognised within the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (AEI-NOOSR). This involves an assessment of the initial teacher qualifications to ensure the teacher has undertaken an approved course as outlined in the Act. A teacher applicant is required to produce a Statement of Eligibility which has been issued by the Eligibility Assessment Unit at BOSTES. Subject to an application for accreditation, the Catholic Schools Office will conditionally accredit a Teacher if she/he: a) holds only a degree that is relevant to the area in which she/he is to be employed to teach, OR b) has still to complete the final year of a four year teacher education qualification. Part 1 Accreditation of Teachers 6

7 Teachers who are conditionally accredited under (a) must agree to complete: i. either, a recognised teacher education qualification (e.g. Diploma of Education or equivalent) OR ii. a structured program of professional development approved by the Teacher Accreditation Authority. Teachers who are conditionally accredited under (b) must complete the final year of their four year course. Conditionally accredited teachers must work under the on-site supervision of a teacher who is neither provisionally nor conditionally accredited. The Catholic Schools Office may refuse to accredit a person, other than a person who is conditionally accredited as a teacher, who does not have a teaching qualification or a degree that is relevant to the area in which she/he proposes to teach. Such a person may not undertake the work of a teacher as defined in the Act. 1.3 Accreditation of casual teachers at the point of engagement A casual teacher is considered to be a teacher for the purpose of the Act if he or she is undertaking the duties that would normally be undertaken by a person who is defined as a teacher under the Act. Casual teachers will be provisionally or conditionally accredited by the Catholic Schools Office using the same criteria and processes as for accreditation of full-time teachers. This involves an assessment of their initial teacher qualifications to ensure they have undertaken an approved course as outlined in the Act. Casual teachers who are conditionally accredited will be required to complete a program of teacher education as described in the Act. A casual teacher who is conditionally accredited may only work in a school under the onsite supervision of another teacher who is not provisionally or conditionally accredited. 1.4 Role of the school principal in the accreditation of casual teachers at the point of engagement The school principal has been delegated with the responsibilities at school level to assist the Catholic Schools Office in its obligations as a Teacher Accreditation Authority at the point of engagement of casual teachers. Procedure at point of offer of casual work When a teacher seeks to be included on a school s casual list, the principal or delegate must ensure that if the teacher was first employed to teach in a NSW school after 1 October 2004, or has returned to teaching after an absence of more than five years that the teacher is either provisionally or conditionally accredited before he or she may commence teaching. Part 1 Accreditation of Teachers 7

8 The principal has a responsibility to: require the teacher to provide written evidence that she or he - has been classified to work in the Diocese of Broken Bay; - has been accredited by a Teacher Accreditation Authority in NSW (including the Catholic Schools Office, Broken Bay); - has financial currency with BOSTES; - is within their achieve by date for Proficient or is within the end of maintenance period date If the teacher is able to provide evidence of accreditation details, the teacher may be engaged for casual work; advise the teacher to seek application for accreditation with BOSTES prior to being employed in the Diocese of Broken Bay, if the teacher has not already done so. 1.5 Accreditation of teachers returning after an absence of 5 or more years Teachers returning to teaching after an absence of 5 or more years will be accredited following their successful application online to BOSTES. Returning teachers will be provisionally or conditionally accredited by the Catholic Schools Office using the same criteria and processes as for accreditation of full time teachers. Returning teachers are able to access the same level of support and supervision made available to full time teachers to support their accreditation at Proficient. 1.6 Recognition of interstate teachers BOSTES has recognition arrangements with all state and territory registration authorities in Australia. Teachers coming to NSW from interstate will need to be accredited provisionally before they are eligible to apply to have their existing registration recognised in NSW. Teachers who have full and current registration with another authority will be eligible for Proficient status in NSW. Evidence must be provided to BOSTES within 60 days of initial accreditation and ongoing maintenance of accreditation requirements will apply. Teachers holding current registration from Queensland and Western Australia must complete a signed Authority to Release Information statement, which can be downloaded on the BOSTES website under the following link, Home - Teaching in NSW - Interstate Teachers. This must be provided to BOSTES along with evidence of current registration. 1.7 Leave of absence from accreditation Teachers may apply in writing to BOSTES for leave of absence from their accreditation, suspending their timeframe for the period they are not teaching. Details are available at BOSTES Policy for Leave of Absence from Accreditation. Part 1 Accreditation of Teachers 8

9 1.8 Appeals The teacher can request a review of a decision to refuse their accreditation. The Act specifies that a person may apply to the Administrative Decisions Tribunal (ADT) for a review of decision to refuse accreditation. If the candidate is refused accreditation, he/she must be informed of their right to request a review of the decision by the ADT at the time they are informed of the decision. Before applying for a review by the ADT, the candidate must request that the TAA reviews the decision. This is called an internal review. Requests for an internal review must be made in writing and must be made within14 days of the candidate being informed of the TAA s decision. The TAA or representative must acknowledge the candidate s request for an internal review within 14 days from the receipt of request. 1.9 Application for accreditation All offers of employment to teachers are conditional on the teacher being appropriately accredited. Any teacher who was first employed to teach in a NSW school after 1 October 2004 or a person who is returning to teaching after an absence of more than five years may not teach in New South Wales without accreditation. Teachers who wish to teach in a systemic school in the Diocese of Broken Bay must be accredited prior to commencing employment. Applications for accreditation are made online through the BOSTES website. Teachers, who apply for accreditation with the Catholic Schools Office and are yet to be classified to work in the Diocese, will have their accreditation application processed concurrently with their classification application. The accreditation process is separate from the classification process. A Statement of Eligibility from BOSTES is not evidence that a teacher has been accredited. Accreditation must still be sought from the TAA nominated in the online application. Teachers seeking accreditation with the Catholic Schools Office Broken Bay, must provide a Statement of Eligibility with their application. Following an accreditation decision, the CSO will provide advice in writing to the teacher of his/her accreditation, specifying whether it is Provisional or Conditional. This document is retained on the teacher s payroll record Role of the TAA following accreditation at the point of employment The TAA is endorsed by BOSTES and as such is responsible for the implementation of the accreditation policies under the Act (2004) as set out in the Teacher Accreditation Manual including: ensuring that the teacher has access to all necessary information published by BOSTES, including the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, Evidence Guide and accreditation support documents. Part 1 Accreditation of Teachers 9

10 communicating to the teacher the professional development opportunities and resources that will support their professional learning and growth; providing professional development programs of support and training for principals, assistant principals and school personnel who have accreditation responsibilities; ensuring that teachers are adequately supervised and mentored during the process of accreditation; making a determination about a teacher meeting the requirements for accreditation at Proficient with reference to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, based on achieving the Standard Descriptors both in practice and in documentary evidence; ensuring that teachers who become accredited at Proficient have access to appropriate knowledge about how to maintain this status for the 5 or 7 year period of continuing professional development; revoking or amending accreditation decisions where required; maintaining a record of accreditation decisions in alignment with the BOSTES database; developing and managing an Internal Appeals Process. The Director of Schools delegates the monitoring and development of the accreditation report to the school principal. The TAA is responsible for setting out the procedures for the school principal to follow in making a recommendation about the accreditation decision and in maintaining records. These procedures are outlined in the Induction Planner (3 rd edition 2013). Support to be provided by the TAA In recognition of the importance of the accreditation process in supporting the work of teachers entering the profession, or returning to the profession after an absence of five years or more, the CSO will provide training support and guidelines that relate to: provision of a program of induction, including orientation, to support early career teachers; the appointment of a supervisor and mentor teacher structure to support the early career teacher and teacher working towards accreditation; training for principals and school executives on supporting the teacher at school level, in relation to: - accreditation policies and procedures; - requirements of the professional standards framework and Evidence Guide; - facilitating the appointment of a supervising teacher and mentor; - ensuring the supervising teacher has been trained in the appropriate responsibilities; - knowledge of the responsibilities of accreditation at Proficient, including preparation of the accreditation report and record keeping. Part 1 Accreditation of Teachers 10

11 1.11 Role of BOSTES BOSTES oversees the system of accreditation and recognition of teachers professional capacity against: the Standard Descriptors in the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers BOSTES advises and assists TAAs to accredit teachers as well as monitoring the accreditation process across all schools. BOSTES processes support the consistent and fair application of the framework of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, for each teacher. BOSTES manages and supports the use of external assessors in the accreditation process. It provides briefing sessions for these assessors to support their capacity to make consistent judgements. BOSTES also monitors the application of the external assessor judgements across the state by providing reports to TAAs Role of the external assessor External assessors are teaching professionals who have been selected and trained by BOSTES to review Proficient submissions. Assessors are appointed to review candidates evidence and the accreditation report against relevant criteria to ensure quality and consistent accreditation decisions across the state. Information from the external assessor s reviews will be provided in reports to TAAs. The assessor s advice will not affect the TAA s accreditation decision Role of the principal The TAA has delegated to the school principal responsibility for the implementation of the TAA s accreditation process in the school. The principal s role and responsibilities are to: actively participate in the formation of teachers throughout the accreditation process leading to Proficient; articulate the support that the school will provide for the teacher and oversee the development of the teacher in the context of teaching in a Catholic school; appoint a supervisor and mentor for the teacher to ensure that the legislative requirements of BOSTES are met; ensure that the supervisor and mentor have access to adequate professional development to support them in their roles and liaise with them on a regular basis regarding progress of the teacher; provide a structured program of support for a teacher whose performance is consistently unsatisfactory; Part 1 Accreditation of Teachers 11

12 ensure that the teacher has appropriate documentation to support the process of evidence collection leading to accreditation; read and verify the accreditation report and supporting evidence before submission to the TAA; maintain all necessary documentation Further detail on the role of the Principal in the Accreditation Decision and the Accreditation Report is outlined in the Induction Planner, (CSO publication, 3 rd Edition, 2013) Role of the supervising teacher The supervisor is an experienced and accomplished teacher, nominated by the principal and given responsibility for supporting and developing the teacher in his or her progress towards achieving the standards at Proficient. The supervisor liaises with and briefs the principal on the teacher s progress and should: be conversant with the detail of the Australian Professional Standards at Proficient in order to advise, monitor and evaluate performance of the teacher; initiate a meeting with the teacher to plan the program of supervision and support across the year; develop a timetable for classroom visits and meeting times in order to give structured feedback and allow time for collegial reflection and discussion; ensure that the teacher has a copy of all the relevant documentation which has been provided by BOSTES and the TAA; meet formally with the teacher each term to discuss progress and give feedback in the context of the teacher s self-assessment with reference to the professional standards for teachers; meet regularly to analyse aspects of classroom practice, the teaching program, and student learning outcomes based on formal and informal assessment records; facilitate opportunities for the teacher s observation of colleagues and encourage the development of a repertoire of skills; assist the teacher to develop realistic goals for each term, including professional development goals; observe the teacher s practice in a variety of contexts, over planned periods of time; notify the principal promptly of any concerns which arise from the process of monitoring a teacher and seek advice and support to address the issues; ascertain the capacity of the teacher to provide positive learning opportunities for all students in the class; maintain a record of formal meetings, planned classroom observations, and mutually agreed steps for further action; encourage the teacher to become an actively engaged member of the teaching profession; Part 1 Accreditation of Teachers 12

13 assist the teacher to plan the number of items of evidence to be collected in the first year of teaching; make a formal decision on the proficiency/competence of the teacher based upon classroom visits, reviews, discussions and documentation annotated by the teacher; complete an Accreditation Report and liaise with the principal who will verify the report and supporting evidence before forwarding to the Catholic Schools Office as Teacher Accreditation Authority 1.15 Role of the mentor The mentor has an informal role which is non-judgemental with no supervisory or decision making authority within the accreditation process. It is based on developing trust with the early career teacher in his or her first substantive year of teaching. The mentor role may be school based or cluster based as in the Primary Mentoring Program and mentors may draw on the following guidelines to fulfill the role: clarify with the early career teacher the purpose of the mentoring relationship; meet regularly to discuss the early career teacher s progress and development and explore areas for further development in professional learning, classroom management and pedagogy; assist the early career to set personal goals, reflect on practice and share concerns; listen generously and ask open ended questions that will assist the early career teacher to explore areas of progress and development; observe lessons on request, with a view to guiding the early career teacher in his/her reflective process; model lessons in the early career teacher s classroom as a basis for further discussion and debriefing over goals set by the teacher; encourage the early career teacher to discuss any areas of major concern about the accreditation process with the supervisor Role of the teacher presenting at Proficient Provisionally and conditionally accredited teachers are required to collect and present documentation as evidence of their meeting either: the Standard Descriptors in the Australian Professional Standards for Teacher Part 1 Accreditation of Teachers 13

14 This includes written documentation or quality examples drawn from their practice as a teacher as required by BOSTES and authorised by supervisors as contributing to their successful attainment of accreditation at Proficient. The teacher presenting for accreditation must collate the examples of their practice and annotate them to show how or why the evidence addresses the Standard Descriptors. The evidence will encompass the full range of professional experiences. The teacher is expected to: become familiar with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, the Evidence Guide that supports the standards and other policy documentation published by BOSTES and the Catholic Schools Office; take responsibility for acquiring a working knowledge about the accreditation process and be fully aware of the mandatory requirements for accreditation; be proactive in engaging with the supervisor, mentor and other relevant colleagues about his/her own professional needs and practice; develop a plan, in liaison with the supervisor, for collecting evidence linked to the professional standards for teachers during the first year of professional practice; engage with the mentor or mentor network group, for the purpose of setting goals, reflecting on practice and identifying needs/support; develop a process for recording and evaluating professional development attended throughout the year; seek opportunities for professional engagement with colleagues within and outside of the school to improve pedagogical practice; pay the annual accreditation fee within the period of the payment terms; teachers who fail to pay their annual fee cannot continue to be employed while the amount remains outstanding. Part 1 Accreditation of Teachers 14

15 2.1 Process for accreditation PART 2 THE PATH TO ACCREDITATION AT PROFICIENT The process for accreditation is to be developmental, transparent and consultative. It should be at all times focused on supporting and assisting the teacher to achieve accreditation. The framework of standards should provide direction and structure to support the development of early career teachers and also those who are returning to teach after an absence of five years or more. Time, support and confidence are required to enable teachers to meet the Standard Descriptors. Constructive feedback is to be provided to the candidate throughout the accreditation process. Where appropriate, strategies to improve teaching practice and suggested areas for professional learning are to be recommended. Accreditation requires teachers to meet all the Standard Descriptors in the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. That is, achievement of all the Standard Descriptors is considered essential to be an accredited teacher. The Standard Descriptors constitute the agreed descriptive statements of the intricate and complex process of teaching. 2.2 Developing consistent practice against the Standard Descriptors All accreditation candidates should reflect on, analyse and document their own progress against the Standard Descriptors. Self-assessment comprises a significant component of an effective accreditation process. Provisionally and conditionally accredited teachers should be given the opportunity to lead discussion about their progress with their supervisor as well as with other colleagues. A genuine spirit of collaboration and open discussion between candidates, their colleagues and supervisor will foster the confidence and ability of the teacher to undertake this professional responsibility. Expertise and confidence for early career teachers may not be as evident as for an experienced teacher. The process of meeting the Standard Descriptors should be used as a basis for developing and building confidence and expertise in areas where these are lacking or require support. 2.3 Length of employment before making accreditation decisions Provisionally and conditionally accredited teachers should undertake teaching for a period of time that enables them to develop and demonstrate their teaching. It is essential that the period of employment is long enough for a TAA to be confident that a valid and reliable decision can be made about an accreditation candidate s practice. As a guide, days of teaching would typically enable the teacher to meet accreditation requirements at Proficient. Part 2 - The Path to Accreditation 15

16 2.4 Maximum relevant timeframe for gaining Proficient The Act sets a maximum period of time for a full-time teacher to achieve accreditation at Proficient. The period for full-time teachers who are provisionally accredited is three years. The period for conditionally accredited full-time teachers is four years. The Act provides additional time through Regulation for casual and part-time employees in relation to the maximum period of time to achieve accreditation. The Regulation sets a maximum period of five years for casual and part-time teachers who are provisionally accredited. Conditionally accredited teachers employed on a casual or part-time basis have six years to complete the accreditation process. The time frame for completing the accreditation process will vary according to the needs, continuity of teaching and progress of each teacher. Some teachers will be accredited within the first twelve or eighteen months of teaching while others will require the full three years. The decision on the time frame will be negotiated by the principal, supervisor and teacher working towards accreditation based on the teacher s achievement of the standards, both in everyday practice and the documentary evidence presented. The principal has overall authority for making the accreditation recommendation and determining the appropriate date for completion of the Accreditation Report. 2.5 Casual and part-time teachers length of service for completion of mandatory accreditation Alongside the guideline of days, a component of teaching for casual and parttime teachers should include a continuous period within a single school to assist the TAA make the accreditation decision. As a guide, a continuous period of six to ten weeks should be sufficient for observing that the teacher meets the standards. If the continuous teaching is part-time, a longer continuous period may be necessary. Casual or part-time teachers will be required to maintain their own employment records as evidence of completion of this minimum requirement. These records may include original or certified copies of pay slips. 2.6 Extending the maximum period Casual and part time teachers who have been limited in their opportunity to reach accreditation during the maximum period may apply to BOSTES for an extension of this time in some circumstances. The criteria for an extension describe circumstances that limit opportunity to present for accreditation such as: child rearing responsibilities home carer responsibilities Part 2 - The Path to Accreditation 16

17 sickness or misadventure undertaking further teaching-related education courses other appropriate professional circumstances (for example, employment which does not include teaching NSW BOS syllabuses or curriculum) It is the responsibility of the teacher to contact BOSTES to seek an extension of the maximum period applicable to them. This should occur as soon as the teacher is aware of circumstances that may impact on their capacity to meet requirements in the required timeframe. 2.7 Accreditation at Proficient Teacher for returning teachers Individuals who return to teaching in NSW after 1 October 2004, following an absence of five years or more must be accredited under the Act. This includes any teacher who commences to teach following an absence from actual classroom teaching of five or more years, regardless of whether the person remained employed as a teacher during that absence. 2 These individuals may be referred to as returning teachers. They may bring additional skills and diverse experiences to teaching that enrich their understanding of the curriculum, their students and how they learn. Returning teachers are expected to meet the same requirements as early career teachers who are provisionally and conditionally accredited. In most cases, returning teachers should not be regarded as inexperienced teachers. The accreditation support processes for returning teachers should: recognise existing knowledge and skills, as well as previous teaching experiences, qualifications and accreditations; acknowledge that some returning teachers may require on-going support only in specific Standards or particular Standard Descriptors; allow for flexibility and tailoring to individual circumstances. The CSO as the TAA will take into account the returning teacher s skills and experiences while undertaking the process of accreditation at Proficient. The length of employment required to demonstrate the standards at Proficient may be shortened as a result. This applies to individuals employed to teach across the full range of positions: full-time, part-time and casual. There will also be recognition for teachers with significant overseas teaching experience to undertake accreditation in a shorter time, if it is clear that they meet all the standards. 2 The Act, Section 28(1)(d)(ii) Part 2 - The Path to Accreditation 17

18 The TAA, in consultation with the returning teacher, will make the judgement as to when an accreditation decision can be validly and reliably made about the teacher. 2.8 Resource support for teachers in the Diocese of Broken Bay The Catholic Schools Office allocates significant funding to support teachers, supervisors and mentors on a continuous basis until they achieve accreditation at Proficient. This funding is intended to provide high quality support to teachers in their first year of appointment, referred to in CSO documents as Early Career Teachers, and throughout the accreditation process. The following release time is made available: 6 days for the combined release of teacher and supervisor this is construed as out of class time to meet and discuss progress towards achievement of the standards at Proficient. A full-time teacher and his/her supervisor attract a total of 6 days at the start of each year until the teacher has attained the level of Proficient. The days are not cumulative. An additional 3 days is provided to enable the early career teacher to attend the CSO Orientation Day and two Induction Workshops. Release for part-time and temporary teachers is determined on a pro rata basis. As soon as a teacher attains the level of Proficient, the CSO cancels the remaining release days and notifies the principal. 3-4 days to support the mentoring of early career teachers in their first substantive year of teaching. In the secondary school, this takes the form of a school based mentor, while in the primary school, mentors have been trained to meet a group of teachers from within a cluster area in school time across the year. Casual, temporary and part-time teachers are welcomed into the mentoring program. 2.9 Review and analysis of teaching programs and student learning outcomes The supervising teacher and the teacher should formally meet at least once per term to: review and analyse lesson and program planning documentation; analyse student learning outcomes based on the informal and formal assessment records of the teacher s students. These reviews should be informed by the standards, by evidence of the teacher s work and analysis of the needs and strengths of the teacher. A written record should be kept of progress towards the standards, as well as identification of the steps to be taken to support the teacher in meeting the standards. The teacher and the supervising teacher should also use this meeting time to discuss the teacher s self assessment. All support and feedback given to the teacher should be provided on an ongoing basis. This ensures that the teacher is aware of the supervising teacher s view of their progress Part 2 - The Path to Accreditation 18

19 towards meeting the standards and consequently, aware of whether or not they will be recommended for accreditation before they read the preliminary report Classroom observations Classroom observations provide reliable indicators of a teacher s capacity to teach at the level of Proficient. The supervisor should organise the classroom observation in consultation with the teacher to ensure that there is sufficient time for planning and debriefing. The observations should be conducted in a variety of contexts over a period of time and be referenced to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers/NSW Professional Teaching Standards. The number of observations will be determined by the need to make a consistent accreditation decision. The teacher should be clear about the focus of the observation and the outcomes should inform the teacher s future classroom practice The role of self assessment The teacher should analyse and document his or her own progress against the standards. The process of self assessment comprises a significant component of an effective accreditation process. Teachers should be given the opportunity to lead the discussion about their progress against the standards with their supervisors, as well as other colleagues. A genuine spirit of collaboration and open discussion between the teacher and his/her colleagues and supervisor will foster the confidence and ability of the teacher to undertake this professional responsibility. In addition, teachers should be responsible for seeking professional engagement with colleagues within and outside the school to improve their practice. Proformas to assist in self assessment are included in the Induction Planner (3rd edition 2013) 2.12 Sources of evidence collection Teachers are expected to collect a variety of samples of their work as evidence for accreditation. This may be collected across a number of schools and could include: lesson plans and/or teaching and learning programs that have been authorised by their supervisor as evidence for accreditation and as contributing to their successful attainment of standards lesson observations team teaching/collaborative planning activities student work samples classroom management documentation recording and reporting on student progress professional learning insights and application to classroom practice Part 2 - The Path to Accreditation 19

20 records of meetings with supervisor re teaching observed, lesson planning and student achievement The accreditation decision The Catholic Schools Office as the TAA has delegated to the principal the responsibility for monitoring the accreditation process and deciding when the teacher is ready to be accredited at Proficient. In order to be accredited, teachers need to demonstrate a range of teaching skills, knowledge and understandings which will be assessed by the principal and supervisor in relation to the standards at Proficient. The supervisor has a structured role in monitoring the performance of the teacher in relation to the standards and keeping the principal informed of progress towards accreditation. The supervisor, in liaison with the principal, will also make a holistic judgement about the teacher s progress, based on observation of the teacher s proficiency/competency in the classroom, every day practice at the level of Proficient and the documentary evidence which he or she has collected over time. The evidence must demonstrate a proficient/competent level of teacher self-analysis and evaluation. The teacher should collect 4-5 pieces of evidence which demonstrate a representative sample of practice across the seven standards. The documents submitted as evidence must be annotated to ensure that they describe the teacher s knowledge and application of syllabus content, student learning and pedagogy The accreditation report The CSO as TAA delegates responsibility to the principal for developing the accreditation report about the candidate. The accreditation report is written by the supervisor and affirmed by the principal and must demonstrate alignment with the evidence presented by the teacher. The report should describe how the teacher has met the standards at the time of the accreditation decision with reference to the language of the standards. The report should be generic in nature, rather than referring specifically to the evidence presented. The report is forwarded to the TAA, along with relevant signed and dated evidence and a recommendation from the principal about the decision to accredit. The TAA accredits the teacher on the basis of the report and documentary evidence. The principal and supervisor should follow the steps for submitting the report as outlined: Principal and supervisor make the recommendation to accredit The teacher applying for accreditation selects the evidence to accompany the report Supervisor and teacher sign and date each page of evidence Supervisor checks and proof reads the evidence Supervisor writes report to align with the evidence Part 2 - The Path to Accreditation 20

21 Supervisor ticks boxes on Institute Report Cover Sheet Principal, supervisor and teacher countersign the report on page 3 of BOSTES report template Principal and supervisor confirm that all documentation is in order before report and evidence are sent to the TAA, including the principal endorsement cover sheet which requires a decision by a representative of the TAA recommending the accreditation or non accreditation of the teacher. The report is sent to the TAA which makes the decision to accredit or not to accredit the teacher. This decision is then sent to BOSTES. The principal should send the accreditation report and evidence to the TAA, CSO Broken Bay Maintaining records of accreditation The principal, supervisor and teacher applying for accreditation are advised to keep copies of the relevant documentation, including: signed records of teaching observations; the signed and dated accreditation report and evidence; and personal observations and reflections on the accreditation process. A copy of the school s record of the candidate s Accreditation Report can be scanned and digitally stored so that in the event of a candidate not being recommended for accreditation, the school would have retained adequate records of the process undertaken and the support provided. The supervisor is advised to maintain selected records relevant to: signed records of observations; debriefing notes relevant to the achievement of the standards; and brief notes on formal meetings with the teacher. The principal is advised to keep a school copy of the Accreditation Report and Supervisor Record sheet plus a copy of any official records of supervisor comments, observations and recommendations. The TAA will keep on record: a copy of the letter of accreditation sent to the teacher; the letter sent to BOSTES with accompanying report; the original Accreditation Report in the situation where the determination has been made not to accredit ; and records of communication with the school or teacher pertaining to the standards not being achieved, either within the designated time frame or because a decision was made not to accredit. Part 2 - The Path to Accreditation 21

22 2.16 Transferring records When a provisionally or conditionally accredited teacher transfers to another school under the auspices of a different TAA it is the responsibility of the teacher to transfer their own examples of collected evidence. Such examples include authorised (signed and dated) examples of evidence such as teaching programs and lesson plans. A TAA may be responsible for making an accreditation decision for a teacher who commenced their accreditation with another TAA. In this case, the accrediting TAA should ensure that they are confident that their observations of the teacher are compatible with the records that have been transferred in order for them to make a valid accreditation decision. In some cases, the accrediting TAA may wish to contact the original TAA for clarification about the teacher Non-accreditation In the situation where the principal is unable to recommend that a teacher be accredited, the following steps should be taken prior to the report being submitted to the TAA with the advice not to accredit : Records should be kept by the supervisor, detailing the date and topic of formal discussions with the teacher working towards accreditation over the period of time in which the teacher is not achieving the professional standards; Records should be kept of the type of support provided, including the number of formal meetings at which issues were raised and plans for support put in place; A teacher s continued failure to meet the standards at Proficient should be referred to the Schools Consultant who will work jointly with the principal to devise and implement strategies to assist the teacher to meet the standards; Contact should be made with the TAA in order to put on record the history of nonachievement of the standards; If the teacher transfers to another school, copies of the formal records of observation should be made available to the new principal and/or TAA. Part 2 - The Path to Accreditation 22

23 PART 3 REFUSAL AND REVOCATION OF ACCREDITATION AT PROFICIENT 3.1 A decision of the Catholic Schools Office to refuse to accredit at Proficient A person dissatisfied with a decision of the Catholic Schools Office (CSO) acting as the Teacher Accreditation Authority (TAA) to refuse to accredit may apply to the CSO for an internal review of the decision. All appeals will be based on the principles of procedural fairness. The Accreditation Report must have been signed by all parties - i.e. by the candidate, supervisor, principal and the Catholic Schools Office as the TAA, before an appeal can proceed Application for an Internal Review An application for an internal review regarding a final accreditation decision should be lodged by the candidate in writing and comply with the following procedures. The appeal should be lodged within 14 days of the candidate being informed of the TAA s decision not to accredit ; The application should be addressed to the Director of Schools stating the grounds for the appeal and attaching all supporting documentation or evidence relevant to the appeal; A candidate may request an internal review of the decision not to accredit on the grounds that: i. the requirements for demonstrating achievement of the standards at proficient / professional competence have been met and/or ii. the designated process and procedures leading to accreditation have not been followed by the school The CSO as TAA must acknowledge the candidate s request for an internal review within 14 days from the receipt of request The review panel The Director of Schools will initiate a review of the decision not to accredit by convening a panel within 14 days of acknowledging the candidate s request for an internal review. The panel will include: The Assistant Director School Improvement or his /her delegate to chair the review; A school principal nominated by the Director of Schools. The principal will be appointed from the same sector (ie primary or secondary) but will not be from the same school cluster or a principal of a school where the candidate has taught; Part 3 Refusal and Revocation 23

24 A senior education officer nominated by the Director of Schools. This could include an appointee external to the Diocese Process for the review The Panel will consider all material including the Accreditation Report, the documented evidence provided by the candidate when seeking accreditation, formal records and details of support provided to the candidate. The Panel may also request an interview with the candidate and/or seek information from the Education Officer Institute of Teachers (CSO), the school principal and supervising teacher; The Panel will complete the review and report its findings in writing to the Director of Schools within 7 days Outcomes of the review The Panel may make a recommendation to the Director of Schools to affirm the original decision not to accredit or uphold the appeal; In the event that the Panel upholds the appeal, the Director of Schools may accept a recommendation to accredit the candidate or support a recommendation to grant the candidate a further defined period of time in which to demonstrate achievement of the standards; In the event of a further period of time being granted, the matter will be referred back to the school principal and a detailed plan developed and implemented in conjunction with the principal, the schools consultant and the candidate; The decision of the Director of Schools will be final and will be communicated in writing to the candidate within 7 days of the completion of the review; In the event that the Director of Schools upholds the original decision not to accredit the candidate, the employment of the candidate will be terminated in accordance with the terms of employment applicable to the teacher; During consideration of the appeal by the Panel, where appropriate, the candidate may continue to teach with supervision. The Director of Schools will notify BOSTES immediately a decision is made not to accredit Appeal to the Administrative Decisions Tribunal (ADT) If the candidate is dissatisfied with the results of the Internal Review, he or she has a right of appeal to the Administrative Decisions Tribunal (ADT) in NSW for a further review of the accreditation decision. Part 3 Refusal and Revocation 24