TASS is an Australia-Indonesia Government Partnership

Managed by the Palladium Group

Management of Education Standards Across AustraliaA CASE STUDY OF NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS AND NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHER EDUCATION

Looking at the management of

Educational Standards across Australia

The Federal Government

The Federal or Commonwealth Government is responsible for the

conduct of national affairs. They fund the state education agenda

which must commit to national priorities including:

• Young people are meeting basic literacy and numeracy standards

• Australian students excel by international standards.

• Young people make a successful transition from school to work and

further study.

• Schooling promotes social inclusion and reduces the educational

disadvantage of children, especially Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander children.

• There is a suite of national partnerships associated with the funding

and implementation of specific programs including Improving

Teacher Quality for Literacy and Numeracy, Low Socio-Economic

Status School Communities, Early Childhood Education and Care,

Youth Attainment and Transitions.

State or Territory Government

Each state has its own constitution setting out its system of

government. They are responsible for education but must adhere to

the federal government tied funding requirements. They must comply

with ACARA (Curriculum, Assessment, and Reporting) and AITSL (the

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership) requirements

Roles and Responsibilities of Federal and State

Governments

Looking at Teacher and Principal Professional Standards

in Australia

Introducing AITSL’s work

AITSL works with the education community to:

o Set and maintain standards for excellence in

preservice teaching, teaching and school leadership

o Lead and influence excellence in teaching and school

leadership

o Support and recognise excellence in teaching and

school leadership

o Provide current and significant research and

programs

AITSL’s work

o Australian Charter for the Professional Learning of

Teachers and School Leaders

o National Professional Standards for Teachers

o National Professional Standard for Principals

o Professional Learning Flagship Programs

o Professional standards for Initial Teacher Education

(universities)

The Standards:

• are a public statement of what constitutes quality teaching.

• define the work of teachers.

• make explicit the elements of high quality, effective teaching in 21st century schools.

• provide a framework that describes the knowledge, practice and professional engagement required across teachers’ careers.

• provide a common language between teachers, teacher educators, educational organisations and the public.

THE AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHING

The four career stages in the Standards provide benchmarks to

recognise the professional growth of teachers throughout their careers.

Dual purpose:

• improvement

• career progression

Mandatory levels:

• Graduate Teacher

• Proficient Teacher

Voluntary levels:

• Highly Accomplished

• Lead Teacher

THE FOUR CAREER STAGES

Professional Knowledge

Standard 1 Know students and how they learn

Standard 2 Know the content and how to teach it

Professional Practice

Standard 3 Plan and implement effective teaching and learning

Standard 4 Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments

Standard 5 Assess, provide feedback and report on student learning

Professional Engagement

Standard 6 Engage in professional learning

Standard 7 Engage professionally with colleagues, parents/carers and the community

SEVEN STANDARDS

www.nswteachers.nsw.edu.au

ORGANISATION OF THE STANDARDS

Standard Descriptor/s

Career

Stage

Standard

Focus

www.nswteachers.nsw.edu.au

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Australian Professional Standards for Teachers Learning Tools

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Looking at Classroom

Practice

The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and their applications

Australian Professional Standards for

Teachers

Graduate ProficientHighly

AccomplishedLead

Accreditation of

Initial Teacher

Education

Programs

Accreditation of

Proficient

Teachers

(All Teachers)

Accreditation of

Highly

Accomplished

Teachers

Accreditation of

Lead Teachers

Australian Teacher Performance and Development Framework

Australian Charter for the Professional Learning of Teachers and School Leaders

Improvement

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The Australian Professional

Standard for Principals

o The Standard captures the crucial

elements of a principal’s role in:

raising student achievement

ensuring equity and excellence

creating a school where quality

teaching and learning thrive

meeting the needs of the

community

helping to shape the wider

education system.

What is the Standard?

o The Standard is a public statement which sets out what

Principals are expected to know, understand and do.

o It is represented as an integrated model.

o The Standard aims to:

define the role and unify the profession nationally

describe professional practice in a common language

make explicit the role of quality school leadership in

raising standards for the 21st century

The Australian Professional Standard for Principals

Vision

and

values

Knowledge

and

understanding

Personal

qualities,

social and

interpersonal

skills

Professionalpractices

Leading teaching and learning

Developing self and others

Leading improvement, innovation and change

Leading the management of the school

Engaging and working with the community

High quality

learning,

teaching

and

schooling

The standard for principals : The role in action

Leadership requirements

Successful

learners,

confident

creative

individuals

and active

informed

citizens*

Context: School, sector, community: socio-economic, geographic: and education

systems at local, regional, national and global levels

Why is the Standard so important?

o To :

provide a framework for professional learning

attract, develop and support principals

guide self improvement and

assessment

guide the management of

self and others

communicate the role to

the wider community

How can the Australian Standard for Principals be used to

support your professional growth?

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Where did the Leadership Profiles

come from?

Australian

Professional Standard

for Principals (2011)

360°Reflection Tool

(2013)

Leadership Profiles

(2014)

Coaching and

mentoring

Talent development

and succession

Identifying professional

learning for self and

leadership teamSelf and

leadership team

reflection

For current and aspiring principals

For system leaders

Identifying professional learning

for individuals and groups

Selection and

recruitment

Performance and

development

Talent development

and succession

Model of Behaviour change

Awareness

EXAMPLE

Ben has always struggled with giving feedback to under-

performing staff. He has become aware that, in his new role, he

will need to engage in these difficult conversations to embed

his leadership and bring about whole-school improvement.

Attitude

EXAMPLEBen is determined to overcome his reluctance to say what

he is thinking and stop skirting around difficult issues. He

feels that, in the past, he has not been sufficiently honest

and direct with staff. His commitment to becoming an

effective leader has given him the drive and confidence to

believe he can tackle this reluctance.

Knowledge

EXAMP

LE To build his knowledge about providing negative feedback, Ben

uses the online Leadership Profiles resources to explore how to

develop his interpersonal skills and relationships with others. In

his research, he comes across ‘Fierce Conversations’ by Susan

Scott and finds the case studies and exercises are really helpful

in planning what he is going to do.

Action

EXAMPLEBen discusses the approach he plans to take with his mentor

and begins by tackling an issue that has been troubling him

since he arrived at the school – the lack of punctuality of two

members of staff.

Behaviour change

EXAMPLEBen begins to realise that people expect him to be truly

authentic in his role. Far from ‘damaging’ those he has

robust conversations with, they start to respect him and take

on board his feedback.

Principals promote the benefits of professional learning to all staff and make sure that their willingness and efforts to learn and improve are recognised. They develop and implement an organisational vision which links all learning and development activities to better student outcomes ………

Profiles: Progressive and increasing in proficiency

Principals create challenging roles, responsibilities and opportunities for senior leaders that leverage and grow the talents of others. They build and sustain a coaching and mentoring culture… and have a system of peer review and feedback in place ………

Statement of later proficiency

Statement of early proficiency

Leadership through different lenses

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Model of professional practice

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Screengrab of Clearinghouse

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What makes great teachers and school leaders?

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