Page 5284 - Week 13 - Thursday, 29 November 2018
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(1) The number of staff, including teachers, employed by the Education Directorate is reported in the Education Directorate Annual Report. Please refer to my response to QON 1970.
Education—professional development
(Question No ) 1976
Mr Coe asked the Minister for Education and Early Childhood Development, upon notice, on 26 October 2018:
(1) What is the total number of teachers or teaching staff employed by the Education Directorate broken down by those who (a) do not have special needs or disability specialty, expertise or training, (b) have special needs specialty, expertise or training, (c) have disability specialty, expertise or training, (d) have special needs and disability specialty, expertise or training and (e) have additional specialties, expertise or training broken down by category.
(2) What professional development opportunities are offered to teachers or teaching staff to gain further skills or expertise in (a) special needs, (b) disability and (c) other relevant specialities.
(3) How many teachers or teaching staff have undertaken professional development activities paid for or provided by the ACT Education Directorate each calendar year since 2013 to date broken down by (a) focus or nature of professional development and (b) type or nature activity.
(4) How much was spent on each of the professional development activities in each year identified in part (3).
(5) How many teachers or teaching staff have undertaken courses by or through Teacher Quality Institute in each year identified in part (3).
Ms Berry: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:
(1) In every ACT public school, principals are responsible for operational decisions regarding employment of staff and for ensuring the needs of students with special needs or disabilities enrolled at their schools are met. The number of staff employed in each school with specific special needs or disability expertise or training is a school level operational decision, and is dependent on a number of factors (eg, number of students with special needs or disability; the level of support required or student level of disability).
Information about the qualifications of staff with special needs or disability expertise or training is not centrally collected.
(2) Each year, registered teachers in the ACT must undertake 20 hours of professional learning. Of the 20 hours, registered teachers must undertake at least five hours annually of professional learning programs which are accredited by the Teacher Quality Institute (TQI).
In 2018, TQI accredited approximately 99 programs which provide professional learning in inclusive education. A full list is provided at Attachment A.
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