Education (Queensland College of Teachers) Amendment Bill 2019
Plain English Summary
Overview
This bill establishes a formal process for recognising exceptional teachers through 'Highly Accomplished Teacher' and 'Lead Teacher' certification. It empowers the Queensland College of Teachers to assess and certify teachers in State and Catholic schools against national professional standards, giving experienced educators a voluntary career pathway that does not require leaving the classroom.
Who it affects
Primarily affects teachers in State and Catholic schools who want formal recognition of their expertise. Certification is voluntary, does not change existing registration requirements, and how it affects pay or conditions is up to each employer.
Key changes
- Creates two advanced voluntary career stages for teachers: Highly Accomplished Teacher and Lead Teacher, certified against national standards
- Establishes a two-stage assessment process: a preliminary review of documentation followed by an assessment of classroom teaching practice
- Certification lasts five years and can be renewed, with application fees of $850 for initial certification, $650 for stage two, and $100 for renewal
- Unsuccessful applicants receive formal information notices and can seek internal review by the College or external review through QCAT
- The Minister cannot direct the College on individual certification decisions, protecting the independence of the process
Bill Story
The journey of this bill through Parliament, including debate and recorded votes.
▸Committee12 Feb 2019View Hansard
Referred to Education, Employment and Small Business Committee
The Education, Employment and Small Business Committee examined the bill over six weeks, receiving five written submissions and holding a public briefing and hearing. The committee unanimously recommended the bill be passed, finding broad support for the creation of a certification framework for Highly Accomplished and Lead Teachers in Queensland. Stakeholders raised minor concerns about eligibility for teachers in independent schools and early childhood settings, and the lack of a specific power to revoke certification, but the committee was satisfied these could be addressed through regulation or future national policy work.
Key findings (5)
- The bill establishes a certification framework for Highly Accomplished Teachers (HAT) and Lead Teachers (LT), consistent with a nationally agreed approach endorsed by Education Ministers in 2012.
- A Queensland pilot of the certification process in 2017-2018 saw 184 teachers apply, with 44 certified as HAT and 3 as LT across rural, regional and metropolitan schools.
- The Independent Education Union raised concerns that teachers in non-affiliated independent schools and early childhood settings would not be eligible, but the Department advised these were addressed through existing arrangements with Independent Schools Queensland.
- The Queensland Catholic Education Commission flagged the absence of a specific power to revoke certification, which the Department committed to addressing through future national policy with AITSL.
- The committee found the bill raised only minor fundamental legislative principle issues, with no new offences created and the certification scheme being entirely voluntary for teachers.
Recommendations (1)
- The committee recommends the Education (Queensland College of Teachers) Amendment Bill 2019 be passed.
Committee report tabled
▸Second Reading3 Apr 2019View Hansard
▸28 members spoke28 support
Spoke in support of the bill's objective to create a certification process for high-performing teachers, praising the outstanding teachers in his electorate.
“I remind the House that the objective of this bill is to create a certification process in Queensland consistent with the national framework that recognises high-performing teachers and encourage them to continue their role as classroom teachers.”— 2019-04-30View Hansard
Confirmed LNP support for the bill's certification process for highly accomplished and lead teachers, arguing the party believes in having the best teachers for students and has a history of supporting similar reforms such as master teachers.
“As I indicated yesterday, the Liberal National Party opposition will be supporting those particular amendments in the bill because we believe in education. We believe that the best education our children and our students can get is when we have the very best of the best teaching our students.”— 2019-04-04View Hansard
Introduced the bill as minister, highlighting it as part of the Palaszczuk government's commitment to raising the status of the teaching profession by creating nationally recognised certification for highly accomplished and lead teachers.
“This bill gives these teachers the opportunity to apply for the nationally recognised career opportunity of becoming a highly accomplished or lead teacher. We are leading the nation with this initiative in Queensland.”— 2019-04-03View Hansard
Praised the bill for creating meaningful career pathways for teachers, noting the significant difference excellent teachers make to student achievement.
“We know that an excellent teacher with strong professional skills, motivation and commitment can account for up to a 30 per cent difference in the achievement between students.”— 2019-04-30View Hansard
Spoke in support as committee chair, praising the bill for recognising excellent teachers and keeping them in the classroom, and noted submitters were united in support.
“This bill presents an opportunity to not only recognise high-performing schoolteachers across Queensland but also to encourage them to continue their role in the classroom, because they should not have to leave the classroom if their passion is teaching to seek advancement in leadership or central office positions.”— 2019-04-04View Hansard
Supported the bill and the accreditation framework for highly accomplished and lead teachers, noting the LNP committee members backed the bill's recommendation and that it is a positive voluntary career development program.
“The LNP will be supporting the Queensland College of Teachers to be the accreditation agency for it, recognising that the Liberal National Party members on the committee supported and backed the bill.”— 2019-04-03View Hansard
Supported the bill as a good idea for retaining high-quality teachers in the profession, while raising concerns about the pay differential between highly accomplished teachers and deputy principals.
“This is a good idea in that we need to ensure that we keep good, high-quality teachers in the profession.”— 2019-04-30View Hansard
Supported the bill as deputy committee chair, noting bipartisan support and the committee's sole recommendation that the bill be passed. Raised some questions about fees and costs to the certifying authority.
“It is nice to have an education bill, especially one that attracted bipartisan support. There was only one recommendation and that was that the bill be passed.”— 2019-04-04View Hansard
Strongly supported the bill as providing a pathway for passionate teachers to stay in the classroom, drawing on her own teaching qualification and her sister's experience in the profession.
“This bill provides a pathway, an opportunity for teachers who display quality teaching skills, who have committed many years to, and have a great passion for, the profession.”— 2019-04-30View Hansard
Spoke in support, emphasising the importance of retaining good teachers in the classroom and the bill's role in establishing certification for highly accomplished and lead teachers.
“This is key in retaining good teachers in the classroom. It is a key step to ensuring good education outcomes in Queensland.”— 2019-04-04View Hansard
Spoke in strong support of the bill, describing career advancement without leaving the classroom as a wonderful and worthy objective.
“If we boil it down, this bill provides a certification process for high-performing teachers. If we have to pinpoint what that means, it means career advancement without the teacher having to leave the classroom. That is a wonderful and worthy objective that is worth supporting.”— 2019-04-30View Hansard
Supported the bill as a committee member and daughter of retired teachers, emphasising the importance of recognising teachers and keeping high performers in the classroom.
“The LNP wholeheartedly supports advancement opportunities for teachers not only because of the benefit to the individual teacher but for the benefit it will bring across the entire cohort.”— 2019-04-04View Hansard
Supported the bill as consistent with the national framework for recognising high-performing teachers, praising the schools and teachers in his electorate.
“I note that this bill will create a certification process in Queensland, which is consistent with the national framework, that will recognise high-performing teachers and encourage them to continue in their role as a classroom teacher.”— 2019-04-30View Hansard
Supported the bill, highlighting the importance of the certification process applying throughout Queensland including regional and country schools to retain quality teachers.
“This bill ensures that good quality teachers stay in the classroom and do what they are trained to do. I congratulate the minister, because this is all about making sure our children are educated.”— 2019-04-04View Hansard
Supported the bill for allowing best teachers to earn comparable salaries without leaving the classroom, noting the trial in North Queensland had certified 44 highly accomplished and 3 lead teachers.
“Good teachers should be able to stay in the classroom without having to try to get a higher position to be paid more. We need to help them to do what they do best.”— 2019-04-30View Hansard
Supported the bill as a recognition program for quality teachers, drawing on personal experience of his wife's teaching career where the only pathway for career progression was into administration.
“This certification is a good thing and it is very important. ... The simple fact is that what we are trying to achieve here is good-quality teachers in our classrooms and keeping them there so that they do not feel the pang of the dollar pulling them towards administrative roles.”— 2019-04-04View Hansard
Supported the bill as fundamental to investing in and retaining teachers, noting the strong collaboration with the Queensland College of Teachers and the Queensland Teachers Union.
“In short, we have to invest in our teachers. We have to retain them and give them every capacity to stay within the classroom if that is what they seek to do.”— 2019-04-30View Hansard
Spoke in strong support from a professional education background, having represented the Australian Education Union on the AITSL advisory council that developed the professional standards. Emphasised international evidence on the importance of quality teaching.
“Retaining our talented teachers in our classrooms is a key step to ensuring strong educational outcomes in Queensland schools.”— 2019-04-04View Hansard
As a former Minister for Education, supported the bill and its national framework for teacher certification, noting his personal involvement in developing the AITSL standards.
“We did not want people just to say, 'Well, you are a graduate,' and then seven years later, 'You are a senior but you will just stay in that role unless you want to go into administration.'”— 2019-04-30View Hansard
Supported the bill, drawing parallels with the Air Force's specialist aircrew scheme which allowed officers to progress without leaving operational roles. Praised the high standards required for certification.
“This bill gives excellent teachers, teachers who want to remain in a hands-on role, the opportunity to excel and to have a formal recognition that they can be proud of.”— 2019-04-04View Hansard
As a committee member, supported the bill after hearing broadly positive evidence, endorsing the Queensland College of Teachers as the appropriate certifying authority.
“What Queenslander wouldn't back the idea of creating an environment where we retain some of our best teachers in the classroom?”— 2019-04-30View Hansard
Spoke passionately as a former teacher, citing research that 30 per cent of student learning outcomes are attributable to the teacher, and arguing the bill is about keeping great teachers in classrooms to mentor future teachers.
“Keep them in our classrooms, because they will impact not only students in our classrooms right now but also students in years to come.”— 2019-04-04View Hansard
Briefly supported the bill's objective of recognising performing teachers and encouraging them to continue in and outside the classroom.
“Having a good teacher or a set of good teachers is critical to establishing the foreground and platform for them as they develop through their lives and participate in society.”— 2019-04-30View Hansard
Supported the bill with emphasis on retaining teachers in rural and remote areas, where the only path for career progression often requires relocation. Praised the minister's attention to professional development for regional teachers.
“One of the biggest issues we have in rural and remote areas is keeping teachers in those areas and having those teachers recognised for their great efforts so they stay in rural and remote areas.”— 2019-04-04View Hansard
Briefly praised leading teachers and teaching principals in his electorate with many small schools.
“I want to quickly praise those teachers who also take on administrative roles—teaching principals.”— 2019-04-30View Hansard
Supported the bill as a parent, emphasising the importance of keeping excellent teachers in the classroom and recognising the full scope of teachers' work including social and emotional development of children.
“We want to make sure we keep as many high-quality teachers who offer high-quality teaching in our classrooms. That is why the Queensland government's commitment in this bill is so important.”— 2019-04-04View Hansard
In reply as the sponsoring minister, outlined the bill's major features and acknowledged bipartisan support, emphasising the government's commitment to elevating the teaching profession.
“This government firmly believes that the world-class education being delivered in Queensland creates opportunities for every young person from every background and in every community across the state.”— 2019-04-30View Hansard
Supported the bill, quoting the committee chair's foreword on recognising high-performing teachers. Acknowledged outstanding teachers and principals in his electorate.
“This is about keeping great teachers in our classrooms.”— 2019-04-04View Hansard
Assent date: 7 May 2019