Teaching Qualifications - Full, Provisional and Non-Practising Registration

Transcription

1 TRBWA Teaching Qualifications - Full, Provisional and Non-Practising Registration 1. Purpose This policy outlines the teaching qualification requirements for registration in the categories of Full, Provisional and Non-Practising Registration with the Teacher Registration Board (TRBWA). 2. Scope This policy applies to all applications for registration, with the exclusion of applications for Limited Registration which is covered by a separate policy. The policy applies to all TRBWA staff and Board members involved in the registration and regulation of teachers in Western Australia. 3. Background Sections 15(a) and 16(a) of the Teacher Registration Act 2012 (the Act) detail the qualification requirement for Full and Provisional Registration respectively. This requirement is also relevant to applications for Non-Practising Registration (intention to teach) pursuant to s. 18(b) of the Act. Applicants for Non -Practising Registration (intention to teach) are required to demonstrate that they meet the requirements for Full or Provisional Registration, including the qualification requirements. This qualification requirement for Full Registration is stated in section 15 of the Act and is as follows: A person is eligible for Full Registration as a teacher if the person (a) has a teaching qualification (i) (ii) from an accredited initial teacher education programme; or that the Board recognises as equivalent to such a qualification; The qualification requirement for Provisional Registration is the same. Eligibility for the categories of Full and Provisional Registration is determined by the level at which an applicant can demonstrate that they meet the Professional Standards for Teachers in Western Australia. Section 137 of the Act allows for teachers who, at the time the Act came into force on 7 December 2012, were not registered with the West Australian College of Teachers (WACOT), but who have taught in an educational venue other than a school, to apply for Full or Provisional Registration. This is a transitional provision, intended for early childhood teachers, and is available for the first 24 months of the operation of the TRBWA. It is dealt with further in this policy and further details may be found in the Early Childhood Teacher Registration Transitional Provisions Legislative Requirements and Board Policy. Issued 19/6/2013 Uncontrolled when printed Page 1 of 7

2 TRBWA 4. Definitions teach Educational venue undertaking duties in an educational venue which include delivering an educational programme designed to implement a prescribed curriculum as well as assessing student participation in that programme; or administering such a programme. An educational venue is defined in s 3 of the Teacher Registration Act 2012 as: a) a school as defined in s 4 of the School Education Act b) a kindergarten registered under the School Education Act 1999 Part 5 2 c) a child care centre 3 d) a detention centre 4 e) any other place prescribed as an educational venue. As at 7 December 2012, places where centre-based services operate were prescribed as educational venues Policy 5.1 Accredited Initial Teacher Education Programmes For Full and Provisional Registration, the TRBWA will accept qualifications from programmes that have been accredited as an initial teacher education programme (ITEP) by the TRBWA or by any other Australian teacher regulatory authority body. Such programmes are published on the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) website. Qualifications from New Zealand and other overseas jurisdictions do not qualify as accredited initial teacher education programmes although may be assessed as equivalent. 1 A school means a government school or a non-government school. 2 A kindergarten pursuant to Part 5 of the School Education Act 1999 is a community kindergarten. 3 Child care centre means a place where a child care service is provided as defined in s 4 of the Child Care Services Act 2007 (CCS Act). The CCS Act, s 4, defines for the purposes of the CCS Act, a child care service as a service providing or intended to provide education and care on a regular basis to children under 13 years of age (or such other age as may be prescribed for the purposes of this section) that (a) is not an education and care service under the national child care law; and (b) is prescribed for the purposes of the CCS Act as a type of service to which the CCS Act applies. Pursuant to regulation 6(2) of the Child Care Services (Child Care) Regulations 2006, for the purposes of s 4(b) of the CCS Act, the services described in the Education and Care Services national Regulations 2012 regulation 5(2)(c), (h) and (k) are prescribed as types of services to which the CCS Act applies. These are as follows: (c) a service providing education and care to children primarily on an ad hoc or casual basis where (i) the service does not usually offer full-time or all day education and care to children on an ongoing basis; and (ii) most of the children provided with education and care are preschool age or under; (h) a service providing education and care primarily to children preschool age or under that transports its equipment and materials or staff to one or more locations on each occasion that the service is provided; (k) a service providing education and care that receives financial assistance under the Budget Based Funding Program element of the Child Care Services Support Program and is not a service that receives the Child Care Benefit in relation to the provision of education and care. 4 Detention centre has the meaning given in s 3 of the Young Offenders Act Pursuant to regulation 5 of the Teacher Registration (General) Regulations 2012, a place where a centre-based service, as defined in the Education and Care Services National Regulations 2012 regulation 4(1), operates, is an educational venue. Centre based service means an education and care service other than a family day care service. For teacher registration, this essentially means long day care and regular occasional care. Issued 19/6/2013 Uncontrolled when printed Page 2 of 7

3 In order for a teaching qualification to be accredited as an ITEP it must meet the National Program Standards as outlined in the Accreditation of Initial Teacher Education Programs in Australia: Standards and Procedures (April 2011). 5.2 Qualifications in Teaching Recognised as Equivalent to an accredited ITEP The TRBWA will also accept qualifications in teaching that are equivalent to an accredited ITEP. The Board will generally recognise a qualification in teaching as equivalent to an accredited ITEP where it meets at least one of the following four criteria: 1. A qualification awarded on completion of a higher education course of initial teacher education that a) is of at least 4 years full-time duration or part-time equivalent duration; b) has at least one year (full-time or part-time equivalent) of professional teacher education subjects (including supervised teaching practice). c) includes at least 45 days satisfactory supervised teaching practice undertaken at a primary or secondary school or other recognised educational venues ; and d) is comparable to an Australian Bachelor degree. 2. A qualification awarded on completion of a higher education course of initial teacher education that a) requires entrants to have a higher education qualification of at least 3 years fulltime duration or part-time equivalent duration and that is comparable to an Australian Bachelor degree; b) has at least one year (full-time or part-time equivalent) of professional teacher education subjects (including supervised teaching practice). c) is of at least 1 year s full-time duration or part-time equivalent duration; d) includes at least 45 days satisfactory supervised teaching practice undertaken at a primary or secondary school or other recognised educational venues ; and e) is comparable to an Australian Graduate Diploma. In relation to 2(a) above the equivalency requirement will be met where either: the person holds a 3 year higher education qualification that is comparable to an Australian Bachelor degree; or the person demonstrates that the admission requirements of the qualification are generally a 3 year higher education qualification that is comparable to an Australian Bachelor degree It is not necessary for a person to hold a 3 year higher education qualification comparable to an Australian Bachelor degree, as long as the general admissions requirements of the course require this. In this way, those who have graduated from an accredited ITEP-equivalent who gained entry through an alternative pathway, or whose Bachelor level degree was as a result of less than 3 years full time study due to recognised prior learning, would not be unduly disadvantaged. This reflects the fact that the assessment of equivalency is focused on the Graduate Diploma level qualification, not the qualifying degree. 3. A combination of qualifications consisting of: a) a teaching qualification that is: (i) of at least 3 years full time duration or part-time equivalent duration; and Issued 19/6/13 Uncontrolled when printed Page 3 of 7

4 (ii) has at least one year (full-time or part-time equivalent) of professional teacher education subjects (including supervised teaching practice). (iii) comparable to an Australian Bachelor degree; and (iv) includes at least 45 days satisfactory supervised teaching practice undertaken at a primary or secondary school or other recognised educational venues; and b) a course that is: (i) of at least 1 year s full-time duration or part-time equivalent duration; and (ii) is comparable to at least an Australian Graduate Diploma. 4. Where an applicant has previously been registered by the TRBWA in the categories of Full, Provisional or Non-Practising Registration, or by WACOT in the categories of Registered Teacher or Provisionally Registered Teacher, the TRBWA will recognise that applicant s qualification as equivalent to an accredited ITEP. For qualifications which prima facie do not meet the one of the above criteria, the Board will consider reasons from applicants as to why their qualification(s) should be recognised by the Board as equivalent to an accredited ITEP. A qualification in teaching equivalent to an accredited ITEP is considered to be a formal academic teaching qualification. Recent teaching experience is generally not considered when determining if a qualification is equivalent to an accredited ITEP. The qualification equivalency assessment applies solely to the qualification itself not professional standards embedded in it. Graduates with qualifications assessed to be equivalent to an accredited ITEP are not automatically deemed to meet the Professional Standards for Teachers in WA at the Graduate Level. Applicants who do not hold an accredited ITEP will need to separately demonstrate that they meet the Professional Standards at the Graduate Level. More information on this may be found in the Professional Standards Policy. In cases where a qualification in teaching meets all the requirements for equivalency, except the requirement for 45 days satisfactory supervised teaching practice at a primary or secondary school or other recognised educational venues, the Board may consider teaching experience in lieu of the practicum requirement. 5.3 Qualification Assessment If the qualification is on the AITSL Accredited Programmes List, the applicant is considered to hold a teaching qualification from an accredited ITEP. No further assessment is required. The list is the consolidated list of programs accredited by Australian teacher regulatory authorities. If the qualification is not on the AITSL Accredited Programmes List, the TRBWA will assess the qualification(s) using the criteria referred to in section 5.2 above. A prospective applicant may, prior to submitting a full application, and upon payment of the requisite fee, submit a qualification advice request to the TRBWA. The TRBWA will assess the qualification(s) in order to determine whether it is considered to be equivalent to an accredited ITEP using the criteria referred to in section 5.2 above. 5.4 Qualification Assessment on Renewal of Registration Renewal of registration is defined by the TRBWA as an application made during a period of registration to renew registration in the same category. For renewals of registration generally, the TRBWA is required to be satisfied that a person continues to hold a teaching qualification for Full or Provisional Issued 19/6/13 Uncontrolled when printed Page 4 of 7

5 Registration. Although the TRBWA may require the submission of documentary evidence of the qualification, the TRBWA may also accept a declaration from the applicant that they continue to hold the qualification. 5.5 Qualification Assessment of WACOT members who transitioned to registration under the TRBWA Section 136 of the Act allows for teachers who were registered in the Registered Teacher category with WACOT at the commencement of the Act on 7 December 2012 to be registered in the category of Full Registration with the TRBWA. Similarly, teachers holding Provisional Registration with WACOT at commencement were granted Provisional Registration with the TRBWA. Regulation 32 of the Teacher Registration (General) Regulations 2012 provides that teachers who fall within this category are not required to have their teaching qualifications assessed when applying for renewal of that registration. This is an important provision given that some teachers within this category may hold teaching qualifications which may not meet the current Full or Provisional qualifications requirements under the Act. These would include those teachers who hold a 3 year teaching qualification. Teachers who continue to maintain and renew their registration in their current category of registration would not be required to have their teaching qualifications assessed against the current requirements. However should such a person s registration be cancelled or be allowed to lapse, then the TRBWA is required to assess the qualification in accordance with the ITEP or equivalent requirements of the Act. This would also be the case if a person changed category of registration as this would not constitute a renewal of registration. Where a teacher s qualifications are determined not to meet the requirements of the category, the person would be ineligible for registration in that category. The Limited Registration category may be available but would require the teacher to be nominated for registration by an employer. 5.6 Overseas Qualifications Overseas qualifications will not appear on the AITSL accredited list, and will therefore not be accredited ITEP. The TRBWA will, however, assess an overseas qualification for equivalency as detailed in section 5.2 of this policy. The TRBWA will note a Skills Assessment Certificate from AITSL of an applicant s qualification(s) undertaken for Department of Immigration and Citizenship purposes, where the assessment states that the applicant is suitable for the nominated occupation of early childhood (Pre-primary School) teacher, Primary school teacher, Middle school teacher and Secondary school teacher. However, the TRBWA will complete its own assessment to determine if the qualification(s) is equivalent to an accredited ITEP. 5.7 Mutual Recognition The TRBWA will recognise, under the principle of mutual recognition, teacher registration from New Zealand and other states in Australia. Teachers from these jurisdictions will be deemed to meet the qualification requirements for registration in WA and will generally be registered in an equivalent category as a teacher in Western Australia. A teacher from another jurisdiction will be eligible for registration in Western Australia in a category that reflects the type of registration held in the primary jurisdiction. The equivalency of the occupations may be maintained, where appropriate, through the imposition of conditions. More information on applications for registration under mutual recognition may be found in the Mutual Recognition Policy. Issued 19/6/13 Uncontrolled when printed Page 5 of 7

6 5.8 Section 137 Transitional provisions An applicant for Full or Provisional Registration under s.137 of the Act must demonstrate, amongst other things, that immediately before commencement of the Act, on 6 December 2014, that they were not registered with WACOT and that they held a qualification in teaching approved by the Board. For the purpose of s137 the TRBWA has resolved to approve all qualifications on the Australian Children s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) early childhood teacher lists, both currently approved and formerly approved and any qualification(s) individually assessed by (ACECQA) as equivalent to an approved early childhood teaching qualification. for section 137 transition purposes. The ability of such applicants to apply for Full or Provisional Registration is a transitional one, available only during the first 18 or 24 months of the TRBWA, depending on the circumstances of the applicant. Subject to meeting qualifications and fit and proper requirements, those teachers who, immediately before the commencement of the Act, were teaching in an educational venue other than a school and had taught in such a venue for such periods of time totalling 3 years or more, will obtain full registration. Those who were teaching at that date, but had taught at such a venue for less than 3 years will be granted provisional registration. Those who were not teaching in an educational venue other than a school on 6 December 2012, but who had at some time taught in such a venue, must apply by 6 December Those who were teaching on 6 December 2012 must apply by 6 June The TRBWA may allow applications to be made at a later date having regard to the circumstances of a particular case. 5.9 Outsourcing of Qualification assessments Where deemed appropriate the TRBWA may engage a third party agency to assess overseas qualifications for equivalency with an accredited ITEP. The Board reserves the right to make a final determination on the equivalency of qualifications where appropriate. 6. Supporting information Teachers Registration Act 2012 Teacher Registration (General) Regulations 2012 Mutual Recognition Policy Limited Registration: Qualification and Skills Policy Professional Standards Policy Policy on Making an Application for Registration Early Childhood Teacher Registration Transitional Provisions Legislative Requirements and Board Policy Accreditation of Initial Teacher Education Programs in Australia: Standards and Procedures (April 2011) Issued 19/6/13 Uncontrolled when printed Page 6 of 7

7 7. Change History Approved Version Details Approved By 19/6/ New Policy Issued Board 19/9/ /12/ Amendment following September 2013 Board meeting Amendment following December 2013 Board meeting Board Board 20/05/ Amendment following May 2014 Board meeting Board Next Review Date 19/6/2015 Issued 19/6/13 Uncontrolled when printed Page 7 of 7