Full-time Special Education Sponsorship Program 2015

Transcription

1 Full-time Special Education Sponsorship Program 2015 Information package

2 Introduction Thank you for expressing interest in sponsorship as a Special Education Teacher in The following information is provided to assist you in completing your application. This sponsorship program is one of the strategies developed by the New South Wales Department of Education and Communities (DEC) to meet a workforce need for teachers of students with special needs. In 2015, full-time sponsorship in general Special Education will be available for selected teachers who are not currently appointed to Special Education positions and who do not have specialist qualifications in Special Education. Role of General Special Education Teachers General Special Education teachers are employed in primary and secondary schools as well as schools for specific purposes to help meet the special learning needs of students who have a range of disabilities or learning difficulties. General Special Education teachers work with students with intellectual disabilities, autism, behaviour difficulties, learning difficulties, emotional disturbance, physical disabilities and in early intervention. Following sponsorship in general Special Education you will be appointed as: a teacher in a Special Education support class in a regular school or special school, or a Special Education teacher providing support to classroom teachers of students who have special learning needs. Initial appointment could be as a mobile Special Education teacher according to workplace needs. Sponsorship model The 2015 Full-time Special Education Sponsorship Program is offered in two modes: 1. The Metropolitan (Face-to-face) model or 2. The Regional (Distance Education) model. Both models consist of twelve months of full-time postgraduate study. Participants must hold a preservice teacher education degree from a recognised tertiary institution. After completion of the course you will be appointed to a full-time position in general Special Education. In both models you will be required to participate in, and successfully meet, requirements for the following university and DEC components of the sponsorship: university lectures, tutorials, professional experience (practicum), visits to specialist facilities and schools DEC orientation and summation sessions. The regional distance model includes distance and on-line learning as well as campus based workshops in the Sydney area.

3 University training provider The university provider for the 2015 Full-time Special Education Sponsorship Program will be the University of Sydney. The program will include eight academic subjects delivered in face-to-face lectures, or in the distance model, by a combination of face-to-face, distance and online seminars, workshops and tutorials plus extensive professional experience in DEC schools and a series of other activities including an orientation program and field visits. On the successful completion of all requirements of the course, participants will graduate with a Masters of Education (Special and Inclusive Education). Eligibility Criteria A four year teaching degree* and a capacity to successfully complete study at postgraduate level. Full-time permanent approval to teach in NSW DEC schools. Successful school based teaching experience (minimum of 2 years teaching experience or 400 casual/temporary days). In addition, applicants for the regional distance study program model must live more than 100 kms from the Sydney Campus of the University of Sydney (using the most direct route as calculated by Google maps). Places in the distance mode of the program are limited and preference will be given to those applicants in more remote locations. * Teaching qualifications must meet the standard set by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) which is a four-year or longer full-time-equivalent higher education qualification structured as: a three-year undergraduate degree providing the required discipline knowledge, plus a two-year graduate entry professional qualification, or an integrated qualification of at least four years comprising discipline studies and professional studies, or combined degrees of at least four years covering discipline and professional studies, or other combinations of qualifications identified by the provider and approved by the teacher regulatory authority ( the Authority ) in consultation with AITSL to be equivalent to the above, and that enable alternative or flexible pathways into the teaching profession. For further information go to: It is strongly recommended that you seek the advice of a current DEC Special Education teacher if you wish to undertake this sponsorship opportunity.

4 Required documentation checklist Consistent with NSW Government policy (Premier s Department Circular ), any person who falsifies their record of academic and/or professional qualifications to gain employment may be dismissed and/or prosecuted. You must complete all sections in the application form. You must attach all the documentation required to support your application including: a recommendation of suitability for sponsorship as a Special Education teacher by a school principal; two additional referees reports supporting your application (it is highly recommended that one of your referees is a current DEC Special Education teacher if they know of your professional work); official academic transcripts of your academic achievements; evidence of your current DEC permanent approval for full-time teaching (if not currently a permanent DEC teacher); evidence such as statements of service of Special Education related teaching experience and any other relevant information; Pre-employment Health Declaration form (you must complete, sign and include this form with your application); a current photograph. A written recommendation from your current principal is essential. Casual teachers should seek a written recommendation from the principal at their most recent significant period of casual employment. The school stamp is required on this document. Please advise the principal that they may be contacted by the selection panel if you are invited to an interview. Please note that if a principal delegates the writing of the report to another person, that person cannot also act as one of the other referees. Referees reports written by three separate individuals are required. Advise referees of your application and that they may be contacted by phone if you are invited to interview. Ensure you provide their telephone numbers for business and non-business hours. Selection criteria Capacity to plan, implement and manage individual programs for students with disabilities. Demonstrated ability to work as a productive team member in a flexible and supportive learning environment. High level communication skills and interpersonal skills including the ability to liaise closely with students, parents and staff. Understanding of and sensitivity to the needs of Aboriginal students, students from a socio-economic disadvantaged background and students from diverse cultural backgrounds. You must address each of the selection criteria in the space provided on the application form.

5 Selection process A selection panel representing the DEC People and Services Directorate, Disability Programs Directorate and a Special Education executive teacher will shortlist and interview eligible applicants. The selection panel will assess the information provided at all stages of the selection process: application principal s comments referee comments performance at interview Referees will be asked to comment on your personal, professional and academic suitability for sponsorship. The timeline for completion of the selection process is as follows: Date Extended-27 October November 2014 Week beginning 10 November 2014 Mid November 2014 Milestone Final date for receipt of applications Selected applicants contacted and invited to interview. Contact will be via Interviews conducted at DEC State Office Blacktown Offers will go out to successful applicants

6 Acceptance into the program If you are selected for sponsorship you will: be subject to probity checks and employment screening; enter into a Deed of Agreement which will include a financial liability if the Deed of Agreement is not fulfilled; commit to successfully completing the sponsorship program in the time specified; work as a Special Education teacher in an area of staffing need, in schools in western and south western metropolitan Sydney and non-coastal rural NSW, for a defined service commitment period following the successful completion of training; relinquish your current teaching position (if already working as a permanent DEC teacher). Offers of sponsorship are for the 2015 sponsorship program only and are conditional on meeting university entry requirements, having current full-time permanent approval to teach in NSW public schools and the successful completion of all probity and employment screening checks. Acceptance of offers cannot be deferred to a later date. Employment status Sponsored teachers are employees of DEC and sign a Deed of Agreement to successfully complete the program. Sponsored teachers maintain their current employment status i.e. temporary teachers/casual teachers will remain as temporary teachers until they successfully complete the program. Permanent teachers will be required to relinquish their current position, but will retain permanent status. Teachers, whether permanent or temporary, who do not successfully complete the sponsorship program will revert to the employment status they had prior to the commencement of the study program. Attendance and leave provisions Sponsored teachers are expected to attend all compulsory university and DEC training sessions and all practicum and work shadowing components. Attendance at compulsory sessions will be monitored. Any periods of leave must be accompanied by a DEC leave form. In the full-time program, leave may only be taken during periods when there are no university or DEC commitments and must be applied for in advance. Temporary teachers are not entitled to leave without pay during the program. University and school holiday periods may not always coincide and some university intensive schools may be in school holidays. Intending participants who have planned or booked a holiday for 2015 may need to apply for a future sponsorship program. Service commitment Successful applicants must be prepared to work as a full-time Special Education teacher for two years (Group 1) or three years (Groups 2 and 3) in their nominated staffing areas following the completion of the training program.

7 Geographic locations of workforce need The geographic locations of workforce need for Special Education teachers are in western and southwestern Sydney and non-coastal rural NSW. Applicants must select staffing areas that they are prepared to work in from the following groups. Applicants for the Metropolitan Face-to-face sponsorship model of the program must meet the minimum selection requirements for either: Group ONE, Group TWO or Group THREE below. You do not need to nominate areas from every group. After you have selected the minimum requirements from at least one group, you are also able to select any number of staffing areas from the other groups if you wish. Applicants for the Regional Distance sponsorship model of the program must meet the minimum selection requirements for either: Group ONE or Group TWO below. You do not need to nominate areas from both groups. After you have selected the minimum requirements for at least one regional group, you are also able to select any number of staffing areas from the other groups if you wish. GROUP ONE: For Group ONE you must select a minimum of ONE school staffing area. If you accept an appointment for a Group ONE staffing area you will have a two-year service commitment period. Bourke Deniliquin Griffith Broken Hill Dubbo Moree OR GROUP TWO: For Group TWO you must select a minimum of TWO school staffing areas. If you accept an appointment for a Group TWO staffing area you will have a three year service commitment period. Albury Maitland Tamworth Armidale Muswellbrook Wagga Wagga Bathurst Orange OR GROUP THREE: For Group THREE you must select a minimum of THREE school staffing areas. If you accept an appointment for a Group THREE staffing area you will have a three year service commitment period. Bankstown Central Coast Liverpool Blacktown Fairfield Mount Druitt Campbelltown Granville Windsor The schools in these staffing areas are listed on the DEC website at: It is important that you consult this spreadsheet for a list of schools within these areas before completing section 6 of your application form.

8 Rural teaching Teaching in rural NSW offers exceptional opportunities for both experienced and beginning teachers. It is a rewarding lifestyle choice that can give you numerous opportunities to get involved in the wider community. The NSW DEC offers a range of incentive benefits to teachers who accept positions in many rural or remote areas. Depending on the school location, these may include additional training and development days, one week of additional summer vacation for schools in the western areas of NSW, rental subsidy of 90% in the most isolated locations and 70% in other isolated locations, and a number of locality allowances such as a climatic allowance, an isolation from goods and services allowance, vacation travel expenses, reimbursement of certain expenses related to medical or dental treatment and an allowance for dependents. The allowances are paid in addition to your salary and could add up to $7000 per annum. The benefits vary from school to school. Please use the for more detailed information about allowances and incentives for individual schools and school staffing areas. More details about rural teaching are available from Financial support Sponsored teachers undertaking the 2015 Full-time General Special Education Sponsorship Program will receive the following financial support: 0.5 FTE of a full-time teacher s salary during the sponsorship; full payment of tuition fees associated with sponsorship; a one-off general purpose allowance of $300 to assist with technology support, printing and textbooks. Teachers receive a 0.5 FTE of a full-time teacher s salary under the following conditions: teachers in executive positions do not receive executive salary while on sponsorship but revert to the appropriate teacher salary; salary is paid at the appropriate incremental level as determined by the DEC; the period of training counts for incremental purposes and teacher leave conditions apply.

9 Fringe benefit tax When the DEC provides its employees with benefits, there may be a Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) implication. Where the DEC incurs FBT for benefits provided to its employees, the Commonwealth requires certain benefits to be disclosed on the individual employee s payment summary (formerly group certificate). This is known as the Reportable Fringe Benefits Amount (RFBA) and usually appears in a box in the top right hand corner of the payment summary. An RFBA on the employee s payment summary does not mean the employee has an income tax or FBT liability. However the RFBA is used to assess eligibility for other Commonwealth benefits and obligations, for example the Medicare levy. You are advised to seek financial advice regarding FBT implications. For further information a fact sheet is available from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) that will provide details on likely impacts and thresholds. FBT publications are available on the ATO website There is also a Personal Tax Information Line on Awards and conditions Once they have completed their training at 0.5 FTE of a teacher s salary, Special Education sponsored teachers enjoy the same working conditions and salary as teachers. A full list of employment conditions can be found through the links below. Information about current awards and conditions for teachers in NSW DEC schools can be found at: Information about employment conditions for temporary teachers can be found at: Deed of Agreement The Deed of Agreement specifies the duration and the area of the service commitment and outlines your responsibilities and those of the DEC. The Deed of Agreement is a legally binding document. You are urged to examine the terms of the Deed of Agreement closely prior to signing for the Sponsorship program. Successful applicants will be sent a signed original of the Deed of Agreement. The DEC also holds an original.

10 For further information For further information regarding the 2015 Special Education General Sponsorship Program please contact: Sponsored Training 2015 Full-time SpecEd Sponsorship Program People and Services Directorate Telephone: (02) , (02) , (02) Other useful contacts: Teacher Recruitment: or telephone The following DEC website has useful information on developing a job application Sponsored Training 2015 FT SpecEd-SP People and Services Directorate August 2014 NSW Department of Education and Communities