Historic agreement to boost teacher quality

Queensland’s teaching graduates will be better prepared for the classroom under new teaching excellence standards released today.

Education Minister Kate Jones said for the first time independent, Catholic and state schooling sectors would adopt common standards to assess and evaluate teaching graduates.

Ms Jones said the Queensland Professional Experience Reporting Framework was developed with higher education institutions and the Queensland College of Teachers.

“The framework is part of A Fresh Start – Improving the preparation and quality of teachers for Queensland schools strategy,” she said.

“It ensures a consistent approach to performance assessment and evaluation for pre-service teachers during their professional experience, wherever they work in the education system.

“The framework sets common reporting standards and provides a consistent language and understanding of the skills and knowledge that graduate teachers must demonstrate during their final pre-service placement.”

Ms Jones said Independent Schools Queensland, Queensland Catholic Education Commission, Department of Education and Training, and higher education institutions had signed up to the framework from Semester 2, 2015.

“This historic agreement will lift teaching standards in Queensland and help deliver better education outcomes for our young people, wherever they live,” she said.

“Queensland schools have excellent teachers and we want to ensure our teaching graduates receive the best possible preparation for the classroom.

“A Fresh Start complements national and statewide reforms focused on teacher quality and encourages higher education institutions to work more closely with schools and teachers to support the development of our graduate teachers.”

The framework lays out expectations for graduates and the key requirements for success gaining teaching employment.

Professor Helen Huntly, Dean of Education and the Arts at Central Queensland University and chair of the Queensland Deans of Education Forum, said she welcomed today’s announcement.

“This consistent Queensland-wide approach to and assessment of the performance of our pre-service teachers in their final professional experience placement will no doubt enhance the ‘practicum’ experience for all stakeholders,” Prof Huntly said.

“The collaborative approach to this initiative included the expert input of education academics from a range of Queensland universities.

“I look forward to continued collaboration with the Department of Education and Training as the framework is implemented, evaluated and refined.”

Media contact: Minister Jones’ Office 3719 7530