When consultation is needed#
Sometimes, changes are made by the Minister of Education or us to manage growth or decline in state schools or kura. The school board can also propose changes.
Examples are:
- establishing a new school
- merging or closing schools
- changing the year levels.
Under Section 209 if the Education and Training Act 2020, we must consult your board and the boards of all the state schools whose rolls might, in the Minister’s opinion, be affected by proposed changes.
Engagement with schools and communities#
Our first step could involve engagement with schools to determine whether a schooling change may be needed. This is best practice. The engagement is not consultation on a proposed change. Rather, it is an opportunity to:
- understand local education needs and aspirations
- build a shared understanding of future priorities
- help shape a vision for education that reflects the needs of learners and their communities.
If a schooling change proposal is developed after the engagement, formal consultation will take place at that stage.
The document below outlines the principles and best practices that guide our engagement with schools and communities.
State-integrated schools#
If changes are proposed to a state-integrated school, the proprietor must be involved in the consultation.
