Review of how schools are resourced for teacher aides

The Accord agreed between the Ministry of Education, NZEI Te Riu Roa and PPTA Te Wehengarua included a commitment to review how schools are resourced for teacher aides.

About the review

This work is an opportunity for the education sector and the Ministry to work together to consider improvements to the resourcing model for teacher aides that strengthens outcomes for teacher aides, learners and their whānau. 

An education sector reference group was established in March 2021 to conduct the review and provide a set of recommendations to the Accord Governance Group. The Accord invited peak bodies and organisations to nominate members for the group using a skills-based nomination process. The group has had 10 meetings across 2021 and 2022 to develop their proposal on how schools are resourced for teacher aides, contributing expertise and knowledge from across the education sector. It is chaired by the Honourable Tracey Martin. 

The following peak bodies and organisations have had representation on the group: 

  • New Zealand Association of Intermediate and Middle Schools 
  • NZEI Te Riu Roa 
  • PPTA Te Wehengarua 
  • Secondary Principals’ Association New Zealand 
  • Special Education Principals’ Association New Zealand 
  • New Zealand School Trustees Association 
  • New Zealand Pasifika Principals’ Association 
  • New Zealand Principals' Federation
  • Te Akatea Principals' Association
  • Ministry of Education.

The group submitted a paper with their proposal for how schools are resourced for teacher aides to the Accord Governance Group in July 2022.

Click here to view the sector reference group’s report on the preferred option for how schools are resourced for teacher aides [PDF, 425 KB]

Sector consultation on the group’s proposal  

The sector reference group consulted with their constituents on the proposal between December 2022 and 6 April 2023. Consultation has now closed. 

Click here to view the consultation document. [PDF, 266 KB]

Click here to view an A3 summary of the proposal. [PDF, 132 KB]

Next steps following consultation 

The sector reference group is in the process of finalising their proposal, taking into account the feedback received through consultation to inform potential changes to the proposal. 

The sector reference group aim to finalise and submit their final recommended proposal to the Minister of Education for consideration in late 2023.

Important context for the proposal

This proposal focuses on English-medium education settings, and it is important that the proposal works for bilingual and Māori medium in otherwise English-medium schools. The Ministry engages separately with Kaupapa Māori peak bodies and stakeholders to strengthen and grow Kaupapa Māori education settings, kura and pathways. Our ways of working are adjusting as we improve our understanding of Kaupapa Māori needs, contexts and priorities. The Ministry is committed to considering support for teacher aide provision and related resourcing in Kaupapa Māori, but this will be progressed separately and will take a different approach.

Links

The sector reference group’s report on the preferred option for how schools are resourced for teacher aides [PDF, 425 KB]

Consultation document for the review of how schools are resourced for teacher aides [PDF, 266 KB]

A3 Summary of the sector reference group’s proposal [PDF, 132 KB]

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