The way NESA accredits proffesional development for teachers is changing. Find out more in this official statement from NESA.
Professional development for teachers will have to meet new, more rigorous criteria, and focus on priority areas to be accredited by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) from 2021.
Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning Sarah Mitchell today announced the shakeup following NESA’s review of the process for endorsing professional development providers and their courses.
Ms Mitchell said that effective immediately, NESA’s endorsement of more than 750 providers and 42,000 courses for teachers has been cancelled.
“Teachers should know that the courses they are taking are the best available, helping them to enhance their teaching practice to benefit our students’ education,” Ms Mitchell said.
“We are starting with a clean slate so that NESA can guarantee the quality and value of the courses they accredit.”
NESA will still require teachers to do 100 hours of professional development for over five years to maintain their accreditation. However, the 50 hours of NESA accredited courses will now be undertaken in priority areas, while courses in the other 50 hours will need to meet an approved list of elective areas.
“As part of this overhaul, NESA will mandate priority areas of professional development teachers must undertake in Curriculum Delivery and Assessment, Mental Health, Disability, and Aboriginal education," Ms Mitchell said.
"Teachers do an outstanding job when it comes to professional development, many completing more than double the required hours.
"This change will ensure that everything on offer is of a standard that will benefit them and their students in areas where we know additional support is needed.
"We will be the first jurisdiction in the country to mandate professional development for all teachers in supporting students with disability, managing mental health and education for Aboriginal students."
Find out more about what the changes mean for PD providers and teachers.