Teacher conduct and performance 2008-2016 Sound guidelines are in place to manage the conduct of teachers and related staff working in NSW public schools. The NSW Department of managed in accordance with the (a table setting out the reasons for Education has around 49,000 procedures. dismissal appears below). permanent teachers, and over 45,000 teachers registered to A performance improvement Teacher convictions work in schools on a casual program, negotiated with the Any teacher who is charged with teacher, identifies the areas of a serious criminal offence must The number of staff who have performance requiring report this to their manager. taken part in improvement improvement, and strategies for programs, or undergone support to be provided to the The Department monitors matters disciplinary action and teacher. where a staff member is charged convictions represents a tiny with serious criminal offences and proportion of NSW public school At the conclusion of an takes appropriate disciplinary or teachers. improvement program, a teacher remedial action when court or may be found to have satisfied police action is completed. The Department acts quickly to the requirements for the position. investigate all allegations of A number of teachers were teacher misconduct including If they haven’t, the matter is convicted of serious criminal allegations of sexual misconduct. referred to a decision maker for matters since 2008. The numbers possible remedial or disciplinary are: Disciplinary or remedial action, action, which may include which may include dismissal, is dismissal. 2008 18 – taken against a teacher where an 2009 17 – investigation finds they have In 2016, 40 teachers were 2010 15 – engaged in misconduct. involved in teacher improvement 2011 12 – programs. 2012 - 20 Teacher improvement 2013 13 – programs Teachers dismissed 2014 - 17 The Department has structured Over the period between 1 2015 - 15 procedures for managing January 2008 to 31 December 2016 - 15 underperforming teachers. 2016, 347 teachers were dismissed from their teaching Teachers identified as positions for either proven experiencing difficulty with their allegations of misconduct or teaching performance are failing an improvement program www.det.nsw.edu.au NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Teacher conduct and performance 2008-2016 Sound guidelines are in place to manage the conduct of teachers and related staff working in NSW public schools. The NSW Department of Education has around 49,000 permanent teachers, and over 45,000 teachers registered to work in schools on a casual The number of staff who have taken part in improvement programs, or undergone disciplinary action and convictions represents a tiny proportion of NSW public school teachers. The Department acts quickly to investigate all allegations of teacher misconduct including allegations of sexual misconduct. Disciplinary or remedial action, which may include dismissal, is taken against a teacher where an investigation finds they have engaged in misconduct. Teacher improvement programs The Department has structured procedures for managing underperforming teachers. Teachers identified as experiencing difficulty with their teaching performance are managed in accordance with the procedures. A performance improvement program, negotiated with the teacher, identifies the areas of performance requiring improvement, and strategies for support to be provided to the teacher. At the conclusion of an improvement program, a teacher may be found to have satisfied the requirements for the position. If they haven’t, the matter is referred to a decision maker for possible remedial or disciplinary action, which may include dismissal. In 2016, 40 teachers were involved in teacher improvement programs. Teachers dismissed Over the period between 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2016, 347 teachers were dismissed from their teaching positions for either proven allegations of misconduct or failing an improvement program (a table setting out the reasons for dismissal appears below). Teacher convictions Any teacher who is charged with a serious criminal offence must report this to their manager. The Department monitors matters where a staff member is charged with serious criminal offences and takes appropriate disciplinary or remedial action when court or police action is completed. A number of teachers were convicted of serious criminal matters since 2008. The numbers are: 2008 – 18 2009 – 17 2010 – 15 2011 – 12 2012 - 20 2013 – 13 2014 - 17 2015 - 15 2016 - 15 NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION www.det.nsw.edu.au
Teacher-Conduct-and-Performance-update-to-Dec-16.docx