The Queensland Government has announced three new initiatives to further reduce red tape and free up teachers to spend more time teaching and less time on admin.
Extensive statewide consultation has informed the three new measures, with more than 15,000 submissions received through online surveys, face-to-face workshops, interviews, and written submissions.
The state government is committed to reducing red tape for teachers by 25 per cent, to free up teachers to spend more time in the classroom. The three additional actions to cut red tape for teachers and school staff include:
- Sending experienced department staff ‘back to school’ to gain first-hand insights that will help to inform new policies to reduce red tape.
- Establishing a ‘Small Schools Support Plan’ to provide career pathways and professional development opportunities for aspiring principals, while reducing lengthy recruitment processes.
- Developing communication guidelines to provide schools and parents communication opportunities within school hours.
The new measures follow early actions already announced at the start of the school year to simplify student support plans, streamline school purchasing policies, and improve the efficiency of staff recruitment.
President of the Queensland Secondary Principals Association Mr Mark Breckenridge said schools were seeking better ways to partner with parents.
“These communication protocols and clearer expectations are only going to strengthen the existing partnerships between schools and parents,” Mr Breckenridge.
Mr Breckenridge also said that the department’s support for senior staff to spend more time in schools is welcome.
“Principals will appreciate greater involvement of senior departmental leaders in our schools, which will ensure they understand the impact of their decisions at a school level,” he said.
Mr Jorgen Neilson, one of the state school principals on the Red Tape Reduction Working Group, said small schools and their communities would benefit greatly from the ‘Small Schools Support Plan’.
“Supporting and developing aspiring school leaders into small school principalship will improve the quality of leadership and reduce the red tape associated with constantly running separate recruitment processes,” Mr Neilson said.
In addition to reducing red tape for teachers, the Queensland Government has announced a $44 million Behavioural Boost to better support teachers in the classroom and a $33 million nation-leading plan to tackle bullying in schools.
Minister for Education John-Paul Langbroek said the Working Group will now prepare a Red Tape Action Plan to provide clear steps forward to reduce teacher workloads.
“The government is delivering on its commitment to reduce the administrative burden for teachers and we’re tackling this from all angles,” Minister Langbroek said. “These measures will help to draw a clear line between teaching time and administration.
“Our upcoming Action Plan will make it easier for teachers to teach, principals to lead, and ultimately it will be easier for students to learn.”
More reading: Queensland Government slashes red tape in three key areas to reduce burden on teachers
