Evaluating a concern
Professional Practice Evaluators evaluate a teacher's practice using the Standards | Ngā Paerewa.
Evaluation process
If the Triage Committee’s initial assessment of a report or complaint raises issues about a teacher’s competence, they will inform the teacher and invite the teacher to respond. The Triage Committee may then refer the issue to the competency process.
A case coordinator may collect additional evidence about the issue from the school, kura, centre or learning facility and the teacher. All information is shared with the teacher and they will get an opportunity to see and respond to the evidence.
A Professional Practice Evaluator will then evaluate and assess the teacher’s competency using the Standards for the Teaching Profession | Ngā Paerewa. Evaluators are experienced, registered senior teachers from across the sector.
The Evaluator will write a report, which includes an evaluation of the teacher's competence and a recommendation for an outcome.
The report will be shared with the teacher. Depending on the recommendation, there may be a further opportunity for the teacher to respond at this stage.
Outcomes
The Evaluator may recommend any of the following:
- No further action
- Refer the matter to the teacher's employer
- Refer the teacher to an impairment process
- Seek the teacher's agreement to conditions being placed on the teacher's practising certificate, for example, conditions may restrict a teacher's practice if appropriate, such as to a specific sector or subject, or require the teacher to undertake appropriate further learning or support
If the teacher doesn't agree to the conditions the case is referred to the Competence Authority for their consideration.
Competency Authority
If a case is referred to the Competence Authority, the teacher will be notified and given an opportunity to provide the panel members with written submissions or appear in person or represented by a lawyer or other advocate.
The Competence Authority panel is made up of one lay person and two to three registered teachers from across the sector.
After considering the case, the Competence Authority can decide to:
- Take no further action
- Refer back to the Professional Practice Evaluator for more information
- Place conditions on the teacher’s practising certificate or authority to teach
- Annotate the public online register of teachers
- Refer the issue to the impairment process
- In the most serious cases, cancel the teacher’s registration, practising certificate or Limited Authority to Teach
The Teaching Council will monitor the teacher as they comply with any conditions.