The Australian ignores the facts on teacher assessments

Media Release.

Peter Garrett AM
Federal Member for Kingsford Smith
 Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth

The story in today’s Australian regarding teacher performance appraisals was not only wrong, but was published despite the newspaper being told repeatedly that it was inaccurate.
The story claims that annual teacher performance appraisals are no longer part of the new National Education Reform Agreement (NERA) and alleges that the education sector is concerned that the commitment to annual teacher performance appraisals has been “watered down.”
The Australian relies on one comment from an anonymous “schools official” to completely misrepresent what is taking place.
Here are the facts.
Last August all education ministers agreed to implement the Australian Teacher Performance and Development Framework, which includes the requirement that teachers have an annual performance assessment. The framework is now being implemented.
The new NERA forms the basis of the Commonwealth’s commitment to a fairer funding system through the National Plan for School Improvement. It includes the requirement that participating education authorities commit to implementing reforms already agreed – including the performance framework. This is set out in Clause 47.
In short, teacher performance appraisals are covered in the agreement.
The Australian was also informed that more detailed individual implementation plans for each participating sector will include more specific details of the reforms taking place at school level.   And yet it has chosen to beat up the story, raising unnecessary alarm among the education sector.
This is irresponsible journalism.