Teacher supply: responsibilities across jurisdictions

The global teacher and quality priorities provide the immediate reference point for consideration of teacher supply in 2015.

For the arrangements, the public interest is not confined to institutional compliance. For teacher supply, education quality depends on sufficient numbers of competent staff who are prepared, supported and assigned work they can perform effectively.

Application to teacher supply

Useful records include observation and learner feedback, workload and allocation data, induction and professional learning participation, qualification and competence records, and support and supervision records.

Any indicator used in relation to the measure should distinguish description from causal explanation. For teacher supply, material variation and uncertainty should be reported together with any restriction on wider application.

In examining teacher supply: responsibilities across jurisdictions, for teacher supply, the 2013/4 Education for All Global Monitoring Report, Teaching and Learning: Achieving Quality for All, places teaching quality and equitable learning at the centre of the post-2015 discussion. It links teacher preparation, deployment, support and working conditions with learner outcomes. Workforce indicators should consequently be interpreted alongside evidence of classroom practice, access to qualified teachers and differences between locations and learner groups.

The criteria applied to the measure should be settled and recorded before the evidence is assessed. In reviewing teacher supply, cross-jurisdiction interpretation should distinguish international commitment, regional instrument, national law, regulatory direction and provider policy.

Risk assessment of the policy position should give particular attention to workload that limits preparation and feedback, professional learning disconnected from practice, and weak evaluation of teaching support. A provider should also consider vacancies or turnover affecting continuity and use of staff outside their competence.

Controls for teacher supply

Across the defined scope, the applicable expectation should be capable of consistent application. For teacher supply, where responsibilities are divided across ministries, regulators, funders and providers, the interfaces between those responsibilities should be explicit.

Accountability for the issue should follow decision-making authority.

In the context of teacher supply, traceability is necessary for accountable decision-making and fair correction.

• Prioritise support where learner need is greatest.
• Maintain continuity arrangements.
• Verify competence before assignment before using it to determine a learner or provider outcome.
• Protect time for preparation and feedback before it informs a consequential decision.
• Forecast workforce need.

Review of teacher supply

A competent review of the policy position should prepare a jurisdictional register identifying the service, learner location, provider location, responsible authority, applicable instrument and conflict rule.

In examining teacher supply: responsibilities across jurisdictions, across the defined scope, qualifications and participation in training are inputs.