Orientation - Context and Governance (1)

A guide to starting as a teacher aide in Queensland

*DISCLAIMER: I am not a lawyer. Please use your best judgement for any information/advice provided in this blog post.*

Starting a career as a teacher aide can be daunting. To help orient and induct you, this series of blog posts will cover:

1. Context and Governance

2. Pre-employment Preparation

3. Union membership, Induction and Training

4. Student Learning Support and Playground Duties

5. Professional Development

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Background Context

In 2023, the Department of Education Teacher Aides’ Certified Agreement 2022 was certified; and included wages at various increments:

The role descriptions (and their responsibilities) are listed at TAOO2, TAOO3 and TAOO4 levels.

Teacher aides in Queensland are governed by:

1. Act: Public Sector Act 2022

2. Award: General Employees (Queensland Government Departments) and Other Employees Award - State 2015

   1. Amendments to remove the hours-based barrier to increment progression for part-time employees in public sector awards

3. Agreement: Department of Education Teacher Aides’ Certified Agreement 2022

4. Policies: Policy and Procedure Register and school-based policies

Teachers aides fall within the Operational Stream and are considered Individual Contributors.

Currently, teacher aide funding is largely governed by Day 8 enrolments.

• This census data informs the government how many students with a disability have been identified in a school, and funding is provided on this basis.

  • If the funding drops significantly, permanent staff may need to be reassigned to other places within Department of Education schools.

Funding is also provided according to need depending on if the school can demonstrate providing a student supplementary, substantial or extensive adjustments to allow them to access education on the same basis as other students.

Lastly, schools can also provide additional funding for teacher aides (e.g. I4S strategic funding).

Management

There is great variability in terms of how teacher aides are managed and by who, this can be influenced by:

• The size of the school;

• Staffing expertise/availability (or lack thereof);

• The location of the school (rural/remote).

In some schools the Business Manager or Business Services Manager is in charge of teacher aides; in others the Head of Student Engagement or Head of Special Education Services; or any other reasonably senior manager (i.e. Principal, Deputy, Head).

Specialisations

Teacher aide roles can vary greatly:

• Technology, woodwork, metalwork;

• Home economics - sewing, cooking;

• Supporting students with disabilities;

• Sick bay;

• Supporting students with English as an additional language;

• In-classroom support;

• Small group support;

• Education support leader;

• Library aide.

  • And many others!