PLD funding for teacher aides was first established through the Support Staff in Schools’ Collective Agreement (SSSCA) 2019-22 negotiations between the Ministry of Education and NZEI Te Rui Roa.
The first round of funding under the SSSCA 2019-22 was named the “Teacher Aide PLD Pilot Fund”, which aimed to break down some of the barriers to PLD that teacher aides experience. As a pilot, it gauged the interest for this support, as well as the type of PLD which could potentially be funded long-term. The Pilot ran from July 2020 – June 2021.
Principles of the teacher aide PLD pilot fund
The fund:
- Recognised Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its importance in the education sector.
- Recognised that teacher aides are core workers under the Children’s Act 2014.
- Ensured teacher aide development aligns with and supports school, kura, and system-wide PLD priorities.
- Contributed to the development of a teacher aide or group of teacher aides.
- Improved the ability to meet the diverse learning needs of ākonga, enabling access to the Aotearoa NZ curriculum.
- Recognised that PLD that is in or across school or kura is equally as valid and beneficial as that from an external provider.
Criteria
This fund supported the development of your skills and knowledge as a teacher aide in ways that contributed to the vision of your school, and to ākonga and students' needs. The PLD must have:
- Contributed to your capability to improve ākonga and student wellbeing, or
- improved your cultural capability, or
- helped you increase your ability to support ākonga and students.
By its nature, the pilot period will be used to demonstrate demand and inform future development of PLD for teacher aides. Feedback from teacher aides who have participated in the pilot will also inform further development of both the pilot and future PLD for teacher aides.