The Teacher Aide PLD Pilot fund closed for applications on Thursday 10 June 2021, 5:00pm. More information on this can be found in the news item on our website.
The Teacher Aide PLD Pilot fund closed for applications on Thursday 10 June 2021, 5:00pm. More information on this can be found in the news item on our website.
The teacher aide PLD pilot fund was the first of its kind offered in Aotearoa New Zealand. It recognised the value and importance of teacher aides’ career and skills development for schools, in their communities, and to ākonga.
The pilot fund aimed to break down some of the barriers to professional learning and development that teacher aides experience. As a pilot fund, it gauged interest for this support, as well as the types of PLD which could be funded long-term.
The fund was established as a result of the Support Staff in Schools’ Collective Agreement (SSSCA) 2019-22 negotiations between the Ministry of Education and NZEI Te Rui Roa. It sits under the Education Accord signed in 2019 between NZEI Te Riu Roa, the PPTA and the Ministry of Education that considers career progression for para-professionals.
The fund was boosted by the Teacher Aide Pay Equity Claim by $1.5 million, bringing the total fund to $2.29 million, starting 1 July 2020.
The fund aimed to support as many teacher aides as possible. Teacher aides who made a successful application received reimbursement of costs to their school of up to $1,500. This sum is for use towards course costs and wages for their time in professional learning.
Additional travel and accommodation support of up to $500 per application is also available, if the teacher aide meets the criteria for this.
Principles of the teacher aide PLD pilot fund
The fund:
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:
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.
The teacher aide PLD pilot fund was the first of its kind offered in Aotearoa New Zealand. It recognised the value and importance of teacher aides’ career and skills development for schools, in their communities, and to ākonga.
The pilot fund aimed to break down some of the barriers to professional learning and development that teacher aides experience. As a pilot fund, it gauged interest for this support, as well as the types of PLD which could be funded long-term.
The fund was established as a result of the Support Staff in Schools’ Collective Agreement (SSSCA) 2019-22 negotiations between the Ministry of Education and NZEI Te Rui Roa. It sits under the Education Accord signed in 2019 between NZEI Te Riu Roa, the PPTA and the Ministry of Education that considers career progression for para-professionals.
The fund was boosted by the Teacher Aide Pay Equity Claim by $1.5 million, bringing the total fund to $2.29 million, starting 1 July 2020.
The fund aimed to support as many teacher aides as possible. Teacher aides who made a successful application received reimbursement of costs to their school of up to $1,500. This sum is for use towards course costs and wages for their time in professional learning.
Additional travel and accommodation support of up to $500 per application is also available, if the teacher aide meets the criteria for this.
Principles of the teacher aide PLD pilot fund
The fund:
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:
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.
If you have an existing application and want to view it, click the link and login with your ESL.
If you have an existing application and want to view it, click the link and login with your ESL.
In order to receive reimbursement under the Teacher Aide PLD Pilot fund, your school or kura needs to create an invoice addressed to the “Ministry of Education” for the costs as approved for each funding application. Your school or kura can send an invoice to the Ministry for course costs, attendance time, travel and accommodation once your application has been approved.
The cost information will be in the confirmation email sent out when the application was approved. The teacher aide and their principal or supervisor should have both received this confirmation email with the costs noted.
Invoices should include the name of the teacher aide and application reference numbers (in format TAA-XXXXXX) so the invoice can be matched to the application in the online system. Please note that the total on approved funding applications is GST inclusive.
Send invoices directly to PLD.Enquiries@education.govt.nz.
If you have any questions about invoicing, contact PLD.Enquiries@education.govt.nz.
In order to receive reimbursement under the Teacher Aide PLD Pilot fund, your school or kura needs to create an invoice addressed to the “Ministry of Education” for the costs as approved for each funding application. Your school or kura can send an invoice to the Ministry for course costs, attendance time, travel and accommodation once your application has been approved.
The cost information will be in the confirmation email sent out when the application was approved. The teacher aide and their principal or supervisor should have both received this confirmation email with the costs noted.
Invoices should include the name of the teacher aide and application reference numbers (in format TAA-XXXXXX) so the invoice can be matched to the application in the online system. Please note that the total on approved funding applications is GST inclusive.
Send invoices directly to PLD.Enquiries@education.govt.nz.
If you have any questions about invoicing, contact PLD.Enquiries@education.govt.nz.
If a teacher aide is still interested in professional learning courses, there is a list available on the Professional Learning and Development page on the NZEI website. The list is not exhaustive. Although the fund is fully allocated, schools and kura can choose to fund professional learning opportunities for their teacher aides.
Under the fund, teacher aides could apply for professional learning that supports the development of their skills and knowledge in a way that contributes to the vision of their school or kura and the learning needs of ākonga and students.
The fund paid for professional learning offered by private providers, polytechnics, universities, schools, kura, Kāhui Ako or clusters. It covered both face-to-face and distance or online delivery. PLD that is in or across school or kura is equally as valid and beneficial as that from an external provider.
If a teacher aide is still interested in professional learning courses, there is a list available on the Professional Learning and Development page on the NZEI website. The list is not exhaustive. Although the fund is fully allocated, schools and kura can choose to fund professional learning opportunities for their teacher aides.
Under the fund, teacher aides could apply for professional learning that supports the development of their skills and knowledge in a way that contributes to the vision of their school or kura and the learning needs of ākonga and students.
The fund paid for professional learning offered by private providers, polytechnics, universities, schools, kura, Kāhui Ako or clusters. It covered both face-to-face and distance or online delivery. PLD that is in or across school or kura is equally as valid and beneficial as that from an external provider.
