Review process a significant win

The recently announced Annual Teacher Performance Review process should be viewed as a significant win for members.

When announcing Great Teachers = Great Results, the Minister stated that the process would be used to rank teachers (1, 2 or 3) and that the ranking would be based on student outcomes and student and parental feedback.

In a statewide ballot conducted in November last year, and recently reaffirmed by members, it was clear that QTU members rejected the notion of performance appraisal and the ranking of teachers.

The outcome is, therefore, significantly different from the performance appraisal outlined by the Minister back in April last year.

This new process replaces the Developing Performance Framework (DPF) (which all teachers undertake) from 2015 and does not result in ranking and ratings.

Consequently, in recognising this significant win for members, it is important to note that the process:

• is not an appraisal process
• it does not require a digital portfolio of evidence
• is not linked to bonuses
• does not include unannounced classroom observation
• is not based on student and parent survey information.

The new process acts to extend the DPF and rejects those elements of performance appraisal identified in GT=GR – consequently the QTU believes this to be a win for members.

Kate Ruttiman
Deputy General Secretary

Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 119 No 7, 3 October 2014, p10