What is Certification?
There are four career stages within the Standards. These stages reflect the continuum of a teacher’s developing expertise. These are Graduate, Proficient, Highly Accomplished, and Lead.
Certification offers expert teachers the opportunity to have evidence of their practice assessed independently to recognize them as Highly Accomplished and Lead teachers.
- Highly Accomplished teachers are recognised as highly effective, skilled classroom practitioners and routinely work independently and collaboratively to improve their own practice and the practice of colleagues.
- Lead teachers are recognised and respected by colleagues, parents/carers and the community as exemplary teachers. They have demonstrated consistent and innovative teaching practice over time. Inside and outside the workplace, they initiate and lead activities that focus on improving educational opportunities for all learners.
Certification is an evidence and standards based process covering:
- evidence of practice
- evidence of impact
- demonstrated improvement in learner outcomes
- impact on the practice of colleagues
How does Certification work in the ACT?
In the ACT, national certification for Highly Accomplished and Lead teachers is achieved by completing a modular process in which applicants gather and present evidence of their teaching expertise, demonstrate their high-level practice in the classroom and have colleagues and workplace leaders endorse their application. The modular model allows applicants to submit portfolios of evidence incrementally, one domain of the Teacher Standards at a time, with assessor feedback informing subsequent modules.
Professional Knowledge
- Submit evidence for Standards 1 and 2
- Portfolio Assessment
Professional Engagement
- Submit evidence for Standards 6 and 7
- Portfolio Assessment
Professional Practice
- Submit evidence for Standards 3, 4 and 5
- Part A - Portfolio Assessment
- Part B - Workplace Site Visit
Certification can be achieved with 12 months.
All modules must be completed within a three year period
To be eligible to apply for certification at the Highly Accomplished or Lead teacher career stage the applicant must be an Australian citizen or have permanent residency and hold full registration with TQI. Applicants must also have satisfactory performance confirmed by their employer for the previous two years for Highly Accomplished and three years for Lead.
The following support material for teachers moving to the later career stages of Highly Accomplished and Lead has been developed:
- Certification Video: providing a nine-minute introduction
- Certification Overview: outlining how Certification in the ACT is achieved