Yes, part-time teaching should be no impediment to acquiring certification providing you have full responsibility for the teaching, learning, assessment and reporting of a group of learners for an extended period of time.

Yes, however you should bear in mind that consolidation and alignment of your evidence, referees and classroom observation opportunities in one workplace is necessary to enable a valid assessment to be made.

The eligibility requirements are to:

1. be an Australian citizen or have a permanent residency visa
2. have full registration with an Australian state or territory teacher regulatory authority
3. have been assessed as satisfactory in your two most recent annual performance assessments for those applying for the Highly Accomplished career stage
4. have been assessed as satisfactory in your three most recent annual performance assessments for those applying for the Lead career stage.

Having achieved Full Registration against the Proficient level Standards, applicants can then work towards demonstrating Highly Accomplished or Lead level practice, supported by satisfactory performance reviews from the employer for at least the following two years (HA) and three years (Lead).

It is expected that your knowledge and pedagogical skills are given time to become embedded in your practice and understanding. Employers may not be willing to support applicants for HALT Certification without a period of professional consolidation. Research indicates that teachers are more likely to be successful in achieving certification having taught for at least 5 years.

Look at your practice and see how it aligns with the Highly Accomplished or Lead descriptors. You should carefully assess your Knowledge, Practice and Engagement and the evidence that you have to exemplify the descriptors for each of these Domains.

Highly Accomplished teachers need to show that they have an impact on their own learners, the practice of their colleagues, and thereby the outcomes of their colleagues’ learners by

• working with colleagues and contribute to their professional growth
• supporting, coaching, mentoring, and modelling for colleagues
• leveraging their expertise, developing effective teaching teams, contributing to workplace improvement and
• improving learner outcomes with impact beyond their own classroom.

Lead teachers work with colleagues, parents, carers, learners and other key stakeholders to impact and effect change at a workplace, system or service-wide level. They

• are recognised and respected as exemplary teachers
• initiate and lead projects focused on improving outcomes for learners
• support colleagues to improve their practices and evaluate progress
• have an impact across their school/system/jurisdiction.

Conversations with your colleagues, middle leaders and workplace delegate should then give you further insight as to your readiness to apply as either a Highly Accomplished or Lead teacher. It is not necessary to be certified as Highly Accomplished in order to apply for Lead Certification.

TQI appoints two nationally-trained external assessors to conduct the rigorous, transparent and nationally-endorsed assessment process. Conflict of interest checks ensure applicants are not known to the assessors.

National certification is portable, allowing teachers to maintain their status as a Highly Accomplished or Lead teacher if they move between participating states/ territories and sectors. This does not mean that any industrial arrangements attached to certification, such as a particular rate of pay, or other recognition, such as registration/accreditation status, are automatically transferrable. The way in which certified teachers are recognised or rewarded is an employment matter.

ACT Certified teachers are able to apply to renew their certification, originally granted for a period of five years, provided they continue to meet the renewal requirements. They need to submit their renewal application to TQI by the end of August in the year their certification expires. The renewal process is quite different to the initial Certification process. It is currently based on confirmation of satisfactory annual performance reviews, Professional Statements provided by the applicant and referee endorsement. Please refer to the Guide to the Renewal of Certification of Highly Accomplished and Lead Teachers in Australia and the ACT TQI Renewal Supplement for detailed information on the renewal process.

TQI@act.gov.au