5193 (2024). Hon Jan Tinetti to the Minister of Education

5193 (2024). Hon Jan Tinetti to the Minister of Education: What consultation, if any, occurred with Professional Learning Development providers before priorities were changed after the closing date for applications?

Hon Erica Stanford: It is important that schools have access to professional learning and development that will support them to implement the upcoming changes for curriculum and assessment. The direction of travel for this Government was signalled through Teaching the Basics Brilliantly and the Literacy Guarantee. I am moving at pace to align the Ministry of Education’s work programme towards these priorities. Allocation of hours for the Term 1 RAPLD round was approved for those schools planning professional learning supporting the shifts in structured literacy and assessment for learning or their implementation of NCEA Level 1 and the co-requisite. The cut-off date for Term 1 RAPLD applications was 23 February 2024. To avoid delays, schools were not able to resubmit proposals, or submit new proposals, after decisions were made about the allocation focus and I am advised the Ministry of Education (the Ministry) did not undertake any consultation. I have been further advised by the Ministry that as at 10 April 2024, 360 Term 1 RAPLD had been approved and approximately 272 Term 1 RAPLD applications did not come under the new focus areas. As was the case under the previous Government, success when applying PLD funding is never guaranteed. Schools who have missed out on accessing centrally-funded professional learning will have access to other professional learning opportunities in the coming months. My expectations are that the process will be much more streamlined, and over time the professional learning offering will extend to other areas aligned to the work programme, including maths. I am currently awaiting further advice from the Ministry on this. This is also my response to written parliamentary questions 5200, 5201, 5202, 5203 and 5204 (2024).