Chair’s message

First and foremost, AITSL is a for-purpose organisation. We are here to develop teaching and leadership expertise and empower teachers and leaders to create better education outcomes for Australian students.

Over the past 10 years, we have focused on the areas where we make the most impact. Our evidence-based advice and guidance has led to national educational reforms that have supported quality teaching and leadership in Australia. We have developed 9 Standards and frameworks that are the foundational pillars for the national education landscape. We have built a solid base of evidence-based tools and resources to support the implementation of these pillars.

We have also established clear and effective frameworks for undertaking genuine consultation and collaboration with teachers and leaders in schools and early childhood and other education settings, and representatives from government systems, Catholic and independent school sectors, teacher regulatory authorities, initial teacher education providers, teacher unions, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and groups, principal and other professional associations and community organisations (referred to in this document as our Key Partners).

In 2021, the AITSL Board developed a paper to help lead discussion about what AITSL’s focus should be for the next decade. Feedback on Developing, Esteeming, and Investing in Expertise: The Second Decade of AITSL, has helped shape this 4-year strategic plan (1 July 2022 to 30 June 2026).

During consultation, we heard clearly and enthusiastically from our Key Partners that we should continue to do what we do best and build on the solid foundations we have carefully laid over the past 10 years. In doing so, our Key Partners expressed the strong desire for AITSL to be bold in our approach.

You will see in our Strategic Priorities that we have listened; our priorities continue to focus on what we do best. As we shape our work program, we will ensure we are bold in our approach and implementation so that teachers and leaders at each career stage are supported to do what they do best, educating Australia’s students.

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Emeritus Laureate Professor John Hattie Chair

About AITSL

Our vision

Australia has a high-quality education system in which teachers and leaders have the greatest impact on the educational growth and achievement of every learner.

Our mission

Promoting excellence so that teachers and leaders have the maximum impact on learning in all Australian schools and early childhood settings.

Our strategic priorities

Expertise is at the core of AITSL’s work. We know that it is the expertise residing in Australia’s teachers, leaders and our Key Partners that will most help our learners succeed. This expertise, with a solid evidence base, has been embodied in our national Standards as well as AITSL’s tools and resources. The importance of expertise is the very reason we have used it to frame our strategic priorities over the next four years.

Strategic priorities

Shaping expertise

PURPOSE

To lead a high quality and nationally consistent approach to teaching and leadership in schools and education settings.

  • Provide leadership for the 9 national policy frameworks, with the Teacher, Principal and ITE Standards (the Standards), at the centre.
  • Work with the profession to make sure the Standards remain fit for purpose and demonstrate teaching excellence.
  • Provide national policy advice to support informed and innovative education systems and sectors.
  • Champion an inclusive and equitable education system, with a focus on the outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
  • Bring together the voices of our Key Partners (teachers and leaders in schools and early childhood and other education settings, and representatives from government systems, Catholic and independent school sectors, teacher regulatory authorities, initial teacher education providers, teacher unions, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and groups, principal and other professional associations and community organisations) to help shape national reform priorities.

OUTCOME

Quality teaching and leadership is underpinned by relevant, fit for purpose national Standards that are understood and implemented by all teachers and leaders throughout Australia.

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Influencing expertise

PURPOSE

To encourage the national adoption of practices and policies that help lift quality teaching and leadership in schools and education settings.

  • Be passionate advocates for evidence-based practices that lead to improvements in quality teaching and leadership.
  • Convene our Key Partners to help shape and implement nationally agreed policies and practices.
  • Champion the growth and impact of national teacher certification.
  • Help lead the national workforce supply conversation, with informed outcomes based on national data.
  • Provide states and territories with access to quality teachers from outside Australia.

OUTCOME

AITSL’s Key Partners across all Australian states and territories participate in the development and adoption of nationally informed practices and policies that help lift quality teaching and leadership in schools and education settings.

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Enhancing expertise

PURPOSE

To provide solutions, informed by evidence and practice, to help the profession implement the national Standards and frameworks.

  • Lead research that shapes reform agendas and resources for the profession.
  • Engage with our Key Partners in the development of evidence-based tools and resources that have teacher and leader expertise at their core.
  • Curate and create content that supports teachers and leaders in changing contexts like emergency education scenarios and increased wellbeing needs.
  • Showcase diverse learning environments in evidence-based tools and resources for teachers and leaders.

OUTCOME

The delivery of high quality, practical and evidence-based tools and resources that are created in partnership with the profession, and support quality teaching and leadership.

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Esteeming expertise

PURPOSE

To recognise and raise awareness of the lasting impact of teacher and leader expertise.

  • Encourage and support teachers and leaders to be innovative in applying the Teacher and Principal Standards.
  • Promote positive messages on the impact of teachers by showcasing their practice, expertise and stories.
  • Bring together teachers and leaders to share and celebrate their expertise and knowledge.

OUTCOME

The expertise of Australia’s teachers and leaders is highlighted, recognised and celebrated, supporting an increased status of the profession.

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Supporting expertise

PURPOSE

To have a healthy, high-performing culture, and strong and adaptive operational foundations, that support our purpose.
  • Cultivate a healthy, high-performing culture that lives and breathes AITSL’s Values and engages our people in our strategy.
  • Prioritise diversity and inclusion at all levels of the organisation.
  • Leverage our people to realise our potential and constantly lift our capability.
  • Be accountable and transparent in our everyday business activities.
  • Ensure our business is underpinned by good governance.
  • Deliver fit for purpose systems and processes that support the organisation to work efficiently and effectively.

OUTCOME

AITSL’s culture is healthy, culturally safe, adaptive and inclusive, and facilitates the effective deployment of resources to achieve strategic outcomes.