Education Support Staff Working in Classroom Support Roles

Policy

The purpose of this policy is to support principals and school leaders to make decisions about the effective use of education support staff in the classroom.

Summary

The Education Support Staff Working in Classroom Support Roles Guidelines provide evidence-based guidance about effective ways to work with education support staff employed in schools in classroom support roles. This involves:

• supporting education support staff to build on their capabilities to influence the achievement, engagement and wellbeing outcomes of all students
• providing a foundation for conversation, collaboration and action between principals, teachers, education support staff and regional staff when reviewing how they work together to support students in the classroom
• using practical, evidence-based key improvement strategies (KIS), which principals and school leaders can draw on when using the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO) Improvement Cycle to evaluate their school’s current practice and to plan for improvement.

Details

Education support staff in classroom support roles can have a significant impact on the achievement, engagement and wellbeing outcomes of all students, including those with disability and additional needs. They have an important role in strengthening an inclusive school culture and creating a positive climate for learning.

The Education Support Staff Working in Classroom Support Roles Guidelines have been developed to align with Department of Education and Training policy requirements and the provisions of the Victorian Government Schools Agreement (VGSA).

They may assist principals and school leaders when making decisions regarding education support staff working in classroom support roles at their school.

The Guidelines can be used to identify and prioritise KIS and actions most critical to each school’s specific areas of strength and areas of practice that could be improved. These KIS and actions can be embedded into the school’s School Strategic Plan (SSP) and Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) to sharpen the school community’s collective focus on inclusive education and the effective use of education support staff.

The Guidelines also refer to effective ways education support staff can support all students, including students with disability, gifted and talented students and students with other additional learning and support needs.

The Guidelines outline ways that school leaders can assist education support staff to:

• have high expectations for all students, which promotes improvement in students’ achievement, engagement and wellbeing outcomes
• use data-informed, evidence-based, high-impact teaching strategies to improve outcomes for all students
• support classroom teachers who have responsibility for teaching all students in their class
• understand the role of education support staff as being responsible for supporting teacher-led teaching and learning in the classroom, not curriculum programming or goal setting
• promote collaborative, professional and respectful relationships between teaching staff and education support staff to improve student outcomes
• allocate time for teaching staff and education support staff to plan and work collaboratively
• build the capability of teachers and education support staff to improve outcomes for all students.

Refer to the Guidance tab for the Education Support Staff Working in Classroom Support Roles Guidelines.

Related policies

• Annual Implementation Plan (AIP)
• Dimensions of Work — Education Support Class
• Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO)
• Performance and Development for Education Support Class Employees
• Roles and Responsibilities Education Support Class
• School Strategic Plan
• Students with Disability
• Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2017

Relevant legislation

• Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)
• Disability Standards for Education 2005 (Cth)
• Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic)
• Review of the Program for Students with Disabilities (Vic)

Education Support Staff Working in Classroom Support Roles Guidelines

This guidance contains the following chapters:

• Overview
• How to use the key improvement strategies
• Key improvement strategy 1: Roles, responsibilities and teamwork
• Key improvement strategy 2: Professional learning and development
• Key improvement strategy 3: Collaboration and consultation
• Key improvement strategy 4: Student-centred practice

Overview

The purpose of these Guidelines is to help principals and school leadership teams to optimise the work of education support staff working in classroom support roles. It supports education support staff to build on their capabilities to influence the achievement, engagement and wellbeing outcomes of all students, including those with disability and additional needs.

The Guidelines provide practical, evidence-based key improvement strategies, which principals and school leaders can draw on when using the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO) Improvement Cycle to evaluate their school’s current practice and to plan for improvement.

Key improvement strategies

The 4 key improvement strategies (KIS) in the Guidelines have been developed to support schools in considering how they can strengthen and extend their practices around inclusive education and the effective use of education support staff in the classroom.

Under each KIS sits evidence-based actions that principals, teachers, education support staff and other relevant professionals supporting students’ learning, can implement to improve student outcomes.

The KIS can be used to identify and prioritise actions most critical to each school’s specific areas of strength and areas of practice that could be improved.

School improvement planning

Schools plan for continuous improvement in their students’ outcomes using the FISO Improvement Cycle. They complete a four-yearly School Strategic Plan (SSP) and Annual Implementation Plans (AIPs) in the Strategic Planning Online Tool (SPOT).

The FISO Improvement Cycle helps schools to align goals, targets and KIS to annual actions and activities, and monitor progress from term-to-term and year-to-year.

Just as the FISO Improvement Cycle can be used at different levels, from the whole-school to the classroom and over different time periods, from four-week cycles to annual cycles, so too can the KIS in these Guidelines. As well as supporting whole-school planning for the AIP, they can also be used by professional learning teams, or individual teachers and education support staff, to maintain a focus on best practice and evidence.

The KIS in the Guidelines will assist schools to identify the actions that will best support and align with other KIS they have identified as their focus in their SSP and AIP.

How to use key improvement strategies

A good place to start is for principals and school leadership teams to review their education support staff practices, with a focus on how the practices are supporting improved student outcomes. The KIS and Actions Audit Tool can be used to support this process. From there, schools can review the completed Audit Tool to identify prioritised areas for improvement. They will select key improvement strategies (KIS) and actions that support the implementation of these improvements and include the selected KIS and actions in their AIP.

The Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO) Improvement Cycle can help principals and school leadership teams to consider their current school practices, determine what is working and what is not, and plan for improvement.

Evaluate and diagnose

Review your school’s education support staff practices, with a focus on how the practices are supporting improved student outcomes. Consider successes and challenges and how to strategically align the ways in which education support staff working in classroom support roles are utilised in the school.

Prioritise and set goals

Prioritise the areas identified as needing improvement by considering their likely impact on student outcomes. Prioritise the broad areas most necessary to address in the coming year, within the context of your School Strategic Plan (SSP). For instance, ‘Building the capability of education support staff and teacher teams’ or ‘Collaborative planning’.

Consider where these areas for focus fit within the goals in your SSP. For instance, they may align with goals such as ‘Improve engagement in learning for all students’ or ‘To improve literacy and numeracy outcomes for all students’.

Develop and plan

Using the KIS, identify the strategies most relevant to your school context. Include the selected KIS in your school’s AIP and consider the actions to support the KIS. Clearly articulate what the school will do, how, when and by whom, and what success looks like. Develop success criteria/indicators for inclusion in the AIP and staff Performance and Development Plans (PDPs).

Implement and monitor

Implement the KIS and actions and monitor their impact on student learning using data and evidence.

Key improvement strategy 1: Roles, responsibilities and teamwork

Guidance for improvement

Clearly define roles and responsibilities of teachers and education support staff working in classroom support roles.

When teaching and education support staff roles and responsibilities are clear and there is collaboration, education support staff can effectively support improvements in student outcomes.

Action 1.1

Review education support staff and teachers’ roles and responsibilities and identify evidence-based practice to support collaborative teamwork.

Action 1.1 What does this look like?

• Schools use the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO) Improvement Cycle to reflect on collaborative practice.
• Schools review how teaching staff are currently working with education support staff.
• Student data indicates that the way teachers and education support staff are working collaboratively is improving student outcomes.
• There are teams of teachers and education support staff that are impacting student outcomes positively, and these ways of working are considered for scaling up across the school.
• Adjustments to staff schedules are considered to allow teaching staff and education support staff to meet and reflect on student data and collaboratively plan how they work together and work safely with students that they are supporting.

Action 1.2

Support education support staff and teacher teams to work collaboratively and to have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities.

Action 1.2 What does this look like?

Teaching staff and education support staff have a clear understanding of:

• the role of school leaders in developing and reviewing:
  • school operations in accordance with the Department’s policies policy and priorities and the Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2017
  • staff schedules to allow teachers and education support staff to collaboratively plan how they work together
• the role of teachers in:
  • leading the design and implementation of teaching and learning interventions
  • assessing students to identify strengths and support needs, interpreting student data, prioritising learning goals, and selecting the most effective evidence-based interventions to address student learning needs
• the role of education support staff in supporting data-informed, evidence-based interventions, which are led, developed and delivered by teaching staff, student support services (SSS), allied health professionals and other professionals supporting students

Action 1.3

Leverage opportunities such as professional learning communities and communities of practice, by allocating time to support teachers and education support staff to develop their professional practice in ways to optimise collaboration and coordinated support for students.

Action 1.3 What does this look like?

Education support staff working in classroom support roles have regular opportunities to:

• plan with teaching staff
• participate in the school’s professional learning communities and student conferencing sessions to understand effective ways to support all students, including students with disability and additional needs
• participate in cross-school collaboration, including communities of practice
• receive informal and formal feedback about their work from teaching staff and school leaders
• are provided information about behaviour support strategies and safety planning

Key improvement strategy 2: Professional learning and development

Guidance for improvement

Build capability of and provide leadership support for education support staff working in classroom support roles. When education support staff and teaching staff receive professional learning, support and feedback, inclusive education practices are reinforced and student outcomes improve.

Action 2.1

Prioritise opportunities for teachers and education support staff to access and participate in professional learning together.

Action 2.1 What does this look like?

Education support staff working in classroom support roles and teaching staff have opportunities to:

• engage in relevant professional learning to improve knowledge and skills and meet their Performance and Development Plan (PDP) goals
• develop their understanding of how to collaboratively plan and work with staff to safely support all students, including students with disability and additional needs, and their respective roles in supporting student learning
• receive mentoring or coaching support from an appropriate teacher, member of the leadership team and/or a member of the SSS supporting the school

Action 2.2

Identify and provide opportunities for education support staff to access relevant, quality professional learning that assists them to effectively support teacher and specialist-led learning interventions in the classroom and supports them to work safely with students.

Action 2.2 What does this look like?

Education support staff working in classroom support roles have opportunities to learn how to:

• support a wide range of strategies to encourage full participation of all students, including students with disability and additional needs
• effectively support students to work towards independence, work effectively with peers and promote student involvement in decision making
• support high-impact teaching strategies in the classroom
• support students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds
• support the implementation of the Marrung Educational Plan in their school
• participate in Cultural Understanding and Safety Training to support Koorie inclusion
• use the range of assistive technologies and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices

Action 2.3

Ensure the PDP process is in place for all education support staff, including regular opportunities for professional learning, feedback, coaching and mentoring.

Action 2.3 What does this look like?

• Education support staff are supported by a member of the school’s leadership team who:
  • understands the role of the education support staff
  • can observe education support staff
  • provides feedback regarding practice, professional learning needs and progress towards PDP goals
  • is responsible for reviewing the education support staffs’ PDP
  • engages in education support staff PDP reviewers’ professional development
• Education support staff are supported to participate in PDP professional development.
• Education support staff are supported to develop and action an effective PDP.
• There are explicit links between the education support class employees’ PDPs, the school strategic plan and annual implementation plan.
• There are systems in place for education support staff to self-reflect and receive regular feedback from staff they work collaboratively with (for example, peers, principals, leadership, teachers, Koorie Engagement Support Officers and allied health professionals), as evidence to support their PDP.

Key improvement strategy 3: Collaboration and consultation

Guidance for improvement

Promote productive and inclusive partnerships between all staff, including teachers, education support staff working in classroom support roles, parents/carers and community services. When teaching staff and education support staff are part of an active network of parents/carers, Koorie engagement support officers (KESOs), student support services (SSS), allied health professionals and other community services supporting all students, they can promote student wellbeing and engagement within and beyond the classroom.

Action 3.1

Establish agreed protocols and processes regarding liaising with parents/carers, the education support staff role within these processes and the importance of maintaining professional boundaries when communicating with families (protocols to be aligned with the Dimensions of Work — Education Support Class and the school’s values)

Action 3.1 What does this look like?

Schools have clearly documented protocols that provide guidance on the responsibilities of teaching staff and education support staff working in classroom support roles, which outline:

• that responsibility for student information and outcomes clearly rests with the teacher and families
• the formal processes around providing information to and communicating with parents/carers about student learning and progress, the forums for this and their regularity. For example, parent-teacher interviews and Student Support Group (SSG) meetings
• specific ways to communicate with parents/carers ethically and professionally during both informal and formal communications
• identified professional learning opportunities for staff to access, regarding how to provide effective feedback to parents/carers on student engagement and progress

Action 3.2

Allocate time for teachers and education support staff to self-reflect and negotiate adjustments with relevant colleagues, regarding learning interventions for groups of students implemented in the classroom.

Action 3.2 What does this look like?

• School leadership teams allocate collaborative planning time between teachers and education support staff to enable them to prioritise the review of teaching and learning approaches and learning interventions for groups of students.
• School leadership teams support teachers and education support staff by providing regular opportunities for teams supporting students to:
  • meet and understand the role of education support staff in supporting the learning interventions that have been developed, and negotiate with education support staff how they can support student learning
  • discuss the impact of interventions for groups of students and negotiate adjustments, sharing the knowledge and expertise of all staff

Action 3.3

Provide time for teaching staff and education support staff to participate in SSG meetings to develop a collaborative and evidence-based understanding of individual students’ achievement, engagement and wellbeing needs.

Action 3.3 What does this look like?

• School leadership teams provide time for teachers and education support staff to meet with parents/carers, SSS, KESOs, relevant service providers and allied health professionals to:
  • discuss students’ strengths, learning support needs and preferences
  • provide feedback about each individual student’s engagement and progress with the learning interventions and consider further interventions or reducing support
• School leadership teams support teachers to collaboratively plan Individual Education Plans or other student support plans with parents/carers and other support personnel, and to identify the role of education support staff in assisting with these plans
• School leadership teams actively involve parents/carers, staff and service providers supporting students in SSG meetings.

Key improvement strategy 4: Student-centred practice

Guidance for improvement

Advocate for and support high expectations of all students by implementing evidence-based approaches that support students’ learning, social inclusion, independence and responsibility. When education staff share a school’s high expectations for all students, they can:

• effectively support teaching staff to collect student data to inform learning goals and strategies
• support collaborative learning
• contribute additional information and feedback to teachers and other professionals/specialists when they are reviewing classroom interventions

Action 4.1

Schedule opportunities for teaching staff and education support staff to plan collaboratively and review data, to enable education support staff to effectively support the teacher-led implementation of data-informed, inclusive teaching and learning for all students.

Action 4.1 What does this look like?

• Student data is shared with education support staff when teaching staff are selecting learning interventions, to ensure they understand their role in supporting the interventions.
• Education support staff know the students they support, their background, strengths, interests and goals.
• Education support staff join Student Support Groups to ensure they can support learning interventions in the classroom with fidelity and contribute to feedback about student progress and engagement with learning activities to help inform future interventions and support.
• Education support staff support the classroom teacher’s work in helping students to identify and share their own stories, backgrounds and cultures.
• Education support staff support the school’s work in acknowledging and integrating Koorie cultural, historical and social perspectives in teaching and learning.

Action 4.2

Ensure education support staff and teachers are using the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model (VTLM) when working with groups or individual students (not only with a student or students with additional learning support needs), by allocating education support staff to support teacher-designed learning in the classroom.

Action 4.2 What does this look like?

Education support staff working in classroom support roles:

• work with groups of students on teacher-designed teaching and learning activities, ask questions, and encourage students to interact with their peers, teachers and the classroom resources to address challenges presented by the learning tasks
• support collaborative learning with groups of students, while teachers run targeted, data-informed, evidence-based learning activities with individuals or small groups of students with disability and additional learning needs
• receive professional learning about how to support the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model and High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS) used by teachers to encourage student engagement with learning activities and collaboration with their peers
• work with teachers to support the development of social skills to promote student engagement in learning
• understand that the support provided to students can be reduced when students achieve their learning outcomes and feel confident to work more interdependently with their teachers, peers and classroom resources
• build strong relationships with all students by having opportunities to rotate across groups of students in the classroom/year level or school

Action 4.3

Provide time for education support staff working in classroom support roles to join teacher and student discussions that empower student voice and agency ( Amplify).

Action 4.3 What does this look like?

• Education support staff are included in meetings between teachers and students (as appropriate), to understand the learning interventions that have been developed to address students’ learning goals and agreed ways of working towards them.
• Education support staff continue to build their capability around working collaboratively with teachers and students
• Education support staff use evidence-based interventions that have been identified and agreed on in their meetings with teachers and students.
• Teachers and education support staff are assisted to understand self-regulation and other social support programs developed by student support services or other health/community professionals. They feel confident supporting these programs being implemented with fidelity in the classroom, to work towards improving students’ social inclusion, independence and responsibility.
• Teachers and education support staff are supported by the relevant health professionals to use assistive technologies and augmentative and alternative communication devices (AAC) to promote students’ capacity to engage with learning and interact with their peers and adults in the school setting.

Resources

ES Staff working in Classroom Support Roles Guidelines KIS and Actions Audit Tool

This resource assists principals and school leadership teams to identify relevant key improvement strategies (KIS) and actions by conducting an audit, identifying areas for improvement and selecting the KIS and actions that will support this improvement.

Key improvement strategies (KIS) and actions quality practice exemplars

This resource demonstrates ways schools have implemented key improvement strategies to work effectively with education support staff in classrooms support roles.

ES Staff working in Classroom Support Roles Guidelines Key Research Findings

This resource summarises four key research findings about education support staff in classroom support roles and provides the evidence-base associated with that research.

ES Staff working in Classroom Support Roles Guidance Note — remote and flexible learning

This resource provides guidance about effective ways education support staff can work with teachers and other school staff, remotely and on-site, to support the health, wellbeing, teaching and learning of students.