6. The program assessment process

Programs are assessed in accordance with arrangements made between NESA, AITSL and TEQSA.

Early childhood/primary initial teacher education programs designed to qualify graduates to teach in NSW schools as well as early childhood services are assessed in line with arrangements made between NESA, AITSL, TEQSA and the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA).

This section sets out the key stages in the assessment process for a program to be accredited at stage one or stage two.

Accreditation stage one applies to new programs submitted for accreditation for the first time.

The application should detail the provider’s proposal of how the program will meet the accreditation requirements and their plan for demonstrating the program’s impact on the outcomes of their teacher education students.

Accreditation stage two applies to accredited programs submitted for another accreditation period or re-accreditation.

The application should focus on the provider’s analysis and interpretation of evidence for demonstrating impact in relation to initial teacher education student performance and graduate outcomes. It should also identify and justify changes and improvements to the program as a result of this analysis.

6.1 Design of program and application to NESA

The design and development of initial teacher education programs requires considerable consultation by the provider with internal and external stakeholders before its delivery. In concurrence with its internal approval processes, providers are expected to have initial discussions with officers from the NESA Teacher Education and Accreditation Directorate staff about the proposed introduction of a new or amended program. Continued communication with NESA officers throughout the development of the program and the accreditation application will help ensure an effective assessment process.

Providers should submit an application for program accreditation no later than 8 months before the program’s planned delivery (or at least 8 months before the expiry of a program’s current period of accreditation). Providers may submit a suite of programs to be assessed concurrently if they are of the same type or have common components.

The provider’s application is to include:

• completed templates for accreditation (stage one or stage two)
• supporting evidence.

6.2 NESA staff check the application

Upon receipt of the application, a NESA officer will check it is complete and that it accords with program accreditation requirements. The NESA officer may seek further documentation from the provider where required or will confirm that the application can proceed to an Accreditation Panel for assessment.

6.3 Assessment of the application by the Accreditation Panel

A NESA officer will:

• Establish an Accreditation Panel
• Confirm a Panel Chair
• Schedule a proposed Accreditation Panel meeting.

A NESA officer will act as the Accreditation Panel’s Executive Officer.

More information about Accreditation Panels is found at Section 9.2 of the policy.

Each member of the Accreditation Panel will receive a copy of the application at least 4 weeks prior to the scheduled Accreditation Panel meeting. This is to allow time to assess against the program accreditation requirements.

At the scheduled meeting, the Accreditation Panel will systematically discuss their assessment of the program against the program accreditation requirements (set out in Section 5 of the policy). The panel will identify areas of consensus and where additional information or clarification is required.

The Accreditation Panel may communicate with the provider during or after the meeting or complete a site visit to assist with their assessment of the program (eg seek further information in support of the program application).

If a site visit is planned, it will be discussed and negotiated with the provider and may involve discussions with the provider’s:

• senior executive
• Dean/Head of Education
• relevant teacher education staff
• current and past students of the program
• relevant school-based staff
• other personnel.

After the Accreditation Panel meeting, the NESA Executive Officer in consultation with panel members, will prepare a Draft Accreditation Report detailing the outcome of the Accreditation Panel’s assessment.

This may include requests for further information or clarification or amendments to the program documentation. The Panel Chair in consultation with panel members, will approve the Draft Accreditation Report prior to sending to the provider.

The provider must respond to the Draft Accreditation Report. Typically this is required within a 6-week period. It may involve:

• providing further information or clarification
• amending the program documentation (eg revising unit outlines or application templates where specified), or
• supplying new documentation.

The provider’s response is provided to the NESA Executive Officer who reviews it to confirm that the Accreditation Panel’s requests seem to be addressed before submitting it to the Accreditation Panel for review.

The Panel Chair in consultation with panel members will determine whether the requests have been adequately addressed.

If the Accreditation Panel is not satisfied the provider’s response addresses all matters raised in the Draft Accreditation Report, the Panel Chair in consultation with panel members may decide:

• that a second and final opportunity for a response from the provider is necessary, or
• to reconvene the Accreditation Panel where the provider’s response includes significant revisions to the application.

6.4 Panel Chair recommendation

If the Panel Chair in consultation with panel members is satisfied the provider’s response addresses all matters raised in the Draft Accreditation Report and all Program Standards and other accreditation requirements are met, the Panel Chair will recommend NESA approval of the program.

Correspondence submitted for approval will contain the final Accreditation Report addressing all accreditation requirements. This will include meeting the Program Standards and demonstrating a positive impact on student learning, and the Panel Chair’s recommendation.

6.5 NESA Approval

NESA will consider the final Accreditation Report and the Panel Chair’s recommendation to make one of the following accreditation decisions:

• approve accreditation of the program for a maximum period of 5 years (which may be subject to conditions as described in Section 7.1 of the policy), or
• not approve accreditation of the program where NESA is not satisfied it meets all accreditation requirements. A request may be made for the next stage of the program’s assessment process (eg seeking a further response from the provider before the program can be resubmitted to NESA for approval, or in the most serious of cases that the assessment process end).

6.6 NESA informs the provider of the decision

NESA will formally notify the provider in writing of the decision. The program will be included on the NSW list of accredited programs. AITSL will also be informed to update the national accredited programs list.

The provider must submit a final copy of the program application and all documentation to NESA. This will be held as a State Record.

For programs that NESA has not approved, the provider will be formally notified of the decision in writing. If applicable, the written notice will include recommendations for the next stage of the program’s assessment process (eg seeking a further response from the provider before the program can be resubmitted to NESA for approval). NESA’s written notice must include the reasons for the decision and the provider’s right to apply for internal review of the decision (see Section 8).