The Quality Initial Teacher Education (QITE) Review (2022) found that many beginning teachers are underprepared to teach in several key areas, particularly reading, cultural responsiveness, supporting diverse learners, classroom management, and family/carer engagement. The QITE Review also found that ITE students’ preparedness to teach would be bolstered by a strengthened focus on evidence-based teaching strategies.

Accredited ITE programs must ensure all graduate teachers meet the Graduate level of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Teacher Standards). The Panel was asked to provide advice on amending the Accreditation of Initial Teacher Education Programs in Australia: Standards and Procedures (Accreditation Standards and Procedures), to ensure ITE graduates are taught sufficient evidence-based practices to support them to meet the Graduate Teacher Standards.

Key recommendations:

• Rather than moving to a national accreditation model, the Panel considers that strengthened oversight and governance arrangements for ITE programs are needed to ensure the quality and consistency of ITE programs. The Panel recommends establishing an ITE quality assurance board, including independent membership based on relevant expertise.
• The Panel recognises that the national indicators are a starting point for transparent and consistent reporting of ITE programs; more research and work is required to build more effective and robust measures into the future.
• The Panel recommends mandating the nationally consistent, transparent indicators as key outcomes for ITE programs to streamline higher education providers’ evaluation of and reporting on outcomes.
• The Panel recommends establishing an Excellence Fund to encourage excellence in ITE programs. The fund could support higher education providers who are identified as excellent in a particular aspect of ITE delivery by the ITE quality assurance board.