Professional Development for Principal Leadership Guidelines attached
Kia ora PPCB e te Whānau,
Many of you will have seen the updated guidelines in yesterday’s bulletin. These include minor changes made by the Office of the Auditor-General (OAG). NZSBA will soon release their own guidance for Boards, along with a form principals can use when applying to the fund — a useful tool for maintaining sound records around sensitive expenditure.
Despite our repeated efforts, we have made no progress in getting any professional learning activities or conferences beyond New Zealand and Australia recognised on the Principal Development Map. We have gone back to the Ministry several times, but the constraints we are facing are largely driven by the OAG’s report on the Wellbeing Fund and school spending. While the PL Fund is entirely different in purpose and structure, the OAG’s scrutiny of the Wellbeing Fund has led to an extremely cautious approach this time.
It’s important to be clear, the PL Fund is not another version of the Wellbeing Fund, yet some members may not fully appreciate the distinction. The Ministry’s tight interpretation of expenditure rules is now heavily influencing what principals can do.
To make matters more difficult, the first time PPCB saw the criteria for the Principal Development Map was only recently. We had expected more flexibility to reflect the wide range of professional learning principals undertake, not just attendance at listed events or activities. Feedback from some members confirms that the current framework is already proving too narrow. Opportunities such as study tours, PLGs, and group visits are being excluded unless they are linked to events already on the Map.
Here is the criteria we have seen, we have asked for a delay until we can discuss next Wednesday.
‘The PDM is focused on providers that are peak bodies, principal associations, All of Government or Ministry of Education approved leadership development providers, registered professional coaches, universities and NZQA approved programmes, which offer professional learning in New Zealand, Australia, or online.
Get organisations/ providers you want to be on the map to contact map directly on:
Ohumahi.support@education.govt.nz
We will be meeting with the Ministry and Minister tomorrow to press these concerns directly, particularly the rigidity of the guidelines and the limited scope of the Principal Development Map and to advocate for a system that genuinely supports diverse, meaningful professional growth for principals.
If we don’t make the headway we would like, we will come back to you with options for the $6000 negotiated for 2027.
Nga mihi
Denise Torrey
PPCB PSO/Lead Negotiator
021 262 5557