Strengthening the Learning and Behaviour service

Education Minister Anne Tolley has announced that changes to the Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB) service will bring more consistency and better leadership, while increasing the number of teachers.

RTLB are specialist teachers who work across clusters of schools to support them in dealing with challenging student behaviour – and the changes to governance and operation of RTLBs come after a widespread review of the service.

This followed a hard-hitting Education Review Office report in 2009 which found that half of the 200 clusters were not operating as they should.

“We invest $73 million a year in this sector, and I’m satisfied we have now found a much better way to support students and teachers and ensure schools get a better quality of service,” says Mrs Tolley.

“Forty clusters will now deliver the RTLB service, which will reduce the variance in effectiveness across the country, while bringing better quality and consistency.

“This will also make better use of management, as well as increasing the workforce by 65 to a total of 804 full-time equivalent teachers.

“Northland, West Auckland, South Auckland, Coromandel, Waikato, East Cape, Gisborne, the West Coast, South Canterbury and Central Otago are all projected to gain RTLB positions.

“There will also be greater accountability in the new system, and the Ministry will constantly review the clusters to make sure they are working effectively.

“I would like to thank the many principals and sector groups who have taken part in consultation and regional hui, and provided valuable feedback over the past year.”

The changes to RTLB will be in place from February 2012.

More information is available at http://rtlb.tki.org.nz/Transforming-RTLB-service/Clusters