Introduction and Overview
Governing and Managing RTLB Clusters is written for RTLB lead school boards of trustees (boards) and for RTLB management teams. It provides information to support lead schools interpret and implement the RTLB Funding and Service Agreement and to effectively govern and manage the RTLB service on behalf of their cluster of schools.
RTLB Service - Guiding principles
To understand the RTLB service, there are some key principles that underpin RTLB work:
- The most effective way to make gains for students is by focusing on student potential rather than on student underachievement.
- RTLB see their case work as teaching and learning opportunities not as student problems.
- The curriculum is able to be differentiated, and classroom programmes adapted, to meet the needs of all students within an inclusive schooling environment.
The bigger picture
The RTLB service is a Ministry of Education (Ministry)-funded learning and behaviour service that sits alongside the Ministry’s Learning Support service. Both services contribute to the Ministry’s vision of a world-leading fully inclusive education system that equips all New Zealanders with the knowledge, skills and values to be successful citizens in the 21st century.
The Government provides Resource Teacher: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB) funding and resourcing to provide a high quality and effective RTLB service that is accessible to cluster schools and makes a positive difference for student outcomes and inclusive practices across all cluster schools.
Some expectations about the lead school role
RTLB lead school boards are the stewards of the RTLB service for a community, or cluster, of schools. A lead school board governs the RTLB service on behalf of these schools.
Effective governance of the RTLB service will ensure:
- learning support provision is child-centred, easily accessed, timely and tailored for the children and young people who need it
- the system of learning support is consistent with the international evidence about what is most effective in ensuring the progress and achievement of all children and young people
- educators receive high quality, targeted, nationally consistent support to ensure they are confident and capable of teaching all children
- sound needs analysis and planning so that both cluster priorities and national priorities are achieved
- case outcomes data is gathered and reported on so that programmes can be adapted as needs change and the system as a whole can be continually improved upon
- a commitment to working with others providing special education services and social services so that students, kura, schools, whānau, and families experience seamless and integrated services.
Content last updated: March 2017