Teacher Qualifications and Assignments Branch Presidents’ Training Oct 2016

Resource Guide This document is posted on the D16 website, under Resources for BPs

Principals make Teaching Assignments with the aim of providing the best possible program and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of students; and in accordance with the qualifications recorded on the teacher’s Certificate of Qualification.

Teacher Holds the Qualification Teachers may be assigned to teach any subject for which they hold qualifications. Restricted subjects are French, Special Education, and Technological Education. Example: Special Education Teachers may be assigned to teach any subject for which they hold qualifications. This applies regardless of how long ago they obtained the qualifications, or whether they have any experience teaching that subject. The only restricted subjects are French, Special Education, and Technological Education, meaning the teacher must hold a qualification in that subject to be assigned to teach that subject. Example - One Special Education teacher will be transferring to another school, and there are not enough teachers currently in Special Education to cover all the classes: the Principal is allowed to assign Special Education classes to another teacher who holds the qualification, even though that teacher took the AQ 20 years ago, has no interest in teaching Special Education, and has never taught it.

Teacher DOES NOT Hold the Qualification The Guide provides two general statements: 1. A teacher who has qualifications in a division (i.e. Primary, Junior, Intermediate, or Senior Division) may be assigned to teach in any division and in any non-restricted general studies subject, by mutual agreement and with the approval of the Superintendent. In order to get Qualifications in a Division, a teacher must have a Bachelor’s degree.

Teacher DOES NOT Hold the Qualification The Guide provides two general statements: 2. a teacher who has a qualification in a technological education subject (Junior or Senior; Basic or Advanced) may be assigned to teach any other technological education subject in grades 9 to 12, by mutual agreement and with the approval of the Superintendent. We will come back to the ‘mutual agreement’ piece

Teacher DOES NOT Hold the Qualification Examples: 2. Transportation Tech 1. Music Note: Repertoire is voluntary in our CA We will come back to the ‘mutual agreement’ piece. Two examples: The Auto teacher is retiring, and none of the other Tech teachers hold qualifications in Transportation Tech. The Esthetics teacher grew up helping her dad who was a mechanic in his garage. If she says she would be comfortable teaching the Transportation Tech course and the Principal is confident that she can ensure the safety and wellbeing of the students, the Principal can assign the Transportation Tech course to her. 2. The school has to declare surplus, and the least senior teacher in the school is the Music teacher: if no one else in the school holds Music qualifications, then the Principal may approach the Math teacher who happens to sing in a choir and can read music to teach the Music class(es). A note about Repertoire Our contract states that a teacher may only be assigned to teach repertoire by written agreement. That means if the school is planning to offer three sections of Repertoire and none of the Music teachers wants to teach after school, the school may have to run their Music classes only within the school day. This is a contractual issue, not a Regulation issue.

Temporary Letter of Approval (TLA) A TLA gives the Board permission for one year to assign a teacher who does not hold the required qualifications (where mutual agreement would not suffice). Cannot be obtained without the teacher’s agreement. Examples: Hospitality, French May not be renewed year after year. A Temporary Letter of Approval authorizes a school board to assign a teacher to teach a subject for up to one year where the teacher does not hold the required qualifications. This includes: assigning a teacher to teach a general studies subject when the teacher does not have qualifications in any division (i.e. holds Tech quals only); assigning a teacher to teach a tech course when the teacher has no Tech quals; assigning a teacher who does not hold French quals to teach French (Core or Immersion); assigning a teacher who does not hold Special Ed quals to teach a Special Ed class. Note the Board is required to confirm on the application form for the TLA that the teacher has agreed to the proposed assignment. Some examples: 1. The Hospitality teacher will be on Mat leave for the whole of next year. The Family Studies teacher may agree to be assigned to teach the Hospitality class(es), under a TLA. 2. A French Immersion School is in declining enrolment, and does not have enough teachers with French qualifications. Under a TLA, the Principal may assign French classes to the History teacher, who grew up speaking French. A TLA may not renewed year after year: the board is supposed to encourage the teacher to obtain the required qualifications.

No Mutual Agreement? There is no seniority with Subject Groups There cannot be voluntary surplus With the input of the ISC, the school may cancel and substitute classes, if that will provide the best possible program for students The teacher may apply for a transfer The teacher may reduce to part-time Back to the example of the Math teacher who is the only person in the building who can read music, and who is assigned to teach Music even though he does not hold the qualification: that teacher could decline the assignment (not ‘mutual agreement’). What then? The Math teacher cannot say “I have more seniority in Math than this other teacher, so I get to keep the Math, and someone else has to take the Music classes.” The Math teacher cannot say “You can declare me surplus instead of the Music teacher” – though he could apply for a transfer. The school would be under no obligation to offer an alternative assignment, but in discussion with the ISC, the school may consider cancelling the Music classes, and offering some other classes instead; or the Math teacher could reduce his timetable in order not to teach Music. (The school could then post the Music sections.) If a teacher declines an assignment, and there is no alternative assignment available, the Board is not required to offer an alternative assignment.

If in Doubt Call the District office (905) 836-5954 or (416) 324-3277