Abstract:
This study forms part of the wider Monitoring Todays' Schools project. The overall purpose of the project was to monitor the implementation and impact of the reforms in educational administration in New Zealand which resulted from the 'Picot Report' (Administering for Excellence, 1988) and Tomorrow's Schools , (1988) which found expression in the Education Act (1989). Principals, teachers and trustees from 15 schools took part in the project which covered the first three years of the reforms. 13 of the schools were in the Waikato region, and two were in Wellington. There were eight primary schools, two intermediate schools, four secondary and one area school. Two of the primary schools were bilingual schools. The purpose of the present study was to describe and comment on the implementation of staff development and teacher appraisal policies in the schools which were involved in the Monitoring Today's Schools project. The thrust of the new reforms was to place responsibility for these areas with the schools themselves thus it was a change from a highly centralised system to a locally controlled system. Staff development and teacher appraisal are not new processes in New Zealand schools. Indeed, the relative ease with which these new policies are being implemented is probably due to the fact that systems were already in place and teachers were familiar with them. For those readers who are not familiar with the New Zealand education system, it may be helpful to outline briefly the policies and practices in staff development and teacher appraisal as they existed prior to the introduction of the Tomorrow's Schools reforms.