THE Queensland Government has announced a $44 million funding boost to tackle student behavioural issues in schools, fulfilling a key election commitment.
The funding, known as the “Behavioural Boost”, aims to provide additional support to teachers and staff, improving classroom environments and helping students thrive.
The funding can be used to hire new support staff or increase the hours of existing staff, including teacher aides, speech pathologists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists.
It will also be used for professional development workshops, targeted mentoring for teachers, and access to specialist educational resources.
Premier David Crisafulli said the initiative was designed to create safer classrooms, where both students and teachers felt secure.
“Schools are no place for bad behaviour,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“This funding will help teachers tackle bullying, and focus on delivering world-class education.”
Minister for Education John-Paul Langbroek pointed out that teachers had been neglected under the previous government, and this funding would help restore faith in the education system by addressing classroom management challenges.
Schools will have the autonomy to use the funding in ways that best address their specific behavioural needs.
Additional training will also be provided to teachers and teacher aides throughout the year to enhance their classroom management skills.
The Government is also cutting red tape, with three early initiatives to simplify processes for teachers.
These include a “one-plan-per-student” approach to reduce administrative burden, simplifying procurement procedures for routine purchases, and streamlining teacher recruitment with a single point of contact for principals.
