Hi,
I finished my M.Edu from Moreland along with my DC teaching credentials. I passed all the state exams. Also, transfer it to WA and started teaching there since 2022.
Currently, I have been teaching secondary Math at a US public school since August 2022. I have read some posts here about QTS and NQT. If I have less than 2 years of teaching experience, I may receive a NQT status, and I will need to go through an "induction period".
If I waited and accumulated 2 years of teaching experience, then I can get QTS (professional grade) one?
My question is about the 2 years of teaching experience. Does that mean more than 20 months or just 2 school years?
My first year of teaching is 0.8 Full-time. It is not 1.0 Full-time. Do they still consider it as 1 year of experience?
I should apply for QTS after August 2024? The reason is that I will accumulate 2 years of teaching experience by then.
US Teacher wanting to get QTS
Response
Short Answer: Yes
Long Answer:
New regulations went into effect in the Summer of 2023. Mostly their intent is to recognize that the EU didnt reciprocate on professional recognition of occupations as the UK (for purposes of this entire discussion UK exclusively means England). Countries didnt play nice and this is why we cant have nice things. The new regulations are actually better than the proposed ones which was going to dump everyone into the ECT framework and require everyone to do induction with no exemptions. The new regulations make two inflections points. To apply as an ECT/NQT (ECT is the new term for Early Career Teacher and replaces the previous NQT, Newly Qualified Teacher designation)you will need 1 year of teaching experience (consisting of no less than 9 months of contact time including holidays). If you do so you will receive QTS as an ECT (Entry grade credential), which will require you to complete induction to remove the ECT designation to full QTS (Standard grade credential). The value and distinction of this is still up to great debate. Mostly by ITs/DTS in IE who never completed induction and have been and likely will continue to be ECTs/NQTs whose salient point is that the induction deficiency is immaterial as the Dfe clearly designates that induction is only a requirement for maintained (public) DSs in the UK. Its not a requirement for any other type of IS or BS including BSOs, and that as such within the realm of IE ECT/NQT, Induction, and Full QTS (meaning QTS without the attached designation of ECT) are irrelevant and immaterial. The opposing point is that the differences in designation do matter as they are real differences. Its a designation that students and parents may very well care about. Inspectorates identify the difference between the two even if it doesnt factor into the metrics. HOSs and leaders are properly versed in the difference and they care to varying degrees (including not at all and very much). It may be a difference that can be ignored under certain conditions, but it may also be very significant. If your asked if youve completed induction, induction is a thing, and if youre an ECT/NQT the answer is no.
Induction is a two year (previously one year) period of mentoring and supervision where an ECT DT/IT (Induction can be completed in IE at a BSO that qualifies) is assessed against the UK NC Teaching Standards. This process is a trial by fire. There is one and only one opportunity to successfully complete Induction. A teacher can possibly appeal failure of Induction but they can not repeat it. An IT/DT that fails induction is added to the barring list of edus who failed induction. They are not permitted to serve in maintained (regulated/public) DSs. Surprisingly, these edus do not loose their QTS, they still retain their QTS for all other practical matters. Its this quirk that primarily serves as the difference in illustrating between a credential and a license (there are others CAN, PA, etc.). This is why within IE there are many ITs who never attempt Induction. Theres a lot at stake, its a very subjective process, and the BSOs where it can be completed are far removed and distant from QA access.
Applicants for QTS that have 2 years or more of applicable experience are exempt from Induction and receive Full (Professional grade) QTS (they are not designated as ECTs/NQTs and are exempt from the Induction process).
It means a minimum of 18 months of 1.0 FTE experience or more. Generally, any period of experience that is less than 1.0 is not considered FTE and is considered substitute/relief/supply teaching and does not count either in full or in part towards the experience requirement. However, the practical standard is whether the DT/IT was the TOR and if the employing institution considered them "Full Time" to include the receipt of benefits such as health insurance, pension, leave, etc. If the answer is yes: 1) The DT was TOR. 2) They received full FTE benefits. 3) The DS considered them "Full Time". Than the actual portion of the contract time doesnt really matter.
If you want to avoid the ECT/NQT designation and the requirement to complete Induction than you should wait to apply for QTS until you have a full 2 years of FTE experience. With the recent changes its unlikely more changes effecting you will be instituted before you have obtained the full amount of time.
One more note, there is a difference between completing Induction successfully and being exempt from induction. Its not a credentialing difference as Full QTS obtained either by successful completion of Induction or being exempt from Induction both have the same effect in that they remove the ECT/NQT identifier and allow the assumption of appointments in a maintained (public/regulated) DS in the UK. Its a perceptual quality difference. Mainly, that an OTT with QTS is more likely not to have any experience or understanding of the lexicon and meds/peds/asst as it pertains to edu in the UK but also that an OTT with QTS hasnt been tested or evaluated against the UK NC Teaching Standards and are more an unknown quality, especially for ITs who dont teach at SLL and dont have testing performance data.
Finally, if you are exempt from Induction as an OTT, you can not voluntarily participate in the Induction process or the ECT framework. Participation in the ECT framework does come with some benefits as well as being able to claim you successfully completed Induction. Thats something a not insignificant number of ITs with QTS can claim. Its a substantially smaller group than the inverse.
Long Answer:
New regulations went into effect in the Summer of 2023. Mostly their intent is to recognize that the EU didnt reciprocate on professional recognition of occupations as the UK (for purposes of this entire discussion UK exclusively means England). Countries didnt play nice and this is why we cant have nice things. The new regulations are actually better than the proposed ones which was going to dump everyone into the ECT framework and require everyone to do induction with no exemptions. The new regulations make two inflections points. To apply as an ECT/NQT (ECT is the new term for Early Career Teacher and replaces the previous NQT, Newly Qualified Teacher designation)you will need 1 year of teaching experience (consisting of no less than 9 months of contact time including holidays). If you do so you will receive QTS as an ECT (Entry grade credential), which will require you to complete induction to remove the ECT designation to full QTS (Standard grade credential). The value and distinction of this is still up to great debate. Mostly by ITs/DTS in IE who never completed induction and have been and likely will continue to be ECTs/NQTs whose salient point is that the induction deficiency is immaterial as the Dfe clearly designates that induction is only a requirement for maintained (public) DSs in the UK. Its not a requirement for any other type of IS or BS including BSOs, and that as such within the realm of IE ECT/NQT, Induction, and Full QTS (meaning QTS without the attached designation of ECT) are irrelevant and immaterial. The opposing point is that the differences in designation do matter as they are real differences. Its a designation that students and parents may very well care about. Inspectorates identify the difference between the two even if it doesnt factor into the metrics. HOSs and leaders are properly versed in the difference and they care to varying degrees (including not at all and very much). It may be a difference that can be ignored under certain conditions, but it may also be very significant. If your asked if youve completed induction, induction is a thing, and if youre an ECT/NQT the answer is no.
Induction is a two year (previously one year) period of mentoring and supervision where an ECT DT/IT (Induction can be completed in IE at a BSO that qualifies) is assessed against the UK NC Teaching Standards. This process is a trial by fire. There is one and only one opportunity to successfully complete Induction. A teacher can possibly appeal failure of Induction but they can not repeat it. An IT/DT that fails induction is added to the barring list of edus who failed induction. They are not permitted to serve in maintained (regulated/public) DSs. Surprisingly, these edus do not loose their QTS, they still retain their QTS for all other practical matters. Its this quirk that primarily serves as the difference in illustrating between a credential and a license (there are others CAN, PA, etc.). This is why within IE there are many ITs who never attempt Induction. Theres a lot at stake, its a very subjective process, and the BSOs where it can be completed are far removed and distant from QA access.
Applicants for QTS that have 2 years or more of applicable experience are exempt from Induction and receive Full (Professional grade) QTS (they are not designated as ECTs/NQTs and are exempt from the Induction process).
It means a minimum of 18 months of 1.0 FTE experience or more. Generally, any period of experience that is less than 1.0 is not considered FTE and is considered substitute/relief/supply teaching and does not count either in full or in part towards the experience requirement. However, the practical standard is whether the DT/IT was the TOR and if the employing institution considered them "Full Time" to include the receipt of benefits such as health insurance, pension, leave, etc. If the answer is yes: 1) The DT was TOR. 2) They received full FTE benefits. 3) The DS considered them "Full Time". Than the actual portion of the contract time doesnt really matter.
If you want to avoid the ECT/NQT designation and the requirement to complete Induction than you should wait to apply for QTS until you have a full 2 years of FTE experience. With the recent changes its unlikely more changes effecting you will be instituted before you have obtained the full amount of time.
One more note, there is a difference between completing Induction successfully and being exempt from induction. Its not a credentialing difference as Full QTS obtained either by successful completion of Induction or being exempt from Induction both have the same effect in that they remove the ECT/NQT identifier and allow the assumption of appointments in a maintained (public/regulated) DS in the UK. Its a perceptual quality difference. Mainly, that an OTT with QTS is more likely not to have any experience or understanding of the lexicon and meds/peds/asst as it pertains to edu in the UK but also that an OTT with QTS hasnt been tested or evaluated against the UK NC Teaching Standards and are more an unknown quality, especially for ITs who dont teach at SLL and dont have testing performance data.
Finally, if you are exempt from Induction as an OTT, you can not voluntarily participate in the Induction process or the ECT framework. Participation in the ECT framework does come with some benefits as well as being able to claim you successfully completed Induction. Thats something a not insignificant number of ITs with QTS can claim. Its a substantially smaller group than the inverse.
Re: US Teacher wanting to get QTS
Thanks for your reply.
Also, I have questions about renewing QTS. Is QTS good for life or it needs to be renewed every once in a while?
If it does need to be renewed, what is the renewal process?
Also, I have questions about renewing QTS. Is QTS good for life or it needs to be renewed every once in a while?
If it does need to be renewed, what is the renewal process?
Reply
@Bears123
QTS is a permenant credential, it does not expire. It does not require PD to be maintained, does not require renewal, or validation. There is ongoing talk and has been for a while about attaching some form of ongoing PD expectation, but its a conversation thats been out there for a while. The current and very recent extension of induction by 1 to 2 years and the increased experience requirement for OTTs hopefully will quell those murmurs.
QTS is also not age, grade or subject specific. There is no primary or secondary or subject matter QTS. Your edu dossier contains three fields for the TCL/TRA to put your training subject fields. These are what a maintained (public) DS would use in part to determine your qualification for a particular assignment and post. A DS in England would have issues with the LEA or inspectorate if they appointed or assigned a DT to a subject and classroom without reasonable support that the edu is qualified in the appropriate subject level. Outside of that however, there isnt an inscribed part of your QTS certificate listing grades or ages and subjects a DT is authorized to teach. ISs will generally want to see successful classroom experience in the subject and/or some course work at the tertiary level. As well as some familiarity with the curriculum guide/syllabus. This depends and varies on the subject and grade level as well as the ISs need and availability.
QTS is a permenant credential, it does not expire. It does not require PD to be maintained, does not require renewal, or validation. There is ongoing talk and has been for a while about attaching some form of ongoing PD expectation, but its a conversation thats been out there for a while. The current and very recent extension of induction by 1 to 2 years and the increased experience requirement for OTTs hopefully will quell those murmurs.
QTS is also not age, grade or subject specific. There is no primary or secondary or subject matter QTS. Your edu dossier contains three fields for the TCL/TRA to put your training subject fields. These are what a maintained (public) DS would use in part to determine your qualification for a particular assignment and post. A DS in England would have issues with the LEA or inspectorate if they appointed or assigned a DT to a subject and classroom without reasonable support that the edu is qualified in the appropriate subject level. Outside of that however, there isnt an inscribed part of your QTS certificate listing grades or ages and subjects a DT is authorized to teach. ISs will generally want to see successful classroom experience in the subject and/or some course work at the tertiary level. As well as some familiarity with the curriculum guide/syllabus. This depends and varies on the subject and grade level as well as the ISs need and availability.