STRATEGIC DIRECTION, PRIORITIES AND FOCUS FOR 2024
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
Te Rau Puāwai Education Trust’s three strategic priorities are:
1. Building learning capabilities from birth, because of the compelling evidence of the importance of early years, the influence of parents, caregivers, family and whanau as first teachers, and our growing understanding that early emotional connectedness and language confidence are critical to engagement in learning.
2. Increasing teacher effectiveness, because the evidence shows that effectiveness in teaching is the single most powerful influence on learning outcomes especially in years 1-10 of formal schooling
3. Addressing inequalities, in particular to enhance learning outcomes for Māori, Pasifika, neurodiverse and learning support students
Note:
Learning outcomes are defined as both the social and the cognitive skills and capabilities that are valued in our society.
The definition of “teacher” embraces a broad range of people who impact on a student’s learning outcomes, and includes members of the teaching profession, related professions, support staff, parents, family and whanau, and the wider community.
Annual Focus
Each year, Te Rau Puāwai Education Trust will define a particular area of interest. While this would not exclude consideration of other initiatives, interventions, and projects, the Trust will be looking very closely at proposals aligned with this focus.
The Annual Focus for 2024 is
Reading and writing with a focus on learners who have been disengaged from school in recent years.
Grant categories There are two categories of grants with two separate application forms: projects under $20,000 and projects over $20,000. A suitable project will be designated as the Stewart Germann Grant in recognition of a former long-standing Chair of the Trust. Additional assessment criteria
Te Rau Puāwai Education Trust is interested in innovative initiatives, interventions and projects that:
Integrate research, practice and evaluation
Are replicable and/or provide evidence-based findings for dissemination other stakeholders
Support purposeful collaboration, for example-
o Among teachers
o Among parents/families/whanau
o Among schools
o Among organisations
o Between schools and academic researchers
o Between schools and stakeholders
o Between schools and several funders.
Stewart Germann Grant
The Stewart Germann Grant OF $15,000 each year, was established in recognition of the long service of former Cognition Education Trust Chair, Stewart Germann.
This year, the Stewart Germann Grant application process will be amalgamated with the under $20,000 application process; but a specific award will be given to a suitable project.