act education strategic plan 2023

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ACT August 03, 2023

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Act now to shape the 2023-2028 Federal STEM Strategic Plan

A new series of listening sessions from the White House will lay the groundwork for the next Federal STEM Strategic Plan and we need your input!

Together, the members of STEMx advance high quality STEM education as a workforce and equity imperative. The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) is taking feedback on the upcoming Federal STEM Strategic Plan. Using the form below, share some of your ideas and the STEMx Policy Advisory Team will share this feedback with OSTP.

OSTP will host a series of virtual listening sessions to inform the development of the next Federal STEM Strategic Plan. Six sessions will be held between March 15 – 24. From OSTP, the aim of these sessions is to gather “information and perspectives on the challenges faced by – and within – the STEM ecosystem in the United States and solutions that might be implemented by the U.S. Government” from a variety of stakeholders.

Members of the STEMx Policy Advisory Team will attend the listening sessions on behalf of STEMx. They will represent the identified STEMx policy priorities, along with STEMx member feedback on the topics identified by OSTP. These topics are the themes for the listening sessions, and will likely show up in the final STEM Strategic Plan:

• STEM Education: Support learners and educators in and across all science and technology disciplines 
• STEM Workforce Development: Prepare and recruit our Nation’s future STEM workforce
• STEM Workforce: Foster inclusive STEM learning and working spaces to retain STEM learners and workers
• STEM Engagement: Foster meaningful community and public engagement in science and technology
• STEM Research and Innovation Capacity: Build and drive capacity and cutting-edge STEM (and STEM education) research and development
• The National STEM Ecosystem

This is the moment to help OSTP create a Federal STEM Strategic Plan that reflects the reality we live in, work in, and experience each day. This is the moment to show the power of the STEMx network – to use our collective voice to shape the direction of the plan, to help define the language used, and highlight proven strategies that can make a difference for all STEM learners.

We are collecting STEMx member feedback here . Over the next week, add feedback, thoughts, statistics related to that topic. The Policy Advisory Group members will share this feedback on behalf of STEMx during the Listening Sessions.

The listening sessions are open to the public. Visit the OSTP website for a complete list of sessions, times and registration links.

Celebrating the 2023 STEM Innovation Forum

STEM Innovation Forum: Agenda and New Sponsors

Visit our steam hub.

Educators and parents can access our STEAM hub for weekly lessons and resources.

We invite state STEM leaders to join our growing national network.

[email protected] 

505 king avenue, columbus, ohio 43201 .

The STEMx Network is managed by Battelle as part of the company's commitment to inspiring the next generation of STEM innovators.

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EDUCATION POLICY 2023-2027

The Ministry of Education has embarked on the implementation of the Education Policy 2023-27. This is a meticulously devised, strategic roadmap, directing the Ministry’s efforts over a five year period to transform education; directly confronting and addressing the critical challenges facing Trinidad and Tobago’s education landscape. It not only reflects our National Developmental goals, but also underscores our dedication to the achievement of international mandates, notably the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Since 2020, an extensive three-phase consultation process involved education stakeholders in virtual and written discussions, with a keen focus on the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education. The Policy which has emerged from these consultations recognises the need to equip our citizens with the skills to surmount the challenges of the 21st century. It stands on the shoulders of the recommendations, initiatives, and achievements of its predecessor, bolstered by ongoing research, in-depth analysis, and continued engagement with all stakeholders who grapple with the intricate and unique challenges within Trinidad and Tobago’s educational landscape.

The Education Policy 2023-2027 underscores the paramount significance of our young citizens, and the importance of their educational achievements, as well as their values, attitudes and behaviours in shaping the future of Trinidad and Tobago. It recognizes the need for systemic, curricular and operational transformation in achieving the vision of the Ministry of Education- modern, relevant, equitable education for all.

The Education Policy presents multifaceted solutions across eight (8) Strategic Areas . It underscores the importance of:

• Legislative Updates (Amendment of the Education Act)
• Human Resource Development
• Equity in Quality Education
• Curriculum Reform
• Revitalisation of Technical and Vocational Education and Training
• Harnessing ICT for Digital Transformation
• Transitioning Learners through the Education System
• Enabling Student Success

The overarching Education Policy is supported by myriad sub-policies, which provide greater details to guide specific strategic areas. This work of sub-policy development is constantly ongoing, as it sets the stage for effective measurement, evaluation and improvement of the work of the Ministry of Education.

The most critical sub-policies developed thus far are:

• Cultural Transformation Policy
• Home Schooling Policy
• Patriotism Policy
• Policy for the Registration of Private Schools
• Digital Transformation Policy
• Remedial Education Policy

Target Audience

The Education Policy 2023-27 and its accompanying body of sub-policies, having been painstakingly assembled through consultations with key education stakeholders, is meant to be received, internalized and collaboratively implemented by all citizens, including teachers, students, parents, administrators, community members; indeed, education is everyone’s business. This collective approach fosters the exchange of ideas between those who shape policy and those most profoundly affected by its outcomes.

Key Activities/Elements

Effective implementation of the 2023-2027 Education Policy is premised on the following:

• Clearly defined policy statements with logical and feasible solutions to the policy problems.
• Inclusive stakeholder engagement to facilitate successful policy implementation.
• Conducive institutional, policy and societal context that recognises the existing policy environment, educational governance as well as the internal and external environment.
• A coherent implementation strategy that can be effectively operationalised.

The Ministry of Education is unwavering in its commitment to conduct rigorous monitoring and evaluation, data collection, a well-balanced mix of indicators, and various measurement instruments.

The Ministry extends an invitation to explore its comprehensive Education Policy for the years 2023-2027 . To acquire a comprehensive grasp of its strategic roadmap and the diverse array of solutions it presents, kindly peruse the complete policy document available here : (Education Policy 2023-2027)

View the policies here. Click the image titles to get started:

[email protected]  

On July 20, 2023, ECECD finalized child care r egulations to make child care affordable for most New Mexico families! Read more here .

Reports and Plans

Florecer, ECECD’s 2022-2027 Strategic Plan

Revised Oct. 2023

Florecer, ECECD’s 2022-2027 Strategic Plan, has six main components: improving school readiness, building family and community engagement, fostering strong government-to-government relationships, aligning the early childhood ecosystem, ensuring organizational excellence, and improved transparency through the visualization and use of actionable data.

We are proud to share with you Florecer, our five-year plan for making that better future a reality.

Florecer Progress and Accountability Reports

Findings from the new mexico early childhood education and care department’s 2023 family engagement and satisfaction survey.

September 19, 2023

Together, the Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) and Project ECHO are working to understand the needs of New Mexico’s families by listening directly to parents and caregivers themselves through the annual New Mexico Family Engagement and Satisfaction Survey. The survey was collaboratively developed by ECECD and Project ECHO in 2022. This report outlines the findings from the second administration of the survey, which is planned to be conducted annually from 2022 to 2027.

Each year, the survey is distributed to families with children aged 0-5 throughout New Mexico.

• Click here to view (PDF) 

Annual Outcomes Report for Fiscal Year 2022 July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022

January 13, 2023

This Annual Outcomes report, as mandated by state law, captures the progress the Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) made in building the state’s early childhood system in Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22). FY22 was an exceptional and extraordinary year for early childhood care and education in New Mexico. ECECD delivered significant benefits to New Mexico children and their families through a historic expansion of child care assistance and infrastructure, while expanding families’ access to other early childhood programs and significantly strengthening the PreK workforce.

• Click here to view (PDF)

2022 Spring Tour Report

December 29, 2022

ECECD leadership visited more than 20 communities across the state spring of 2022. ECECD met with early childhood educators, child care providers, home visiting professionals, parents, elected officials, and other community members. This report compiles and reports what ECECD heard from stakeholders on the tour.

• English (PDF)

Findings from the New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department’s Family Engagement and Satisfaction Survey

The New Mexico Family Engagement and Satisfaction Survey was developed in collaboration with the Early Childhood Education and Care Department and distributed to families of children ages 0-5 throughout New Mexico to assess the availability and utilization of programs and services throughout the state. The survey ties directly to the New Mexico Early Childhood Strategic Plan.

New Mexico Head Start State Collaboration Office Needs Assessment 2022

April 22, 2022

Head Start and Early Head Start are a vital part of New Mexico’s early childhood education and care system, providing free, federally funded programs to improve school readiness for children from low-income families. The 2022 New Mexico Head Start State Collaboration Office Needs Assessment focuses on federal priorities for collaboration, while also recognizing program responses to the strains that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to place on low-income families with young children.

New Mexico Indian Education Newsletter: Cradle-to-Career

This newsletter provides new Leadership with an introduction to the respective education agencies as well as providing all Tribal Leadership with updates while highlighting the collaboration amongst the three agencies and alignment between the State and Tribes on education efforts. In this edition, we highlight significant education legislation in the 2022 legislative session, information on each agency’s fiscal year 2022 operating budget, and agency programs.

• Winter Edition, 2022

New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department Annual Outcomes Report

The New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) is pleased to present its inaugural Annual Outcomes Report documenting the first full fiscal year since the Department launched in July 2020.

• English (PDF) Revised February 2022

The New Mexico Early Childhood Strategic Plan 2021-2024

Uploaded January 2021

The New Mexico Early Childhood Strategic Plan continues and answers the work in the Early Childhood Needs Assessment (completed in 2019). This Plan charts out key Goals, Objectives, and Actions to meet the identified needs, plus Measures to track progress. Taken together, New Mexico’s Needs Assessment and Strategic Plan provide a detailed view of the early childhood landscape and a comprehensive strategy for moving forward.

Indian Education Semi-Annual Government-to-Government Summit

2021 Report 

New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department Advisory Council Final Report and Recommendations

The recommendations developed by the Advisory Council will impact the development of ECECD’s policies and practices and will be implemented wherever possible.

• View webpage 

Understanding the Cost of Quality Child Care in New Mexico: A Cost Estimation Model to Inform Subsidy Rate Setting

Prenatal to Five Fiscal Strategies

The New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department Four-Year Finance Plan 2023-2026

The Early Childhood Education and Care Department engaged Prenatal to Five Fiscal Strategies to lead the finance plan process, including the development of fiscal models for revenue, service planning and expenses, across all elements of the new Department, engagement with stakeholders and the development of the four year plan.

Statewide Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Report and Three-Year Plan

IECMH Consultation will promote, respond, and preserve the mental health and well-being of New Mexico’s babies,   infants and toddlers by developing and deploying a knowledgeable and competent IECMH Consultation workforce. 

• English (PDF) 
• Spanish (PDF)

New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department Transition Committee

Final Report and 18-Month Action Plan

Our Strategy

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The ECW Strategic Plan

ECW’s second Strategic Plan covers the period 2023-2026. The plan describes how ECW will build on its proven model, while catalyzing new solutions in response to the growing needs in the sector. The plan embodies the 'New Way of Working' – facilitating strengthened collaboration of a wide range of stakeholders to achieve collective education outcomes.

The plan sets out ECW’s ambitious results for children and adolescents, and articulates the strategic objectives, programmatic priorities and MEL approach to deliver on that ambition. It also provides an overview of ECW’s core functions and investment windows, and the accompanying Theory of Change and Results Framework.

ECW Strategic Plan

ECW’s Strategic Plan was endorsed in September 2022, covering the period 2023-2026.

Our work is anchored in two strategic objectives to address the most critical and persistent challenges to closing the quality education gap: 

Increased and better funding for eiepc, stronger eiepc capacities and systems, ecw’s strategic plan 2023–2026 achieving results: a new way of working.

At the heart of ECW’s strategy are ambitious ‘Results for Children’: that children and adolescents affected by crisis are able to access safe and inclusive quality education and achieve holistic learning outcomes. 

The strategy builds on ECW’s global added value , with five important new priorities: 

Prioritizing holistic learning outcomes : We are committed to redoubling our efforts to ensure that crisis-affected children receive education that enables them to acquire holistic learning outcomes and improves their wellbeing. 

Transforming global financing data : We are working with partners to establish a new Financing Observatory to provide timely, transparent, harmonised and high-quality data on EiEPC financing. 

Responding to climate change : The climate emergency is the defining crisis of our time. We are committed to ensuring that our response to the climate crisis cuts across all of our work, from global advocacy to climate-responsive and climate-smart programming.   

Placing localization and community participation at the core of our work : We are committed to the Grand Bargain and to advancing meaningful local leadership, influence and engagement in EiEPC responses.  

Advancing our commitments to gender equality , disability inclusion  and to addressing  forced displacement : Our commitment to reach those left behind remains a core principle of our work. In order to deliver, we are more ambitious in this new Strategic Plan; for example, moving from gender responsive to gender transformative approaches.

Watch the video to learn more:

To Deliver Our Strategy, We:

• Leverage partnerships to achieve impact –  To reach its goal, ECW brings together a wide range of actors – from the humanitarian and development sectors, governments, donors, and private and philanthropic sectors – to collaborate over multiple years and based on their comparative advantage towards achieving collective education outcomes. This new way of working is at the heart of ECW’s added value. 

Reach those left behind with speed and efficiency while bridging the humanitarian-development nexus  –  ECW cuts through red tape to deliver faster and better results in complex crisis situations. When emergencies occur, we work directly with humanitarian actors on the ground to rapidly restore education continuity. In protracted crises, ECW multi-year funding offers the predictability required for humanitarian and development actors to jointly develop and implement a strategic multi-year programme, aligned to existing government strategies, humanitarian and refugee response plans. 

Act as a global advocate and convener for the educational needs of children and adolescents in crisis –  As a leading voice for children in forgotten crisis settings, we refuse to allow the education sector to remain underprioritized and underfinanced. We champion the importance of multi-year, predicable financing through our own investments while building the capacity of the entire sector to more accurately track, and holistically respond to, children in need. 

222 Million Dreams✨📚: A Case for Investment 2023-2026

In 5 years, ECW’s investments have reached a total of 7 million children and youth in some of the most challenging crisis settings, and an additional 31.2 million in our COVID-19 interventions. There is still much to do done, however, with 222 million crisis-affected girls and boys around the world in urgent need of educational support today. Their education cannot wait. ECW’s investment modalities deliver rapidly at scale, while also ensuring depth in quality and sustainability. Investing in education means investing in humanity. Investing in those left furthest behind is a manifestation of profound humanity in response to absolute inhumanity. Join us today!

ECW's Case for Investment

222 Million Dreams✨📚: A Case for Investment 2023-2026 

Additional Resources

Acceleration Facility Strategy 2019 - 2021

Gender Equality Policy and Accountability Framework 2019 - 2021

ECW Gender Strategy 2018 - 2021

ECW Added Value Note 2021

ECW’s Strategic Plan 2023 - 2026 Achieving Results: A New Way of Working

Community Services Directorate Strategic Plan

Our purpose.

We empower Canberrans to meet their full potential within inclusive and strong communities where everyone is respected and valued.

Our wellbeing objectives

We have 4 areas that connect the outcomes of our work to the  ACT Wellbeing Framework :

• Safety: People are safe in their homes, relationships and communities.
• Housing needs: People are in homes that meet their needs.
• Access to services: Services are easy to find and provide the right support.
• Identity and belonging: Canberrans participate fully in society with self-determination.

The framework reflects key factors that impact on the quality of life of Canberrans. Measuring wellbeing will help us understand how we can improve the lives of all Canberrans and support those who need it most.

Our priorities

We deliver on policy and programs through the  Parliamentary and Governing Agreement of the 10th Legislative Assembly .

We have 7 priority areas under our current  Budget Statement .

Prevent and respond to domestic, family and sexual violence

• Design and pilot a structured Victim Survivor Consultation Program to ensure the voices and experiences of victim survivors are central to domestic, family and sexual violence reforms.
• Establish a dedicated service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children in the ACT who have experienced domestic and family violence. This will be delivered by an Aboriginal and Community Controlled Organisation.
• Develop an ACT domestic, family and sexual violence strategy that will inform the development of a sector capability plan and a prevention plan.
• Design and pilot an inclusive, highly responsive and culturally safe Multidisciplinary Centre (MDC) in the ACT to embed a victim survivor-centred and coordinated approach for specialist sexual violence responses and services.
• Scope, appoint and establish the role of Independent Sexual Violence Advisers to support victim-survivors of sexual violence and the establishment of the MDC. These advisers will support a coordinated trauma-aware and healing-informed response, tailored to the needs of victim survivors.
• Review specialist domestic, family and sexual violence services to understand where operational improvements are needed to address victim survivors' needs.
• Continue to support a cross-agency taskforce to review recent sexual assault cases reported to ACT Policing that were not progressed to charge, including those deemed unfounded, uncleared or withdrawn.
• Oversee the collection of case data and information from ACT Government agencies to commence a historic review of domestic violence deaths.
• Expand the delivery of the Health Justice Partnerships to further support early intervention for pregnant women and new families at risk of domestic and family violence, to receive free legal support in a health and family services settings.
• Drive early intervention responses for children and young people who are victim survivors of domestic and family violence including upskilling workers in the youth sector with tailored Domestic and Family Violence training, and piloting programs for children and young people.
• Support the Family Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention Program to become a business-as-usual model, embedded in the ACT response system to ensure an ongoing integrated, inclusive and coordinated approach to the needs of high-risk families.
• Support the design and pilot of a model to incorporate the expertise of people with lived experience of domestic, family and sexual violence into policy and program design.
• Progress legislative reforms to establish a domestic and family violence information sharing scheme and support agencies to effectively implement the scheme.
• Develop materials to embed the ACT Domestic and Family Violence Risk Assessment and Management Framework within the human services sector to ensure common language and processes to keep victim survivors safe.
• Undertake market research to understand the knowledge gaps and the best strategies of communicating changes to an affirmative consent model within the local community.

Stronger outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

• Drive policy reform to enable self-determination by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).
• Provide strategic oversight and coordination on the ACT Government’s commitments under the  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Agreement 2019-2028 and the  National Agreement on Closing the Gap .
• Work in partnership with the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body (Elected Body) and ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to deliver the action plans under the  ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Agreement 2019-2028 .
• Support the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community through cultural, leadership and scholarship grant programs.
• Support the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Co-design Network to develop community-led solutions to issues impacting community.
• Support the Our Booris, Our Way Implementation Oversight Committee to ensure the implementation of the  Our Booris, Our Way Review recommendations.
• Implement the Our Booris, Our Way Review in partnership with the community to ensure more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people grow up connected to their family and culture.
• Progress the recommendations from the  We Don’t Shoot Our Wounded Report to address family violence issues, guided by representatives from the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
• Build, enhance and support the Aboriginal community controlled sector by establishing relationship-based partnership approaches and wrap around services.
• Deliver a new service system for Child, Young People and Families underpinned by culturally safe, trauma aware and healing informed practices as part of the Next Steps reform agenda.
• Deliver Family Group Conferencing and Functional Family Therapy, to improve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.
• Work closely with Gugan Gulwan to construct a purpose-built facility on the existing site to deliver expanded services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people and families.
• Work in partnership with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to deliver activities utilising the $20 million Healing and Reconciliation Fund.

Strengthen social and public housing and homelessness services

• An investment of $177.068 million over the next four years to provide sustainable funding for public housing. Public housing has experienced reduced viability over several years primarily resulting from rental income not keeping pace with expenditure growth. This investment will maintain and grow portfolio numbers while continuing to provide maintenance and tenancy services.
• An investment of $16.636 million over three years to further expand the capacity of frontline homelessness services to meet current and growing demand and continue specialist homelessness programs that commenced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Implementing the ACT Housing Strategy: Growing and Renewing Public Housing program that guides a net investment of $257 million over six years to continue the renewal of public housing, support housing stock growth and better meet the needs of current and future housing tenants. This plan implements the ACT Housing Strategy and its goal to strengthen social housing assistance by delivering safe and affordable housing to support low income and disadvantaged Canberrans.
• Undertaking ongoing evaluation and review of homelessness services to ensure funding continues to meet needs of people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness.
• Continuing to support the expanded hours of operation of the Early Morning Centre.
• Continuing to support the establishment of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled housing organisation.
• Continuing to work with lead directorates to implement the Vulnerable Household Energy Support Scheme for public housing.
• Continuing Business Process Reengineering projects across application, assessment, allocation and tenant experience to improve efficiency and customer experience.
• Enhancing digital service delivery channels to ensure public housing tenants and other members of the community are able to access essential housing and homelessness services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Stronger partnerships and commitment to best practise

• Enhance the ACT Senior Practitioner’s oversight of restrictive practices and work towards reducing and eliminating their use in care and protection, disability services and the education sectors.
• Support the Strengthening Practice Committee to strengthen the quality of child protection policy and practice in the ACT and to foster ongoing improvement of the child protection system.
• Regulate care and protection, community housing, and non-NDIS specialist disability service providers to ensure effective service delivery, promote sector development and to reduce regulatory barriers.
• Continue to develop best practice complaints handling and management to continuously improve policy and service offerings.
• Support the ACT Children and Young People Death Review Committee to work towards the reduction of preventable deaths of children and young people in the ACT.
• Support the Audit and Risk Management Committee, Strategic Board of Management and the Director-General to ensure the directorate’s compliance with the legislative and governance frameworks and better practices.
• Continue to deliver the Commissioning for Outcomes initiative in partnership with the community sector and ACT human services Directorates.

Strengthen the capacity of people with disability, their families and carers

• Develop and implement a new ACT Disability Strategy informed by a co-designed consultation process led by the Disability Reference Group.
• Deliver programs, events and grants to ensure people with disability are able to fully enjoy their rights as citizens.
• Continue to implement the Integrated Service Response Program (ISRP) to ensure people with disability with complex needs receive a coordinated response from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and mainstream service systems.
• Work in partnership with the Commonwealth Government on the ongoing implementation and operationalisation of the NDIS, including supporting its review.
• Develop the second action plan of the Disability Justice Strategy to ensure people with disability have access to and are treated equally before the law.
• Support greater utilisation of Specialist Disability Accommodation funding for eligible NDIS participants within the ACT.

Improve outcomes for children, young people and families

• Deliver  Next Steps for Our Kids 2022-2030 to underpin reform to out of home care for the next 8 years, including sourcing and commissioning of services from 1 July 2022, the co-design of the first four-year action plans and development of a new performance management framework.
• Deliver the Australian Early Development Census in the ACT, in partnership with the Commonwealth with the purpose of using this data to understand early childhood wellbeing and development in the ACT.
• Continue work to amend the  Children and Young People Act 2008 (the Act) to establish a quality framework for the ACT’s child protection and family support system and address key priorities outlined in the  10th Parliamentary and Governing Agreement . The amendments to the Act are aimed at building transparency and confidence in the child protection system and enabling a shift to a family services approach.
• Promote effective and evidence-based interventions that reduce re-offending and contribute to the long-term success and wellbeing of young people in the youth justice system.
• Build capacity and strengthen oversight in Child and Youth Protection Services to ensure better practice, continuous improvement and compliance, in the delivery of services to vulnerable and at-risk children, young people and their families.
• Establish the Child and Family Reform Ministerial Advisory Council.
• Continue to improve the Child and Youth Record Information System (CYRIS).
• Continue to deliver the Children and Young People Equipment Loan Schemes (CAYPELS).
• Continue to deliver the Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessment Service.
• Plan and move existing services out of the Child Development Service in Holder before the end of the life of the building is reached.
• Develop practical actions and test approaches to establish an ACT-wide Child and Family Network.
• Launch the first action plan under  Best Start for Canberra’s Children: First 1000 Days Strategy in partnership with the community and ACT Health Directorate.
• Work across government and with community partners to develop system reform and service redesign to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility.

Contribute to social inclusion and connected communities

• Lead the provision of initiatives, policies, grants awards and programs, including support to Ministerial Advisory Councils, which contribute to social inclusion and community connection across the multicultural affairs, women, youth, disability, seniors, veterans and social recovery portfolios.
• Build on existing services and supports, including the Child and Family Centres, to develop a child and family network to strengthen the availability of services at the right time and place for all families.
• Deliver the annual National Multicultural Festival (NMF) including the NMF Grant Program.
• Support the arrival and settlement of refugees, asylum seekers and new migrants, including through employment participation services.
• Develop the ACT Social Recovery Framework to ensure the effective delivery of legislated social recovery requirements following territory emergencies.
• Continue delivery of the Disability Justice Strategy Action Plan, the ACT Women’s Plan, ACT Carers Strategy and Age-Friendly City Plan in collaboration with the community and government agencies.
• Implement the newly enacted  Multiculturalism Act 2023 .
• Commission a Sector Sustainability Program, in partnership with the Non-Government Organisation (NGO) sector, which will implement strategies to address the agreed recommendations of the Counting the Costs report.
• Strategic Plan 2023-2025 [PDF 6.6 MB]

School planning and reporting: Te Whakangārahu Ngātahi | Planning Together for Ākonga Success

Guidance and requirements for consulting with your community, developing and publishing your planning and reporting documents as part of your wider planning and reporting process.

The new framework for school planning and reporting, called Te Whakangārahu Ngātahi | Planning Together for Ākonga Success: Our School, Our Community is now in place.

The requirements of Te Whakangārahu Ngātahi | Planning Together are set out in the Education and Training Act 2020 and the Education (School Planning and Reporting) Regulations 2023. 

The new framework: Te Whakangārahu Ngātahi | Planning Together

• Support materials

Due dates for 2024

More information.

Effective planning and reporting underpins all the other work that schools and kura do.

Schools and kura need to intentionally plan, and evaluate their performance to:

• give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and support Māori-Crown relationships
• meet legislated board primary objectives and show how the school or kura has had particular regard for the  National Education and Learning Priorities  (NELP)
• ensure the needs of all ākonga are met
• ensure the voices of all ākonga and whānau are heard
• implement teaching and learning programmes that give effect to the New Zealand Curriculum or Te Marautanga o Aotearoa to improve outcomes for all ākonga.

Under the Education and Training Act 2020, a new planning and reporting framework came into effect on 1 January 2023. Regulations that set out the details of the new framework have now been made.

Education (School Planning and Reporting) Regulations 2023 – NZ Legislation (external link)

• School planning and reporting legislation comparison [PDF, 626 KB]

Te Whakangārahu Ngātahi | Planning Together is designed to help:

• focus schools and kura on continuously improving their planning and reporting practices to deliver equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners
• support learners, whānau and communities to be involved in the planning process for their school or kura
• give schools and kura flexibility to reflect their local contexts in their planning and reporting
• support whānau and communities to hold their schools or kura accountable for learner outcomes.

Te Whakangārahu Ngātahi | Planning Together requires your board to develop:

• a 3-year strategic plan  [1] developed in consultation with their school community, that sets out how the board will meet their primary objectives (set out in the Education and Training Act 2020)
• an annual implementation plan that sets annual targets and actions for working towards their strategic goals
• an annual report that reports on the school’s progress and finances.

[1] Your board’s first strategic plan will be for a timeframe of 2 years (1 January 2024-31 December 2025) to align the strategic planning cycle with board triennial elections.

Objectives of boards in governing schools – NZ Legislation (external link)

How school planning and reporting links to the delivery of the national curriculum

Developing and delivering a high-quality local curriculum and marau ā-kura is at the heart of planning for your school or kura.

In your strategic plan, your board needs to plan for the successful implementation of the refreshed and redesigned national curriculum. More information about the new curricula is available from the curriculum and assessment changes page.

Curriculum and assessment changes

A diagram showing legislative responsibilities for curriculum and a statement to help boards manage the transition period until the new curricula is in place is available from:

Te Marautanga o Aotearoa – Kauwhata Reo (external link)

Te Marautanga o Aotearoa – TKI (external link)

New Zealand Curriculum – TKI (external link)

Support materials for schools

We have designed a toolkit to support your board and principal to implement Te Whakangārahu Ngātahi | Planning Together.

The toolkit sets out the detailed requirements of your planning and reporting documents.

Further support material including advice on giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi will be available soon.

• Te Whakangārahu Ngātahi | Planning Together toolkit [PDF, 2.4 MB]

This toolkit includes several worksheets that schools might find useful during their planning process.

Full versions of these worksheets are available below:

• Worksheet: Community network map [PDF, 1021 KB]
• Worksheet: Self-reflection tool [PDF, 25 KB]
• Worksheet: Describing your community and engagement considerations [PDF, 23 KB]
• Worksheet: How do you want to be involved in planning and reporting with your school [PDF, 203 KB]
• Worksheet: Filling the gaps – plan your targeted engagements [PDF, 17 KB]

Information kit

We have designed an information kit on kura planning and reporting to support boards, tumuaki and staff in Māori-medium settings and for specified kura boards.

The information kit contains information about the new requirements, a suggested planning and reporting process, and example templates.

The information kit for Māori-medium and specified kura boards is different from the English-medium toolkit.

The main differences are:

• inclusion of the definition of a specified kura boards and the different requirements for their plans
• addition of example templates for how a principal could report to their board.
• Te Whakangārahu Ngātahi | Planning Together information kit (te reo Māori) [PDF, 213 KB]
• Te Whakangārahu Ngātahi | Planning Together information kit (English) [PDF, 213 KB]

Implementation pack

The implementation pack includes the key changes to the planning and reporting framework and a high-level timeline for proposed key dates.

It also includes self-reflection statements to help you monitor your progress as you lead your school through the planning and reporting changes. 

• Te Whakangārahu Ngātahi | Planning Together implementation pack [PDF, 665 KB]

We have also developed templates for the strategic plan, annual implementation plan and annual report. The use of these templates is optional, and they can be amended to suit the needs of your school or kura and your community. 

• Template: Strategic plan [DOCX, 233 KB]
• Template: Annual implementation plan [DOCX, 233 KB]
• Template: Annual report [DOCX, 251 KB]  

Community planning pack

A pack that you may choose to provide to your community to help them understand how they can be involved in your school’s planning and reporting processes is also available.

• Te Whakangārahu Ngātahi | Planning Together community pack (English) [PDF, 804 KB]
• Te Whakangārahu Ngātahi | Planning Together community pack (Māori) [PDF, 90 KB]
• Te Whakangārahu Ngātahi | Planning Together community pack (Hindi) [PDF, 115 KB]
• Te Whakangārahu Ngātahi | Planning Together community pack (Samoan) [PDF, 89 KB]
• Te Whakangārahu Ngātahi | Planning Together community pack (Simplified Chinese) [PDF, 156 KB]
• Te Whakangārahu Ngātahi | Planning Together community pack (Tongan) [PDF, 92 KB]
• Te Whakangārahu Ngātahi | Planning Together community pack (Braille) [BRF, 3 KB]
• Te Whakangārahu Ngātahi | Planning Together community pack (Audio) [MP3, 1.3 MB]
• Te Whakangārahu Ngātahi | Planning Together community pack (Large Print) [DOCX, 111 KB]
• Te Whakangārahu Ngātahi | Planning Together community Pack (Easy Read) [DOCX, 5 MB]

Te Whakangārahu Ngātahi | Planning Together community pack (New Zealand Sign Language)

School annual reports and publishing your documents

See more information about your school annual report:

School annual reports

See more information about publishing your documents online:

Publishing your documents online

Your board needs to complete the following in 2024:

Please use the Secure Data Portal to submit your documents to the Ministry. All documents must be 22MB or less to be successfully uploaded to the Secure Data Portal.

Secure Data Portal (external link)

Relevant documents

Briefing note: Transitioning from the NAGs and the NEGS [PDF, 4.8 MB]  

Education report: Strategic planning and reporting in schools and kura – process and timing (external link)

Education Report: Options for planning and reporting regulations (with Annex 4 – planning and reporting process overview) [PDF, 1.9 MB]

Cabinet paper: Policy approvals for school planning and reporting [PDF, 1.3 MB]

Regulatory impact statement: Regulations for school planning and reporting [PDF, 455 KB]

Relevant legislation and policies

Section 138, Education and Training Act 2020 – NZ Legislation (external link)

Section 134(2)(e) and 134(8)-134(9), Education and Training Act 2020 – NZ Legislation (external link)  

The Statement of National Education and Learning Priorities (NELP)

Assistance is also available from the New Zealand School Trustees Association (NZSTA):

Advice and support – NZSTA (external link)

Phone: 0800 782 435

Resource Centre – NZSTA (external link)

School planning and reporting articles (external link)

Your local Ministry office can also help with developing your planning and reporting documents.

Local Ministry offices

Last reviewed: 16 February 2024 Has this been useful? Give us your feedback

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• Policies and Publications
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Annual Reports

In 2023 we are celebrating 50 years of public education in the ACT. This milestone recognises the anniversary of responsibility for administering ACT public schools transferring from the Australian Government to the ACT.

Over the past 50 years, the ACT has been a bold and ambitious leader of progressive education reform in Australia, particularly in relation to student voice and the prioritisation of equity.

In 2023, the ACT continues to build on this approach with equity-focused reforms. Our vibrant public education system now provides excellent education to over 50,000 students. The children and young people in our education system are creative, resilient, and capable of incredible learning and growth. We know that it is our responsibility as a Directorate and a community to help them to achieve their boldest dreams.

We are fortunate to have such a capable and diverse community of education professionals here in the ACT. You can see in the way our educators and school leaders respond to the diverse needs of students that they are placing students at the centre of their work. Our support staff reflect this approach, working to ensure students and educators have what they need to engage in and deliver high-quality learning.

As we near the end of Phase Two of the Future of Education Strategy implementation, we continue to collaboratively deliver on our strategic objectives centred on the principles of equity, agency, access, and inclusion.

Improving the learning experience of every child and young person in our system through engaging and high-quality teaching remains a significant focus across the Directorate.

We start by proactively creating safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environments for all students and staff as this is essential for learning. Alongside this work, we are improving the support systems and professional development provided to our expert educators.

We continue to see evidence reinforce our understanding that quality early childhood education gives children the best start in life. Set up for Success: An Early Childhood Strategy for the ACT continues to guide our approach, particularly as we work towards providing universal access to quality early childhood education for all three-year-olds in the ACT.

Our Strategic Plan 2022-2025 has helped us to collectively review our ways of working and set a clear direction. Our vision is that every child and young person will receive an excellent education, delivered and supported by highly skilled and valued professionals. The Strategic Plan also confirmed our mission which is to collaboratively lead and deliver excellent, inclusive and equitable education where all are safe, valued and able to flourish.

The Directorate has as provided leadership in responding to the national teacher shortage through our Teacher Shortage Taskforce and subsequent Teacher Attraction and Retention Plan . This builds on our work ensuring that all staff are safe and valued as professionals. We continue to partner with tertiary education providers to improve initial teacher education.

The Directorate is on an important journey to improve and embed cultural integrity across all our work. We continue to make progress and have proactively worked with the community and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body to take action to ensure all children are engaged in an excellent education.

I look forward to continuing to see the learning journeys of our children and young people unfold, and their bold aspirations be realised.

Katy Haire Director-General

Part A Transmittal Certificate

Part b organisation overview and performance, part c financial management reporting, part d annual report requirements for specific reporting entities, annexed reports.

The ACT Education Directorate Annual Report 2022-23 must comply with the Annual Report Directions (the Directions) 2023 made under Section 8 of the Annual Reports (Government Agencies) Act 2004 . The Directions are found at the ACT Legislation Register: www.legislation.act.gov.au

The Compliance Statement indicates the subsections, under Parts 1 to 5 of the Directions, that are applicable to the Education Directorate and the location of information that satisfies these requirements:

Part 1 Directions Overview

The requirements under Part 1 of the Directions relate to the purpose, timing and distribution, and records keeping of annual reports. The Education Directorate complies with all subsections of Part 1 under the Directions.

To meet Section 15 Feedback, Part 1 of the Directions, contact details for the Education Directorate are provided within the Education Directorate Annual Report 2022-23 to provide readers with the opportunity to provide feedback.

Part 2 Reporting entity Annual Report Requirements

The requirements within Part 2 of the Directions are mandatory for all reporting entities and the Education Directorate complies with all subsections. The information that satisfies the requirements of Part 2 is found in the Education Directorate Annual Report 2022-23 as follows:

• A. Transmittal Certificate, see page 16
• B. Organisational Overview and Performance, inclusive of all subsections, see pages 18 to 229
• C. Financial Management Report, inclusive of all subsections, see pages 230 to 343.

Part 3 Reporting by Exception

The Education Directorate has nil information to report by exception under Part 3 of the Directions from 2022-23 reporting year.

Part 4 Directorate and Public Sector Body Specific Annual Report Requirements

The following subsections of Part 4 of the Directions apply to the Education Directorate and can be found within the Education Directorate Annual Report 2022-23:

• Investigation of Complaints, see page 344
• Teacher Quality Institute, see pages 347 to 430
• Ministerial and Director-General Directions, see page 345.

Part 5 Whole of Government Annual Reporting

All subsections of Part 5 of the Directions apply to the Education Directorate.

Consistent with the Directions, the information satisfying these requirements is reported in one place for all ACT Public Services directorates, as follows:

• Bushfire Risk Management, see the annual report of the Justice and Community Safety Directorate
• Human Rights, see the annual report of the Justice and Community Safety Directorate
• Legal Services Directions, see the annual report of the Justice and Community Safety Directorate
• Public Sector Standards and Workforce Profile, see the annual State of the Service Report
• Territory Records, see the annual report of the Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate.

ACT Public Service directorate annual reports are found at the following web address: http://cmd.act.gov.au/open_government/report/annual_reports

The Education Directorate acknowledges the Ngunnawal people as the traditional custodians of the ACT and recognise any other people or families with connection to the lands of the ACT and region.

We also acknowledge and pay respect to the Wreck Bay peoples as traditional owners and custodians of the land on which the Jervis Bay School is located.

We respect the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, particularly our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, and their continuing culture and contribution they make to the Canberra region and the life of our city.

The ACT Government is committed to making its information, services, events, and venues accessible to as many people as possible.

If you are deaf, or have a hearing or speech impairment, and need the telephone typewriter (TTY) service, please phone 13 36 77 and ask for 13 34 27 . For speak and listen users, please phone 1300 555 727 and ask for 13 34 27 . For more information on these services, contact us through the National Relay Service www.relayservice.gov.au .

If English is not your first language and you require a translating and interpreting service, please telephone Access Canberra on 13 22 81 .

ISBN: 978 0 642 60760 5

© Australian Capital Territory, Canberra 2023.

Freedom of information requests can be made by emailing [email protected] .

General enquiries about this report should be directed to [email protected] .

The 2022–23 Education Directorate Annual Report is licenced under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. You are free to re-use the work under that licence, on the condition that you credit the ACT Government as author, indicate if changes were made and comply with the other licence terms.

The licence does not apply to the ACT Coat of Arms, the Education Directorate logo and branding, images, artwork, photographs, and any material protected by trademark.

The form of attribution for any permitted use of any material from this report (and any material sourced from it) must be:

Source: Licenced from the ACT Government under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Australia Licence. The ACT Government does not necessarily endorse the content of this publication.

First published in October 2023.

Information about the Directorate and an electronic version of this annual report can be found on the website www.education.act.gov.au .

Watch CBS News

Biden's new student loan forgiveness plan could help 30 million borrowers. Here's who would qualify.

By Aimee Picchi

Edited By Anne Marie Lee

Updated on: April 10, 2024 / 11:28 AM EDT / CBS News

President Joe Biden once again is trying to deliver widespread student debt forgiveness, with a new plan unveiled on Monday that could help about 30 million borrowers erase some or all of their college loans. 

The latest attempt at broad debt relief comes less than a year after the Supreme Court blocked Biden's previous attempt to help student borrowers, when the court's  June 2023 ruling denied up to $20,000 in forgiveness to roughly 40 million Americans. 

Biden, who had made student loan relief a major campaign pledge, unveiled the new plan on Monday, describing it as potentially "life changing" for millions of Americans. About 43 million people are carrying $1.7 trillion in student debt, a burden that some borrowers and their advocates say hampers their ability to buy a home or achieve other financial milestones. 

"While a college degree still is a ticket to the middle class, that ticket is becoming much too expensive. Much too expensive," Biden said an event at Madison College in Madison, Wisconsin. "The ability for working and middle-class folks to repay their student loans has become so burdensome that a lot can't repay it for even decades after being in school."

Here's what to know about Biden's new plan and who would qualify. 

How is this plan different from the one struck down by the Supreme Court?

The new plan relies on a different law to provide debt relief to student borrowers. 

The previous plan relied on the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act, or HEROES Act, a pandemic-era stimulus package. The Supreme Court ruled that law didn't provide the Biden administration with the authority to forgive student debt. 

The new plan turns to an older law, the Higher Education Act, which allows the Secretary of Education to "compromise, waive or release" federal student loans. It's through this mechanism that the Biden administration is tackling its new debt relief program. 

Who will qualify for debt forgiveness under the new plan?

There are 5 major groups of borrowers who could benefit under the new plan. 

• 2.5 million borrowers who have been in repayment for 20 years or more. 

The Biden administration said people with only undergraduate debt could qualify for forgiveness if they first began repaying their loans at least 20 years ago, or on or before July 1, 2005. Borrowers with graduate school debt would qualify if they first began repaying their loans 25 years ago, or on or before July 1, 2000. 

Borrowers don't have to be enrolled in an income-driven repayment plan to qualify, the White House said. Both direct loans and direct consolidation loans would be covered.

• People with debt who attended "low-financial-value programs"

College is supposed to provide its graduates with the skills to achieve higher-income careers, but there are some programs that have left people in debt but without a marketable degree, such as some offered by for-profit colleges like the now-defunct Corinthian Colleges .

The new plan would cancel student debt for loans from colleges or programs that lost their eligibility to participate in the Federal student aid program or were denied recertification because they cheated students, the White House said. Borrowers who also attended colleges that don't provide "sufficient value," such as leaving grads without the ability to earn more than a high school grad, would also be eligible for relief. 

• People experiencing hardship in paying back their loans.

Borrowers who are experiencing hardship that hampers their ability to repay their loans could also qualify for forgiveness. Although the White House didn't specify the financial threshold for qualifying under this pathway, it said this could cover borrowers at high risk of defaulting on their student loans or who are grappling with issues like medical debt.

• 25 million borrowers whose balances ballooned because of interest.

Some borrowers have seen their balances grow due to a financial issue called "negative amortization," in which a person's loan balance keeps growing despite their consistently making payments. Under the plan, roughly 25 million people who have experienced this issue could get up to $20,000 of their interest canceled. 

• 2 million low- and middle-income borrowers who qualify for forgiveness but haven't applied.

The plan would also provide debt relief for about 2 million low- and middle-income borrowers who qualify for programs like Public Service Loan Forgiveness or income-driven repayment plans but haven't applied for them.

"No application will be needed for borrowers to receive this relief if the plan is implemented as proposed," the White House said.

What are the next steps to getting the plan approved? 

The Education Department said it plans to release a formal proposal in the "coming months." That would usually be followed by a public comment period of 60 days. Then if the rule is finalized by November 1, it would usually take effect the following July — in this case, July 2025.

But the Higher Education Act authorizes the education secretary to fast-track rules for "early implementation" in some cases. The Biden administration recently  used that power  to accelerate student loan cancellation offered through a new federal repayment plan. Invoking that authority could allow Biden to start canceling debt later this year.

When could the new plan go into effect?

That's not known yet because the plan has to get pass some additional hurdles before becoming effective, as noted above. Asked by reporters when U.S. student loan recipients might see their interest balances canceled, officials said the forgiveness could happen starting "early this fall."

Could the plan be challenged in court?

Yes, conservative opponents are expected to challenge Biden's plan in court.

Republicans have repeatedly fought Biden's plan for student loan cancellation, saying it's an unfair benefit shouldered by taxpayers who repaid their loans or didn't go to college. Opponents say the Supreme Court was clear that widespread loan cancellation must come from Congress.

Separately, seven states, led by Missouri, filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday challenging Biden's  SAVE Plan, an income-based repayment program that was introduced last year. The new lawsuit largely mirrors another suit  filed last month  by Republican attorneys general in 11 states, led by Kansas.

The suit doesn't directly challenge Biden's newest plan for cancellation, but its architect, Missouri's attorney general, separately threatened to bring action against that plan, too.

If Biden's plan faces a lawsuit, courts could order the administration to halt cancellation until legal questions are sorted out. That scenario could leave the plan on hold beyond the November presidential election. Even if it survives legal challenges, a Donald Trump victory would spell almost certain doom for Biden's plan.

— With reporting by the Associated Press.

• Student Debt
• Student Loan

Aimee Picchi is the associate managing editor for CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets including USA Today and Consumer Reports.

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Due to the lapse in government funding, the information on this web site may not be up to date, transactions submitted via the web site may not be processed, and the agency may not be able to respond to inquiries until appropriations are enacted. Updates regarding government operating status and resumption of normal operations can be found at opm.gov .

IACC Strategic Plan

• IACC Summary of Advances
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• Strategic Plan 2018-19
• Strategic Plan 2016-17
• Strategic Plan 2013
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Introduction

• Cross-Cutting
• Budget Recommendation
• Duplication of Effort

For Autism Research, Services, and Policy

2021-2023 update.

The 2021-2023 IACC Strategic Plan for Autism Research, Services, and Policy provides an overview of current understanding of many issues that are relevant to the autism community, as well as gaps and opportunities in autism research, services and supports, and policy. As in previous years, the IACC Strategic Plan is organized around seven general topic areas that are represented in the Plan as community-focused Questions. There are 24 Recommendations focused on activities to improve health, well-being, and outcomes for autistic people in all communities. The IACC Strategic Plan also emphasizes the need to increase acceptance and understanding of autism and address the issues that create the most significant challenges for autistic people and their families. The 2021-2023 IACC Strategic Plan was developed with input from the many different perspectives and areas of expertise represented on the Committee and gathered through public comments.

The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) is a federal advisory committee that advises the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) on issues related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It was established by the Children’s Health Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-310), reconstituted under the ... Read more.

Question 1: How Can We Improve Identification of Autism?

For many autistic individuals and their families, engagement with autism-related services and supports begins with screening and diagnosis. Signs of autistic traits are often visible in the first two years of life; however, autism prevalence studies from the Centers for ... Read more.

Question 2: What Is the Biology Underlying ASD?

Current scientific evidence suggests that autism arises during early development and results in differences in brain structure, function, and connectivity. Those brain differences may lead to challenges in areas such as social behavior, learning, communication, sensory perception, motor function, and ... Read more.

Question 3: What Are the Genetic and Environmental Factors that Contribute to Autism and its Co-Occurring Conditions?

Over the past decade, there have been substantial advances in the understanding of factors that contribute to the development of autism and an increased appreciation of the incredible complexity and interplay of genetic and environmental* factors in the process. Research in the general population ... Read more.

Question 4: Which Interventions Will Improve Health and Well-Being?

The evolution of the Aspirational Goal for this chapter reflects the progression of priorities in the autism community. Over the past several years, the IACC's focus has shifted from "preventing disabilities', to "building adaptive skills", and now emphasizes the construction of lifespan approaches and ... Read more.

Question 5: What Services and Supports Are Needed to Maximize Health and Well-Being?

Across their lifespan, autistic people may need a range of supports and services in different areas (e.g., healthcare, education, social services, etc.), with adjustments to meet varying needs at different stages of their lives. Question 5 (Services and Supports) Strategic Plan Recommendations include ... Read more.

Question 6: How Can We Address the Needs of People on the Autism Spectrum throughout the Lifespan?

Based on population and prevalence estimates, around 120,300 autistic youth turn 18 each year in the United States. According to 2017 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 1 in 45, or close to 2%, of adults in the United States are autistic. 1 Given the growing size of ... Read more.

Question 7: How Do We Expand and Enhance Research Infrastructure Systems to Meet the Needs of the Autism Community?

Appropriate infrastructure is critically important to the success of autism research efforts. This includes repositories for biological materials and data, systems for gathering data on autism prevalence, and enhancing the research workforce. Progress toward the Aspirational Goal above has been ... Read more.

Cross-Cutting Recommendations

The IACC has identified two topics that span across the seven Questions of the Strategic Plan and warrant special attention: understanding the influence of gender and sex in autism, as well as reducing disparities and promoting equity. The goal of these "cross-cutting" Recommendations is to ... Read more.

COVID-19 and the Autism Community: Impact and Lessons Learned

COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is an infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Since its discovery in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, COVID-19 has rapidly spread around the world and was declared by the ... Read more.

Throughout this 2021-2023 IACC Strategic Plan for Autism Research, Services, and Policy , the IACC has highlighted recent advances in research that contribute to our understanding of autism and its co-occurring conditions, diagnosis and interventions, factors that influence ... Read more.

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Science Advisor for Public Access (Program Director)

Application timeline, position summary.

The Office of Integrative Activities (OIA) within the Office of the Director at the National Science Foundation (NSF) announces a nationwide search to fill the Science Advisor for Public Access position.  The position coordinates agency responses to federal public access mandates, oversees development of the NSF Public Access Repository, coordinates with other agencies via involvement in the NSTC and other cross-agency groups, and contributes to the NSF Knowledge Management activity.

Formal consideration of interested applications will begin immediately and continue until a selection is made.

OIA works across disciplinary boundaries to lead and coordinate strategic programs and opportunities that: advance research excellence and innovation; develop human and infrastructure capacity critical to the U.S. science and engineering enterprise; and promote engagement of scientists and engineers at all career stages and the personnel who support them.

For more information on the NSF Public Access Initiative, see: https://new.nsf.gov/public-access  

Position Description

Serves as the primary representative and point of contact for the NSF Public Access Initiative and Open Science matters, in consultation with other concerned entities within the Foundation (e.g., Office of the Director, Office of General Counsel, etc.) and the members of the cross-agency Public Access and Open Science Working Group (PAOSWG).  Creates and maintains linkages to other NSF units and other Federal agencies in pursuit of the overall NSF mission.

Works closely with the NSF Chief Information Officer staff on implementation and refinement of NSF's public access policies and systems (e.g., NSF-PAR, see: http://par.nsf.gov ).  Provides oversight and direction to system developers at NSF and DOE in the collaborative development and maintenance of the subsystems comprising NSF-PAR.

Contributes to the NSF Knowledge Management activity (e.g., change management) and its work with internal, enterprise-wide policies.

Assists the Office of Legislative and Public Affairs (OLPA) in communicating NSF’s Public Access and Open Science goals to the range of research communities served by NSF. 

Provides strategic and technical advice to the PAOSWG and the Office of the Director on policy development and implementation regarding public access to the outcomes of federally funded research, and other related science policy issues as they arise.

Analyzes and integrates scientific input and policy guidance from OMB, OSTP, Congress, the National Academy of Sciences, professional societies, the National Science Board, NSF policy groups, the Advisory Committee for Cyberinfrastructure, and other agencies and organizations into the Foundation’s plans for implementing public access and other science policy issues.

Advises OIA on advanced technology for knowledge management, including but not limited to taxonomy, ontology, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and semantic search.

Applies contemporary methods of organizing data, information, and knowledge to internal NSF information.

Provides leadership and support for the NSF Public Access Working Group. The NSF Public Access Working Group is charged with oversight of the implementation of the NSF Public Access Plan 2.0 (NSF 23-104, see: https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2023/nsf23104/nsf23104.pdf ) and is comprised of senior leadership from across the Foundation. 

Serves on or leads NSF-wide groups addressing public access and other policy issues.  Serves on or leads teams of experts on interagency studies and, working with the Public Access working group and the Office of the Director, helps to coordinate NSF involvement in relevant interagency activities. 

Working with the Office of the Director and other NSF leadership, works to coordinate with the international science community on public access (and related policy issues as they arise) with the appropriate units within NSF, and to facilitate NSF interaction/participation in international science policy bodies.

Represents NSF as appropriate on internal committees, interagency committees, at meetings of other Federal agencies, professional organizations, and universities; participating, providing advice, and drafting recommendations and reports representing the outcome of such meetings.

Prepares background papers, presentations, and reports for use by senior NSF leadership in discussions with the National Science Board and for hearings and congressional testimony, as needed. Initiates, conducts, and manages studies and analyses to assess the scientific and technological contributions of public access to the achievement of national goals and objectives, as needed.

Serves as liaison with other Federal agencies, particularly in interagency programs involving public access policy development and implementation, and conducts other duties as assigned.

Appointment options

The position recruited under this announcement will be filled under the following appointment option(s):

Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) Assignment: Individuals eligible for an IPA assignment with a Federal agency include employees of State and local government agencies or institutions of higher education, Indian tribal governments, and other eligible organizations in instances where such assignments would be of mutual benefit to the organizations involved. Initial assignments under IPA provisions may be made for a period up to two years, with a possible extension for up to an additional two-year period. The individual remains an employee of the home institution and NSF provides the negotiated funding toward the assignee's salary and benefits. Initial IPA assignments are made for a one-year period and may be extended by mutual agreement. 

Eligibility information

It is NSF policy that NSF personnel employed at or IPAs detailed to NSF are not permitted to participate in foreign government talent recruitment programs.  Failure to comply with this NSF policy could result in disciplinary action up to and including removal from Federal Service or termination of an IPA assignment and referral to the Office of Inspector General. https://www.nsf.gov/careers/Definition-of-Foreign-Talent-HRM.pdf .

Applications will be accepted from U.S. Citizens. Recent changes in Federal Appropriations Law require Non-Citizens to meet certain eligibility criteria to be considered. Therefore, Non-Citizens must certify eligibility by signing and attaching this Citizenship Affidavit to their application. Non-Citizens who do not provide the affidavit at the time of application will not be considered eligible. Non-Citizens are not eligible for positions requiring a security clearance.

To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Federal agencies may request information regarding the vaccination status of selected applicants for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as protocols related to masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.

Qualifications

Candidates must have a Ph.D. in an appropriate field plus after award of the Ph.D., six or more years of successful research, research administration, and/or managerial experience pertinent to the position; OR a Master's degree in an appropriate field plus after award of the degree, eight or more years of successful research, research administration, and/or managerial experience pertinent to the position.

Knowledge of current and historical developments in federal public access policies and mandates is highly desirable, as is familiarity with scientific communication practices and research data practices. Candidates must be able to communicate and interact with senior science, engineering and managerial personnel throughout the Foundation, with other agencies, and the general science and engineering community, and are expected to know and diplomatically express the views and goals of the NSF on Public Access topics in many situations both within and outside of the National Science Foundation. Candidates must also be skilled and experienced in operating both independently and interdependently with others. Outstanding oral and writing skills and the capability to deal with a wide variety of materials, frequently changing venues, and tight deadlines is imperative.

How to apply

To apply, email the following (i) a cover letter outlining qualifications and interest in the position, and (ii) an up-to-date curriculum vitae, to [email protected] .