The QTSS allocation can only be used for staffing and is distributed through the School Budget Allocation Report (SBAR) based on the previous year’s published Actual enrolment and entitlement reports.

Principals, in consultation with their executive, decide the best use of the allocation. The allocation can be used flexibly to implement evidence-based strategies including:

• providing teacher release to support new curriculum implementation
• providing release to establish collaborative teaching practices, allowing teachers to work together and learn from each other through observation and discussion
• providing mentoring and coaching support by expert teachers to ensure the ongoing development and improvement of all teachers
• strengthening quality teaching practices through the analysis of student data to drive ongoing, schoolwide improvement in teaching practice and student results
• employing a specialist to lead improvement in an area where teachers need support, such as reading and numeracy.

Further detail on evidenced-based approaches to improve teaching and learning are detailed in the Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation (CESE) research paper What works best: 2020 update.

Principals outline the proposed use of the allocation in their Strategic Improvement Plan and report on implementation and impact in the annual report.

The QTSS staffing allocation is provided as full-time equivalent (FTE) and must be used in the calendar year for which it is provided.