QCIA Update
July 2008
Welcome back to Term 3.
More than 1000 eligibility and curriculum plans were submitted by the end of last term. Curriculum plans for all exiting Year 12 students should have been submitted. If any are still outstanding for Year 11 students, forward these to the QSA as soon as possible. Direct any questions about the eligibility of students to the Principal Education Officer (QCIA).
Expected number of QCIAs for 2008
We expect to issue almost 650 Queensland Certificates of Individual Achievement (QCIAs) this year. We are still reconciling student numbers identified in SDCS with the number of curriculum plans registered with the QSA. If students have left, been withdrawn from eligibility to receive the QCIA, or their senior phase of learning has been extended, please notify the Principal Education Officer of any changes by emailing qcia@qsa.qld.edu.au so that our records may be updated.
Eligibility issues
The QCIA replaces the Certificate of Post-Compulsory School Education (CPCSE) and reports on the educational achievements of students undertaking individualised learning programs. The Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) replaces the Senior Certificate. The QCE recognises broad learning options and confirms achievements of a significant amount of learning, a set standard of achievement, and meets literacy and numeracy requirements.
Students who are studying a full program of Authority, Authority-registered subjects or VET qualifications are nor considered to be undertaking an individualised learning program, and therefore are not eligible for the QCIA. Achievements for the QCE contributing studies are recorded on the Senior Statement. However, students may be eligible to receive both the QCIA and the Senior Statement if their program of study includes some Authority or Authority-registered subjects or VET qualifications and the remainder is individualised to suit their learning needs. When a student receives the two documents there should be no duplication of reported information.
QCIA district advisers
There are 12 QCIA district advisers to help schools. A vacancy occurred in the Gold Coast District with the resignation of the district adviser, and Kate Chapman, Acting Deputy Principal at The Kumbari Avenue School has been appointed to the position. The district adviser in the Mackay district is currently on long service leave, and Paul Alexander, from the Mackay District Special School, has taken over the position of acting district adviser for the remainder of this year.
Statements of Achievement comment databank
This bank of Statement of Achievement comments has been updated and edited. It may be accessed through QSA's website at https://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/qsa_secure/yrs11_12/certificates/qcia/comments.jsp from the related link on the right-hand side of the home page.
A key word is required for one of the curriculum organisers selected to enable sample statements of achievement to be displayed. This comment databank is a resource to help schools draft students' Statements of Achievement for the certificate.
QCIA Editor
A reminder that QCIA Editor has been updated and now includes 130 Statements of Participation in the "pick list". The new version, QCIA Editor Ver 1.08a, is now available on the QSA website for download at https://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/certificates/2652.html
Follow the instructions for downloading the software, especially if an older version is installed on your computer.
QCIA processes for exiting students
This term, we need to focus on your school's exiting students and start preparing for the review processes that ensure the ongoing quality of the individual achievement certificates. The review processes involve district verification meetings, state review of provisional certificate information, and final pre-production integrity checks.
District verification meetings
The QCIA district verification meetings (see memo 046/08) are scheduled across Queensland in August. All schools with students who expect to receive the QCIA at the end of the year are required to:
- send a school representative (preferably a classroom teacher) to the meeting
- bring draft certificate information for every exiting student, including the statements of achievements and statements of participation, that has been entered into QCIA Editor
- bring a copy of the curriculum plans for every exiting student
- provide the evidence (e.g. student portfolio) used to make judgments for one student if fewer than 10 students are exiting, and two students if 10 or more are exiting.
These meetings will involve peer review of draft certificate information and samples of evidence, and will identify the link between the intended learning outcomes from the curriculum plan and the statements of achievement. After the meeting we will provide written feedback to schools.
In preparation for the August review meetings you need to begin drafting the Statement of Achievements and compiling the list of the Statement of Participations for your exiting students.
If your school is unable to attend the district meeting, please contact your QSA district coordinator at least two weeks before the meeting and send your school's submission for verification to your QSA district office one week before the meeting.
Things to do
Schools should be collecting evidence of student achievement for eligible students. If your school is new to the certificate, you may need to decide what forms of evidence you will keep for each student and how those records will be stored. You will need to keep evidence of achievement for each student to substantiate the certificate information.
Last updated: 25 June 2008
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