The IEU supports plans to improve initial teacher education and invest more in professional development in a bid to address unruly behaviour in classrooms.
The plans are part of the federal government’s response to a Senate inquiry into increasing disruption in Australian school classrooms.
Classroom disruption can impede student learning, contribute to lost teaching time and make it difficult for students to concentrate. It also takes a toll on teachers, leading to a loss of job satisfaction, increased stress and, at times, burnout.
Federal government response
As part of its response to the Senate inquiry, the federal government also agreed to improve the quality of practical experience for teachers. The federal government agreed in principle that states and territory governments should provide schools with greater access to psychologists, social workers and behaviour specialists to better identify and manage disruptive behaviour.
It also agreed in principle to introduce a “behaviour curriculum” for students to understand their school’s expectations.
The Senate inquiry suggested disruptive classrooms were contributing to lower student achievement, pointing to international surveys that found Australia ranked below average in classroom orderliness.
However, the report was not without its critics. Greens education spokeswoman Senator Penny Allman-Payne said it “provided no solutions to the systemic social and economic problems that lead to student disengagement”.
“So-called ‘disruption’ in the classroom is the inevitable endpoint of declining material conditions and decades of underinvestment in health, education and other public social services and social supports,” she said.
Complex socio-economic issues
In recent chapter and sub branch meetings I have attended, members report intensifying behavioural issues in the classroom, with teachers and support staff responding to diverse learning needs and student wellbeing issues.
This complexity is driven by broader social and economic pressures, and it is being felt most acutely in schools. There are growing numbers of students with additional needs.
Data from the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority shows 1,125,502 school students (27% of total enrolments) received an educational adjustment due to disability in 2025. This compares to 25.7% in 2023 and 18% in 2015.
Managing disruptive behaviour can be challenging. Classroom management is one of the most demanding parts of a teacher’s job, especially for those in the early stages of their career.
The need to respond to a complex combination of behavioural, cultural, language, medical and learning needs adds more time pressure on teaching the curriculum.
When staff are not provided with adequate support, classroom complexity adds to workload pressures. It contributes to burnout and ongoing workforce retention challenges.
Strict disciplinary practices such as suspension or expulsion can also create unintended negative consequences for students. These exclusionary approaches tend to be used disproportionately with boys, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, students with disability, and young people living in out-of-home care.
Adequate staffing essential
The IEU has consistently called for more support for school staff to help manage growing classroom complexity and challenging student behaviours.
Teachers and support staff are deeply committed to student success, but without adequate staffing, specialist support, time and training, current demands are unsustainable.
Disciplinary issues are exacerbated by large class sizes and staff shortages. This makes it harder for teachers to maintain consistent behaviour management and provide individual attention to students.
As behaviour problems rise, teachers face heavier workloads through extra supervision, documentation, parent communication and follow-up interventions. This is why the IEU has successfully campaigned for class size protections in many Work Practices Agreements. But there is still more to be done.
Must not add to workload
Additional classroom behaviour tools will be welcome in many schools given the impact of disruptive behaviour on both students and teachers.
But new resources or initiatives must be mindful of unintended consequences on workload.
Preparation tasks, data collection requirements or professional development needed to implement new programs must be accompanied by additional release time and other necessary supports for teachers.
Employers and policy makers must take every opportunity to stem the creep of administrative tasks that detract from quality teaching time.
Published in the June 2026 edition of Newsmonth.
