A Legislative Assembly committee has released its report into the inquiry which examined issues raised by the ACT Auditor-General.

It recommended more resources be invested in workplace health and safety after the Australian Education Union said it was a critical issue in ACT public schools.

The union's submission said some principals had been told by their director of school improvement to reduce reporting of occupational violence as it would reflect badly on the school.

The union also said some principals had been asked to explain high levels of safety-related expenses rather than being supported by the Education Directorate to address the root causes of safety issues.

The committee was concerned that the ACT government had not adopted a definition of inclusive education, despite this being a priority in the future of education strategy.

It said more professional development on inclusive education and behaviour management should be available for educators.

READ MORE:

It recommended the directorate boost the number of allied health and social workers in schools so teachers could focus on their teaching responsibilities.

The inquiry heard that inadequate school infrastructure could lead to unfavourable perceptions of teaching, with the union telling a hearing that libraries and modified corridors were sometimes used as classrooms.

The union praised the design of the new Throsby School because it had spaces for teachers to collaborate and to have privacy from students to do certain tasks.

The committee found school leaders needed more guidance on formal performance management so that underperformance could be addressed before a teacher was moved to another school.

It said there should be a more even distribution of experienced teachers across the system.

The committee also found there was a lack of interest in teachers being certified as highly accomplished and lead teachers because of the cost and extra administrative workload.

It recommended high-performing teachers be given incentives to get the certification.

We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.