In 2009 Tom Alegounarias was appointed President of the NSW Board of Studies, a role in he chaired several significant committees: NSW BOS Registration and Accreditation of Non-Government Schools Committee, NSW BOS Vocational Education and Training Accreditation Committee and the NSW BOS Primary Curriculum Committee.
Tom also played a substantial role in the establishment of the NSW Institute of Teachers and held the inaugural position of Chief Executive from 2004 to 2009. Under his leadership the institute implemented a policy model for supporting teacher quality and standards which has drawn attention from policymakers worldwide. These professional teaching standards and associated accreditation and approval processes are viewed by government officials as among the most significant educational policy reforms of the past decade.
With regards to the National Curriculum, Tom’s role has been significant. Since 2008 he has served as the NSW representative on the National Curriculum Board and has helped oversee the development of a rigourous world-class national curriculum for all Australian students from kindergarten to Year 12. Tom has been a strong proponent of the argument that effective development and implementation of a national curriculum can only occur with the support and cooperation of the teaching profession.
Tom has provided outstanding leadership in the reform of education in schools, particularly in the area of NSW Equity Programs, which sought to improve educational achievement of identified groups of students such as Aboriginal and NESB students. Tom designed a complex set of policy changes which aligned with and reinforced, national and international policy reforms relating to substantial social justice policy.
Tom has been an active member of Sydney School of Education and Social Work’s Teacher Education Advisory Board since the board’s inception in 2007.
