The Teachers Registration Board is established under the Teachers Registration and Standards Act 2004 (the Act) and the Teachers Registration and Standards Regulations 2016 (the Regulations) to regulate the teaching profession.

The Teachers Registration and Standards Act 2004 has been amended following the passing of the Teachers Registration and Standards (Miscellaneous) Amendment Bill 2020 and the approval of the Teachers Registration and Standards Regulations 2021. Changes came into effect from 1 July 2021.

The object of the Act is to, in the public interest, establish and maintain a teacher registration system and professional standards to ensure members are competent and fit and proper persons to have the care of children.

The Teachers Registration Board (the Board) regulates the teaching profession in South Australia.

The Board is established under the provisions by the Teachers Registration and Standards Act 2004 (the Act) and is an independent statutory authority. The Board can only exercise the powers and responsibilities determined in the Act.

The Board is a specialist body and members are appointed with a view that they will bring specialist expertise to their responsibilities as Board members.

The Board is constituted of 16 members appointed by the Governor of South Australia. Members of the Board are nominated by the Minister for Education, Department for Education, Australian Education Union, Association of Independent Schools, Catholic Education Office, the Independent Education Union, the Universities of the State. The Act requires at least half the members of the Board must be teachers, one member must be a parent of a school student representing the community and one must be a lawyer (section 9).

The Registrar of the Board manages staff, implements the policies and decisions of the Board, is responsible for the Register of Teachers and for other matters delegated by the Board. The Registrar has an independent statutory role in relation to the investigation of complaints and grievances and exercises a prosecutorial discretion. When acting in an investigative and prosecutorial role the Registrar acts independently of the Board and is not directed by the Board in relation to the conduct of a specific case.