Teen Parent Units Policy

How boards qualify

Before a unit can be established, the following property considerations must be taken into account:

• Linkages with early childhood education (ECE) for the children of the teen parents
• TPU accommodation
• Sustainability of eligible roll

Linkages with ECE

A TPU must have easily accessible ECE facilities. Availability and location of suitable ECE facilities must be considered in the planning stage.

The first option must be to use existing ECE services, through using their capacity and/or improving their capability. Only where there are no other options will the Ministry consider funding the capital cost of a new ECE service. Construction of any new ECE service will be funded via Vote Education Property Capital Funding.

TPU accommodation

Accommodation for the TPU may be provided at the base school or on another (host) school site that has the available capacity. A school with surplus space greater than 200 m2 of their SPG entitlement would be deemed to have available capacity. New space must only be considered where surplus space is not available and will be funded via Vote Education Property Capital Funding.

TPUs generate capital and maintenance funding, therefore must be included in the base school's 10 Year Property Plan (10YPP). Whether they are providing the accommodation or not, the base school must accept the governance/management responsibility of the unit, and sight the Memorandum of Understanding. The Memorandum of Understanding between the base school board and the Ministry documents the responsibilities and accountabilities of each party with regard to the TPU.

If sited at another (host) school a Memorandum of Understanding: Teen Parent Unit must be signed, but management and funding is still the responsibility of the base school.

Sustainability of eligible roll

Eligible students are those aged less than 19 when enrolled and who are either pregnant or a parent. Students aged 19 or over may attend a TPU, but will be enrolled as regular adult students on the base school's main roll.

To attract property funding, a new TPU requires a minimum number of 15 eligible students and must prove the long term sustainability of the roll.

See the flowchart below for a summary of the property considerations when applying for funding for a new TPU.

Ministry's contribution

The Ministry will provide capital funding for new space or modifications to existing buildings to provide a TPU of 200 net m2 and an ECE facility of 240 net m2.

Funding for an ECE facility is to provide new space, and is based on a 30 place ECE facility of 240 net m2, a gross area factor, and the current specialist classroom construction rate¹.

Funding for a TPU must only consider using new space where surplus space is not available. New space is to be based on a 30 place TPU of 200 net m2, a gross area factor, and the current classroom construction rate. A school with surplus space greater than or equal to 200 net m2 of their SPG entitlement would receive half the amount of funding for a new TPU. If a school has less than 200 net m2 of surplus space, funding will be based on a mix of new space and surplus space.

ECE Funding Summary

New space 240 x 1.2 x specialist construction rate

TPU Funding Summary

Process for getting this funding

When the Ministry has approved funding, a specific project budget is provided and paid out in accordance with the Project Management Requirements in section 5 of the Property Management Handbook.

TPU property considerations flowchart

¹ Information on the latest Ministry construction rates is available on this website.