Pay parity opt-in scheme

Information for education and care services (including hospital-based services) about the pay parity scheme.

Level of compliance Main audience Other

Recommended

  • Education and care services including hospital-based
  • Early learning and primary certificated teachers

Pay parity recognises the quality teaching and leadership that makes a difference for tamariki, young learners and whānau, by moving qualified certificated kaiako and teachers closer to pay parity with kindergarten teachers.

What is the pay parity opt-in scheme?

The pay parity opt-in scheme is a scheme provided by the government to support education and care services, including hospital-based, to pay their certificated teachers in line with their kindergarten colleagues.

It provides higher funding rates to education and care services that opt-in to pay parity, and attest to paying their certificated teachers at least the minimum teacher salary scales described in the ECE Funding Handbook.

Appendix 4 – ECE Funding Handbook

Under the scheme, qualified certificated teachers including teachers in management roles, can be paid these higher salary scales.

Services not covered under the scheme

The scheme does not cover home-based services, playcentres or whānau-led kōhanga reo.

Where to go for help

If you have any questions or need help with the pay parity opt-in scheme, contact ECE.PayParity@education.govt.nz.

Pay parity explainer videos

Watch these videos to find out more about pay parity. 

They will help certificated teachers and employers work out which initial salary step a certificated teacher should be on.

About pay parity


Transcript: About pay parity

Higher salary scales, equivalent to kindergarten teachers’, are available to early childhood education and care services (including hospital-based) that opt-in to pay parity.

These higher salary scales can be paid to qualified, certificated teachers and also to teachers in management roles.

This video will help employers and teachers decide which initial step on the salary scale the teacher should be on.

The initial salary step should be agreed between the employer and teacher. The process for deciding it should be transparent and fair.

Firstly, choose an initial step on the salary scale by agreeing which qualification group the teacher’s qualifications relate to, either: P1, P2 and P3, P3+, P4 or P5.

All qualifications should be considered, even if not directly related to teaching or education. Overseas qualifications must be assessed by NZQA as comparable to a New Zealand equivalent qualification.

At a minimum, the teacher must hold a current New Zealand practising certificate and a recognised ECE or primary teaching qualification. It is up to the teacher to provide evidence of their qualifications and previous work experience.

Secondly, the initial step should be advanced if the teacher has ‘recognised service’ that can be credited. Recognised service is time spent working as a certificated teacher in New Zealand, within a licensed early childhood centre, kindergarten or school. There is no time limit on when this experience occurred. The teacher can be advanced 1 step for every 2,080 hours (roughly one year) of recognised service.

Lastly, the initial step should be further advanced if the teacher also has other relevant work experience, such as unqualified or overseas teaching. Other relevant experience must be within the last 10 years and is up to a maximum of 2 steps.

Certificated teachers in a management position will enter the salary scale on the K2, K3 or K4 salary step, regardless of their qualifications or teaching experience.

Their actual pay will depend on whether the service has opted into the extended or full parity salary scale.

These are minimum salary scales, and services can choose to pay their teachers above these rates.

Once the initial step is agreed, a teacher will continue to progress up the salary scale, provided their teacher registration practicing certificate remains valid.

For example, 1 additional step for every 2,080 hours (roughly one year) of additional recognised service.

If you need further help deciding, more detailed information and examples of the process are available.

Mō te ōritenga o te utu kaiako

Transcript: Mō te ōritenga o te utu kaiako

E wātea ana ngā awhe utu ā-tau nui ake, he ōrite ki ngā awhe utu ā-tau ki te kaiako kura kōhungahunga, ki ērā kaiako i ngā ratonga mātauranga me ngā ratonga tiaki kōhungahunga (tae atu ki ērā kei rō hōhipera) tērā ka kōwhiri kia whai wāhi ki te ōritenga o te utu kaiako.

Ka taea aua awhe utu ā-tau nui ake te utu ki ngā kaiako whai tohu, whai tiwhikete me ngā kaiako anō hoki e mahi ana i ngā tūranga whakahaere.

Ka āwhina tēnei ataata i ngā kaituku mahi me ngā kaiako ki te whakatau me tīmata te kaiako ki tēhea tūnga i te awhe utu ā-tau.

Me whakaae tahi te Tūnga utu ā-tau tuatahi i waenga i te kaituku mahi me te kaiako.

Me pūataata, me tōkeke te tukanga whakatau i tētahi tūnga.

I te tuatahi, me kōwhiri i tētahi Tūnga tuatahi i te awhe utu ā-tau mā te whakaae e pā ana ngā tohu a te kaiako ki tēhea Rōpū Tohu, arā ko: P tahi, P rua me te P toru, P toru tāpiri, P wha, P rima rānei.

Me whai whakaaro ngā tohu katoa, ahakoa kāore e whai pānga pū ki te whakaako, te mātauranga rānei.

Me aromatawai rawa ngā tohu nō tāwāhi e te Mana Tohu Mātauranga o Aotearoa hei mea ka taea te whakataurite ki tētahi tohu ōrite nō Aotearoa.

Ko te mea iti rawa, me whai tiwhikete whakaako whaimana o Aotearoa te kaiako, me tētahi tohu mātauranga kōhungahunga, whakaako kura tuatahi whaimana rānei.

Kei te kaiako te kawenga ki te whakarato taunakitanga o ana tohu me ana wheako mahi o mua.

Tuarua ake, me whakapiki te Tūnga tuatahi mēnā kua whai 'Ratonga whaimana' te kaiako ka kitea hei waetohu.

Ko tēnei mea te ratonga whaimana ko te wā ka pau i te kaiako e mahi ana hei kaiako whai tiwhikete i Aotearoa, i roto i tētahi pokapū kōhungahunga whai raihana, tētahi kura kōhungahunga, tētahi kura rānei.

Kāore he tepe wā e pā ana ki aua wheako. Ka taea te whakapiki i te kaiako kia kotahi te tūnga mō ia rua mano waru tekau haora (tōna tau kotahi) o te ratonga whaimana.

Ko te mea whakamutunga, ka taea te whakapiki anō i te Tūnga tuatahi kia teitei ake mēnā kua whai wheako mahi atu anō e hāngai ana te kaiako, pērā i te mahi whakaako tohu-kore, te whakaako rānei i tāwāhi.

Ko ērā atu wheako hāngai me whiwhi i roto i te tekau tau kātahi tonu ka pahure ake, ā, ko ngā tūnga e rua te mōrahi ka taea pērātia.

Ka uru ngā kaiako whai tiwhikete e mahi ana i ngā tūnga whakahaere ki te awhe utu ā-tau i te Tūnga K rua, K toru, K whā rānei, ahakoa he aha ā rātou tohu, wheako whakaako rānei.

Ko ā rātou utu ā-tau anō kei te āhua o tā te ratonga kōwhiringa kia whai wāhi ki te awhe utu ā-tau whai Ōritenga Nui Ake, Ōritenga Katoa rānei.

Ko ēnei ngā awhe utu ā-tau mōkito, ā, ka āhei ngā ratonga te kōwhiri kia utua ā rātou kaiako ki ngā utu nui ake i ēnei. 

Ina oti te Tūnga tuatahi te whakatau, ka koke whakarunga tonu te kaiako i te awhe utu ā-tau, i runga i te herenga kia noho whaimana tonu tana tiwhikete whakaako rēhita kaiako.'

Hei tauira, kotahi te Tūnga tāpiri mō ia rua mano war tekau haora (tōna tau kotahi) o te wheako tāpiri whaimana.

Ki te hiahia āwhina anō koe mō te whakatau, e wātea ana he kōrero āmiki atu me ētahi tauira o te hātepe.

About the pay parity scheme

Education and care services including hospital-based can access higher funding rates under the pay parity scheme.

These funding rates are:

  • base
  • parity
  • extended parity
  • full parity.

Appendix 1: Pay parity funding rates – ECE Funding Handbook

Minimum salary scales a service must pay

Under the scheme, services must pay all employed certificated teachers at least the minimum salary scale applicable to the funding rate they have opted in to.

The 4 salary scales are:

  • base
  • parity
  • extended parity
  • full parity.

By paying at least the minimum salary amounts in these 4 salary scales to all employed certificated teachers, education and care services – including hospital-based – are eligible for higher funding rates.

Base funding rates

Minimum salary scales a service must pay: Base salary scale (step 1).

Parity funding rates

Minimum salary scales a service must pay: Parity salary scale (step 1-6).

Extended parity funding rates

Minimum salary scales a service must pay: Extended parity salary scale (Partial step 1–11 + Partial management step).

Full parity funding rates

Minimum salary scales a service must pay: Full parity salary scale (Full step 1–11 + full management steps).

Appendix 4: Minimum salary scales – ECE Funding Handbook

Minimum salary scale for certificated teachers – ECE Funding Handbook

Where to go for help

If you have any questions or need help with the pay parity opt-in scheme, contact ECE.PayParity@education.govt.nz.

How to opt in to the scheme

Education and care services, including hospital-based services, opt in to the scheme by attesting in their RS7 return that they have paid all employed certificated teachers at least the required minimum salary scales.

Services must pay all certificated teachers at least the amounts specified in the minimum salary scales for the attestation period.

Attestations are completed 3 times a year for the March, July and November funding rounds.

Attestation period

Funding period

October to January

March

February to May

July

June to September

November

Attestation on the RS7 return – ECE Funding Handbook

What teachers need to know

ECE and primary certificated teachers employed by a service that has opted in to the pay parity scheme are eligible to be paid at the minimum salary scales defined in the ECE Funding Handbook.

ECE teachers in management positions holding a current practising certificate are eligible to receive the minimum salary scale for management positions defined in the ECE Funding Handbook.

ECE Funding Handbook

What is a certificated teacher?

For pay parity purposes, certificated teachers must hold a current practising certificate issued by the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand.

They must also have:

  • a NZ early childhood or primary teaching qualification, or
  • an overseas qualification assessed by NZQA as being comparable to a NZ early childhood or primary teaching qualification, or
  • an ECE or primary endorsement from the Teaching Council when obtaining your certification through the discretionary pathway.

Secondary teaching qualifications do not meet the eligibility criteria.

Teachers in management roles

For pay parity purposes, certificated teachers employed to work in 1 of the 3 following roles are considered to be in a management position:

  • K2: employed to be in charge of a service and not a K3 or K4 employee
  • K3: employed to carry out professional support, guidance and administrative roles, and is responsible for the management of K2 employees under delegation from your employer
  • K4: employed to be responsible for the management of K3 employees.

For example, an education and care role that typically may be considered a K2 position is a 'centre manager'.

What are the benefits for teachers?

There are agreed minimum salaries for teachers based on qualifications, recognised service, and previous relevant work experience.

There are annual salary progressions for every year (2,080 hours) of service.

How to determine a certificated teacher’s salary step

A certificated teacher’s salary step is determined by 3 factors:

  • their applicable qualification group,
  • any recognised service they may have, and
  • any previous relevant work experience.

Note: the salary step determined for a certificated teacher will be within the minimum salary scale a service has attested to.

Watch the 'About pay parity' video at the start of this page for information about determining a certificated teacher’s salary step.

Qualification groups

The qualifications a teacher holds determine which qualification group they are in and is the starting point for determining a teacher’s salary step.

There are 4 qualification groups, with a set criteria for each.

For salary purposes, New Zealand qualifications that are registered on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework must be recognised.

Overseas qualifications must be assessed by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) as comparable to the nearest New Zealand equivalent qualifications.

Teachers are to be assessed on the highest qualification held.

P1, P2, P3

P1, P2 and P3 is for teachers who hold a current practising certificate issued by the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand but no subject or specialist qualification at level 7 or above on the NZQF or equivalent overseas teaching qualifications recognised by the NZQA.

This group includes teachers who have obtained their practising certificate via the Teaching Council’s discretionary pathway process, provided they have received an ECE or Primary endorsement from the Council.

P3+

P3+ is for teachers who hold a current practising certificate issued by the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand and:

  • a subject or specialist level 7 qualification on the NZQF (that is, not an initial teacher education qualification) which can be a Diploma (excluding a National Diploma), Graduate Diploma or Degree, or
  • an honours degree of teaching, or
  • equivalent overseas qualifications assessed by the NZQA or an overseas qualification where NZQA has assessed that the qualification has level 7 (graduate) study in a subject or specialist area(s). That is, any area of study that is not initial teacher education.

P4

P4 is for teachers who hold a current practising certificate issued by the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand and:

  • a subject or specialist level 8 qualification on the NZQF which can be an honours degree or a Post Graduate Diploma, or
  • two subject or specialist level 7 qualifications on the NZQF (as listed above), or
  • a masters degree of teaching, or
  • equivalent overseas qualifications assessed by the NZQA.

P5

P5 is for teachers who hold a current practising certificate issued by the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand and:

  • a subject or specialist level 9 qualification on the NZQF - masters or doctorate, or
  • equivalent overseas qualifications assessed by the NZQA.

Recognised service

Recognised service is time spent working as a certificated teacher in Aotearoa New Zealand.

There are no time limits on when this recognised service occurred. Every year (2,080 hours) worked equals 1x salary step.

Previous relevant work experience

Previous relevant work experience is time spent in a paid position, applying relevant skills. This may include overseas work experience and should be within the last 10 years. Every 2 years (4,160 hours) worked equals 1x salary step, up to a maximum of 2.

Use the resources below to help you determine a certificated teacher’s salary step.

Resources to help salary step calculations

Use these resources to help you calculate a certificated teacher’s salary step. They can assist you to gain a point in time assessment of where a teacher’s salary may be, based on the information you enter, with the final salary decision being at the discretion of the employer.

Certificated teacher salary step calculator

This calculator is a tool to support service providers and certificated teachers to determine a certificated teacher’s salary step under the pay parity opt-in scheme.

The salary step for a certificated teacher should be agreed between the service provider and certificated teacher. The process for determining a certificated teacher’s salary step should be transparent and fair. The calculator is only a tool to aid in this process. The Ministry does not provide advice on the appropriate salary step for individual certificated teachers.

Any dispute regarding a certificated teacher’s salary step is an employment matter between the certificated teacher and their employer. The Ministry is unable to intervene in employment matters.

Certificated teacher salary step calculator

Form for assessing a certificated teacher’s initial salary step

Using the below form might be helpful when assessing a certificated teacher’s initial salary step.

Any dispute regarding a teacher’s salary step is an employment matter between the teacher and their employer. The Ministry is unable to intervene in employment matters.

What records do services need to keep?

A service’s pay parity attestations will be verified by a Ministry audit. The audit will confirm that each employed certificated teacher was paid at least at the required salary amount. Services must therefore maintain information to assist with verification.

This information will include:

  • copies of qualifications and current practising certificates already required to be held
  • information to support how the teacher’s initial and current salary step was determined, and
  • records to confirm salary or wage amounts.

Specific record requirements – ECE Funding Handbook

For queries about the opt-in process or funding, contact ECE.Funding@education.govt.nz.

Where to go for help

If you have any questions or need help with the pay parity opt-in scheme, contact ECE.PayParity@education.govt.nz.

Frequently asked questions

Can services only opt in at the next founding round, or can they opt in at any point?

Services can opt-in when attesting to pay parity in their RS7 return at any funding period.

Services need to ensure they pay teachers correctly for the period they have opted into. For example, if you attest to paying all certificated teachers at least salary amounts in the minimum salary scales in the February RS7 return, you will need to ensure your teachers are correctly paid at the right salary or wage amounts from October to January. 

Funding period

Attestation period

RS7 open date 

RS7 close date 

First pay date

March

Previous October to January

 1 February

 30 April

1 March

July

Previous February to May

 1 June

 31 August

1 July

November

Previous June to September

 1 October

 31 December

1 November

Can I change my opt-in response once I have submitted my RS7 return?

Services who wish to update their opt-in response can resubmit their RS7 return. Resubmissions can be made for the current funding period through the service’s student management system (SMS) or ELI Web.

Any changes to a service’s funding will be processed for the next available payment date.

Services should contact ece.funding@education.govt.nz if they wish to submit an RS7 return after the electronic submission deadline.

Can I opt out?

Services can opt out by updating their pay parity status using their RS7 return should their circumstances change.

Do overseas qualifications count towards pay steps?

If the international qualification is recognised by the NZQA as equivalent to a NZ qualification, then the teacher should be paid based on that NZ qualification (and their experience).

Getting overseas qualifications recognised – NZQA(external link)

Does relief teaching count towards recognised service?

For recognised service, time spent as a relief teacher can be counted for salary purposes where the certificated teacher was employed in a New Zealand licensed early childhood centre or a state or state-integrated school (including kaupapa Māori).

Hours of work and recognised service – ECE Funding Handbook chapter 3-B-2

Does overseas teaching experience count towards recognised teaching service?

Only teaching experience in NZ as a certificated teacher can be counted as recognised service. 

Teaching experience overseas may be considered as ‘previous relevant work experience’ if your previous role applied skills that are relevant to the position offered. Any hours recognised as ‘previous relevant work experience’ must be agreed by the teacher and their employer.

What happens if a teacher cannot provide evidence of teaching service from a previous employer?

Evidence of the factors used to determine a certificated teacher’s initial salary step should be provided by the teacher to the satisfaction of their employer.

In a situation where a teacher is unable to provide evidence, the employer can work with the teacher to determine what information they can obtain and how this will be used to determine their initial salary step.

When a teacher takes leave, is that counted towards recognised service for pay parity purposes?

The following types of leave need to be counted as recognised service for pay parity purposes:

  • annual leave
  • sick leave
  • bereavement leave
  • statutory holidays.

Decisions about other types of leave (for example, unpaid leave) are at the discretion of the service.

Does experience in home-based settings count?

Coordinator (or visiting teacher) experience in home-based settings does not count as recognised service in the pay parity opt-in scheme. But, it can count as previous relevant work experience.

What does opting-in mean for services that are already party to a collective agreement?

Services that opt-in to the pay parity scheme are still free to offer additional terms and conditions or be party to collective agreements. But, they must pay at least the minimum salary steps detailed in the salary scale that they have attested to.

Are relievers covered?

Certificated relievers are covered. The attestation requirement covers all employed certificated teachers, including permanent, fixed-term or casual staff.

Where the employment relationship is not directly between the service and teacher (for example, if relievers are engaged through an agency), service providers should ensure there is an agreement in place that enables the service to show teachers are, or have been, paid at the correct level.

Can a service pay certificated teachers more than the salary scale amount?

The amounts set out in the salary scales are minimums. Service providers and teachers are free to negotiate higher levels of remuneration if they wish.

Are certificated teachers who trained overseas paid the same as NZ trained teachers?

If the international qualification is recognised by NZQA as equivalent to a NZ qualification, the teacher should be paid based on that NZ qualification.

Getting overseas qualifications recognised – NZQA(external link)

Do services need to back pay certificated teachers for the full attestation period?

Yes, services need to pay for the full attestation period. For example, if services opt-in in their February RS7 return, and they have not already paid their staff at least the pay amount they agree on, they will need to back pay the staff for the full period (ie the previous October to January) before they receive their funding payment for this period.

I can’t get evidence of previous work experience because my ex-employer has closed down. What can I do?

As a teacher, it is up to you to provide evidence to the satisfaction of your employer of any factors used to determine your initial salary step.

If you are unable to provide evidence, it is at the discretion of your employer whether they take this into account when determining your initial pay step.

Please note, any disputes regarding pay steps is an employment relation matter between you and your employer. We are unable to intervene in employment matters.

Information on employment matters – Employment New Zealand(external link)

I don’t agree with the salary step my employer has put me on. Can the Ministry help me?

Any disputes regarding pay steps are an employment relation matter between you and your employer. We are unable to intervene in employment matters.

You may need to seek independent employment advice.

Information on employment matters – Employment New Zealand(external link)

How do I know if my service is offering pay parity?

We regularly publish a list of services that have attested to receive pay parity funding rates for each period.

Attestation for certificated teachers’ salaries – Education Counts(external link)

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