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From 1 July 2025 until 30 June 2027, education and care (including hospital-based) services that have opted into the pay parity scheme will be able to determine the starting salary step for newly certificated teachers and certificated teachers who are new to working in the New Zealand ECE sector (for example, a primary school teacher with no prior experience in ECE).
These services are required to pay at least step one of the minimum salary scales but will no longer need to take into account higher qualification groups, previous relevant work experience, and recognised service when determining the initial salary step for the teachers described above.
This change does not affect the requirement for services to progress teachers up the salary scales as they complete the specified hours of work.
Changes to Pay Parity Opt in Scheme (1 July 2025 - 30 June 2027)Minimum salary scales and salary progression#
You must pay all certificated teachers at least the applicable salary step on the minimum salary scale you have attested to. There are 3 factors involved in working out the salary step.
- Qualification group
- There are 4 qualification groups, with set criteria for each.
- Recognised service
- Recognised service is based on time spent working as a certificated teacher in New Zealand.
- Previous relevant work experience
- Previous experience relates to any experience that will be relevant to the certificated teacher's role.
Details of salary steps are in chapter 6 of the pay parity guide.
Pay parity guide for ECE teachers and service providersSalary step progression#
A certificated teacher should progress 1 salary step when they have:
- completed 2,080 hours work, and
- been assessed as meeting the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand standards for certification.
Salary progression is linked to qualifications. Section 11 of the pay parity guide explains salary progression, including salary progression with improved qualifications.
Appendix 4: Minimum salary scales – ECE funding handbook
Work out the right salary step for your certificated teachers#
You must work out the right initial salary step for your certificated teachers. This is a requirement of the pay parity scheme.
The pay parity guide explains how to work out the right salary steps.
Template and calculator
Use our template and calculator to help you calculate a certificated teacher’s salary step. They can give you a point in time assessment of a certificated teacher’s salary based on the information you enter. The final salary decision is at the discretion of the employer.
Any dispute about a teacher’s salary step is an employment matter between the teacher and their employer. We cannot give advice on employment matters.
Template#
Template for assessing pay parity stepsCalculator#
Record keeping#
Your service will need to keep records showing how you have worked out the pay of teachers and evidence of salary progression.
This information will include:
- copies of qualifications and current practising certificates for certificated teachers
- 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
We will audit your service to check that you are meeting these requirements.
