Settlement of the Area School Teachers’ Collective Agreement#

This circular is about the settlement of the Area School Teachers’ Collective Agreement (ASTCA 2026–2028) between NZEI Te Riu Roa (NZEI) and PPTA Te Wehengarua (PPTA) which was ratified on 24 April 2026. It also provides information on the applicable promulgated individual employment agreements.

This circular does not replace any other.

It is intended for presiding members of school boards of all state and state-integrated area schools.

Contact Te Whakarōputanga Kaitiaki Kura o Aotearoa | New Zealand School Boards Association (NZSBA) for employment relations advice.

Advice and support – NZSBA

You can also email our employment relations team if you have questions about the settlement or the new collective agreement.

Email: [email protected]

All collective agreements for school staff can be found on our website.

People and employment

Action#

• Note the details of the settlement, including the new pay rates for area school teachers covered by the collective agreement.
• Offer the new individual employment agreement (IEA) to existing teachers who are not PPTA or NZEI members.

Introduction#

On 29 April 2026, the Area School Teachers’ Collective Agreement was signed by the NZEI, PPTA, NZSBA and the Secretary for Education/Public Service Commissioner following ratification of the terms of settlement by members of those unions on 24 April 2026.

The term of the agreement is 26 months, beginning 25 March 2026 and expiring 24 May 2028.

This circular provides a summary of the changes and new provisions agreed as part of the settlement. The full collective agreement can be downloaded from our website.

Area school teachers' collective and individual employment agreements

Key features of the settlement#

Remuneration#

New pay rates have been agreed as follows.

Base salary scale – trained teachers

The offer provides an increase to the base salary scale:

• 2.5% 25 March 2026
• 2% 28 January 2027 to steps 1 to 8
• 2.1% 25 March 2026 to steps 9 and 10.

These rates will be effective from 25 March 2026 for employees who are NZEI or PPTA members, or from the date they became members if that occurs after 25 March 2026.

For employees who are not NZEI or PPTA members, the new rates will be effective from the date the employee and employer sign the individual employment agreement (IEA).

Base salary scale – untrained teachers

Education Payroll will pay these rates to employees covered by the collective agreement in pay period 09 on 4 August 2026 and will backpay to 25 March 2026 or the employee’s start date if after 25 March 2026.

For employees covered by an IEA, Education Payroll will pay the new rates as soon as is practicable once advised that the new IEA has been signed.

Middle and senior management allowances#

The base rate for middle management allowances and senior management allowances will increase to $2,400 from 25 March 2026.

Units#

Unit values will increase to $5,500 from 25 March 2026.

Introduction of a Principal’s Nominee Allowance#

From 14 July 2026, boards will be entitled in each school year to receive additional staffing as generated in the relevant staffing order to provide a time allowance of 0.04 full-time teaching equivalent (FTTE) for the principal’s nominee.

This is the equivalent to 1 hour of timetabled non-contact time. The appointed teacher will also be entitled to an allowance of $2,500 per annum.

The specifics are contained in new clause 3.38:

• 3.38.1: The employer may appoint one teacher as the Principal’s Nominee for responsibilities associated with the school’s NZQA-accredited Consent to Assess (or equivalent) during the school year.
• 3.38.2: From 14 July 2026, the appointed teacher will be entitled to an allowance of $2,500 per annum. This allowance is not pro-rated except as provided for by clause 3.38.3.
• 3.38.3: In exceptional circumstances (and only with the employer’s agreement), the role can be shared by two teachers. Where this applies, the allowance and the time allocation will be shared in proportion with each teacher’s responsibilities – which must be agreed at the time the arrangement is entered into (or varied).
• 3.38.4: Each holder of the Principal’s Nominee Allowance will be entitled to one hour of timetabled non-contact time.
• 3.38.5: The employer or the teacher appointed as the Principal’s Nominee may end the responsibilities with a minimum of one term’s notice.

Provisions for teacher-only days#

Expenses are not payable on any day within the school term when the Minister has required teachers to attend school between 8:30am and 4:30pm, Monday to Friday, even if the school is not open for instruction.

This provision also applies to Saturdays and Sundays where a school routinely operates for instruction on those days as part of its normal timetable.

Service/qualification increment#

Level 5 or higher on the Whakamātauria Tō Reo Māori framework is now recognised as a qualification for the purposes of the service/qualification increment.

Disregarded sick leave#

The rules around disregarded sick leave have been clarified to make it clear when disregarded sick leave will not be granted by the Secretary for Education. This is where:

• the raising of a complaint/personal grievance against the employer has substantially caused a stress-related or non-physical illness
• the employee being subject to a disciplinary or competency process has substantially caused the sickness
• the employer has agreed to support an application for disregarded sick leave as part of settlement of an employment relationship problem or a negotiated exit from employment
• payment has been made by ACC.

Close down period#

A 4-week close down now applies during which the teacher takes annual leave.

School camp allowance#

The allowance contained in clause 6.3/appendix 1 increases by $10 from 28 January 2027.

Access to professional learning and development funds#

Clarification that area school members may access the professional learning and development fund of the union they are members of.

Curriculum change#

40 days of release will be provided in each of 2027 and 2028 to support teachers in U1 to U3 area schools to support the role out of curriculum changes. Guidelines for the use of these release days will follow.

Other terms#

There are enhancements for recognition of service credit of untrained teachers and recognition of staff who return to state schools from charter schools as transferred employees.

We have updated the definition of an untrained teacher and inserted new wording for hours of work for Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu.

Individual employment agreements#

New individual employment agreements are available.

The new rates will be effective from the date the employer and the employee sign the IEA. Education Payroll will pay the new rates as soon as is practicable once advised that the new IEA has been signed.

Make sure you are using the most up-to-date letter of offer of employment for new employees, available on the NZSBA website.

Help for principals – GovHub School Board Services

Issued by#

Tim Tucker, Manager – Employment Relations and Payroll Operations
Te Pou Ohumahi Mātauranga | Education Workforce
Ministry of Education, National Office, 1 The Terrace, Wellington 6011
PO Box 1666, Wellington 6140, New Zealand.

Phone: 04 463 8000

Email: [email protected]