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Accomplished teacher practice
01 May 2009
By Bob Lipscombe, NSW Teachers Federation President
Higher Salaries for accomplished teacher practice - the Federation's position
The current Federal Government is proposing "recognition and reward for quality teaching". However, the $550 million announced by the Federal Government will not fund salary increases for all teachers who are qualified and is very short on detail. To date, the only announced program would reward unqualified graduates prepared to teach in disadvantaged areas.
The Federation's position is as follows:
If attempts are made to implement this reform as 'performance pay' based on student results, they will be opposed by the Federation.
Higher salaries that reward accomplished teaching practice would address a key shortcoming in current salary scales. The current classroom teacher incremental scale blocks advanced salary for classroom teachers from the ninth year of service.
Reform in this area has the potential to recognise and reward accomplished teachers whose primary career focus is classroom teaching, rather than promotion to executive roles.
If teachers are deemed to be accomplished through professionally determined, agreed criteria and processes, and the reward takes the form of additional salary paid beyond a teacher's position on the current incremental pay scale, it would be consistent with Federation policy.
The Federation rejects proposals that impose conditions and limitations on access to higher salaries for accomplished teachers. Higher salaries should be available to all teachers capable of demonstrating accomplished practice. The Federation will not accept quotas, as existed with the old Advanced Skills Teacher positions.
The Federation notes that the current teachers' salaries award prevents the Department of Education and Training unilaterally introducing pay measures inconsistent with the Federation's position during the three year life of the award.
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