Education Calculators

The pay parity scheme provides higher funding rates to education and care services that attest to paying their certificated teachers at least the salary amounts described in Appendix 4 of the ECE Funding Handbook. All funding conditions that relate to the implementation and these higher Salary Scales can be found in the ECE Funding Handbook.

This calculator is to support service providers and certificated teachers to determine a certificated teacher’s salary step as required under the pay parity scheme.

Disclaimer

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. For information on employment matters, you can visit the Employment New Zealand website.

The calculator provides only a point in time calculation of a certificated teacher’s salary step. A certificated teacher’s salary step can change over time (e.g. increase in recognised service). Progression of the salary step should be tracked. The calculator is not a tool for tracking the salary step.p

Qualification group - The qualification group that the certificated teacher’s qualifications match. See the Pay Parity Guide for guidance on how to choose the correct qualification group for the certificated teacher’s qualifications.
Years of recognised service - The amount of time spent working as a certificated teacher in New Zealand. Each year (2080 hours) counts for a full step. See the Pay Parity Guide for guidance on whether experience counts as recognised service.
Years of previous relevant work experience - Any experience that may be relevant to the position offered to the certificated teacher. Each year of relevant work experience counts as half a step, with a maximum of two steps counted. Service must be within the last 10 years.

It is up to the teacher and their employer to agree what experience is relevant to the position offered. See the Pay Parity Guide for guidance on whether experience counts as previous relevant work experience. for guidance on whether experience counts as previous recognised experience.
Minimum Salary Scale - The Salary Scale a service provider attests to paying their certificated teachers. You can find a description of the different Minimum Salary Scales (Base, Parity, Extended Parity, Full Parity) in Appendix 4 of the ECE Funding Handbook.

You can find the Minimum Salary Scale that each education and care service has attested to in the ‘Attestation for Certificated Teachers’ Salaries’ section at ECE staffing | Education Counts.

Service providers - Education and care and hospital-based services who are considering the Minimum Salary Scale they will attest to in their RS7 Funding Return Report. See the ECE Funding Handbook for further information on attestation.

Certificated teachers - working in education and care or hospital-based services that have attested to paying their certificated teachers according to a parity Minimum Salary Scale (Base, Parity, Extended Parity or Full Parity).

Please note: As a certificated teacher, you are personally unable to attest to a parity Minimum Salary Scale – this is a decision for your employer/service provider.

You will need to work with your employer to determine your initial salary step by providing them evidence of your qualifications, recognised service, and previous relevant work experience.

For further queries about certificated teacher salary steps, contact ece.payparity@education.govt.nz.