Circular 2006/05

Date: 6 March 2006
Circular Number: 2006/05
Category: Funding

Early Childhood Education Funding - Attestation: Registered Teachers' Salaries

This circular is about: New rates for Attestation: Registered Teachers' Salaries applicable from 1 July 2006.

This circular replaces: Education Circular 2005/05.

It is intended for: All managers, management committee members, owners, and registered teachers in teacher-led, centre-based, education and care services.

The action required is: Services are to assess whether each employed registered teacher in the service is paid at least at the level identified in this circular. This circular is to be read as part of the Early Childhood Education Funding Handbook (2005).

Services should retain a copy of this circular with the Early Childhood Education Funding Handbook (2005).


For further Information: Contact the Resourcing Division Contact Centre, Ministry of Education, PO Box 1666, Wellington.
Phone: 0800 323-323 Fax: 04 463 8374
Email: resourcing@minedu.govt.nz

For licensing or general operational matters, please contact your local office of the Ministry of Education.

Refer also to the Early Childhood Education Funding Handbook (2005).

Introduction

This circular outlines the levels employed registered teachers are to be paid so a service can positively attest to meeting the registered teachers' salaries funding condition. Positive attestation may result in access to higher funding rates.

All teacher-led, centre-based, education and care services are required to attest either `yes' or `no' to paying registered teachers' salaries at least at the levels identified in this circular.

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What is the funding requirement?

Funding condition

All education and care services that want to access higher funding rates¹ are required to attest either yes or no to paying all employed registered teachers at least at the level identified in this circular.

The levels stated in this circular are based on the entry levels² of the Early Childhood Teacher/Kaiako in the Consenting Parties Early Childhood Collective Agreement³.

Key objective

The objective of Attestation: Registered Teachers' Salaries is to ensure that registered teachers employed in early childhood education services are recognised and rewarded, for providing quality early childhood education. Recognising and rewarding teachers for providing quality will further strengthen the early childhood education work-force.

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Former Rate One services and the Staff Hour Count

Former Rate One services to complete the Staff Hour Count

From 1 April 2005 - 1 April 2006 former Rate One services that attested `no' were not required to complete the Staff Hour Count.

Please note that this exemption expires on 1 April 2006. All teacher-led, centre-based, education and care services must complete the Staff Hour Count from 1 April 2006.

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What level is a service required to pay employed registered teachers to positively attest?

Required minimum levels

For ECE funding purposes, the required levels employed registered teachers are to be paid are:

Qualification category

The qualification categories are as follows:

Example 1:

If a permanently employed full time registered teacher holds an ECE Teaching Degree (i.e. Q3 entry), then the teacher is to be paid at least an annual salary of $31,149 (or hourly rate of $14.97) up to 30 June 2006. From 1 July 2006, this teacher is to be paid at least an annual salary of $34,098 (or hourly rate of $16.39).

Example 2:

For a part-time employed registered teacher a service can choose to use either the annual salary (pro rata) or the hourly pay rates. For example, if a service's permanently employed part time registered teacher holds an ECE Teaching Degree (Q3 entry) and works for 15 hours each week, the appropriate level of pay can be calculated as follows:

Option A: Hourly Rate

For teachers on an hourly pay rate, the required level would be $14.97 per hour up to 30 June 2006, and $16.39 per hour from 1 July 2006.


Option B: Pro Rata the Annual Salary

If a part-time teacher is paid a salary rather than an hourly wage, the annual pro rata salary up to 30 June 2006 can be calculated as follows:

• Step One: 15 [hours of work] divided by 40 [full-time hours] = 0.375; and
• Step Two: Multiply the annual salary of $31,149 by 0.375 = $11,680.88.

$11,680.88 is the part time teacher's annual salary.

From 1 July 2006 the part-time teacher's salary can be calculated as follows:

• Step One: 15 [hours of work] divided by 40 [full-time hours] = 0.375; and
• Step Two: Multiply the annual salary of $34,098 by 0.375 = $12786.75

$12,786.75 is the part time teacher's annual salary.

Salaries reflect total remuneration

The levels cited on this page reflect total remuneration for employed registered teachers (for early childhood education funding purposes). Employers may negotiate further allowances for employed registered teachers - this is a matter for employers and employees.

Changes to minimum rates of pay

The Ministry of Education will continue to publish the minimum required annual salary and hourly pay rates for the purposes of attestation as and when they change.

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How do services attest?

Attestation table

Services should attest in the following way:

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How does attestation 'fit' with the funding cycle?

Funding months

The application of annual salary levels/hourly pay rates against early childhood education funding months is as follows:

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What do the terms mean?

What does 'all employed' mean?

The term `all employed' means each registered teacher who is employed primarily as an employee of the service (that is, they are working for hire or reward under a contract of service). Employed registered teachers could be:

• permanent full or part time teachers;
• relief teachers (either short or long term); or
• fixed term contractors (i.e. contract of service is in place).

Which 'registered teachers'?

For ECE Funding purposes, the term registered teacher means an ECE teacher who: 

1. Holds a current Practising Certificate (as issued by the New Zealand Teachers' Council) that is categorised as one of the following:
   - Full registration;
   - Provisional registration; or
   - Registered subject to confirmation; and
2. Holds a relevant ECE teaching qualification.

What does 'at least at the level' mean?

The term `at least at the level' means the service is paying all employed registered teachers' salaries at the minimum level identified above.

No employed ECE registered teachers?

A small number of services may have no employed ECE registered teachers (such as when the Person Responsible requirement is met by the service's owner(s) who happen to be the only ECE qualified and registered teacher(s)). If this applies to your service, instructions on what to do are included in the Attestation Tables (refer above).

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What are the record-keeping requirements?

Record-keeping requirements

All education and care services' attestation results will be verified to confirm that each registered teacher was paid at least at the required level. Services are therefore, required to maintain information to assist with verification. This information will include copies of qualifications and current practising certificates already required to be held, and records to confirm salary or wage levels.

The term record refers to a document(s) that clearly identifies the:

• annual salary (or hourly pay rate) each employed registered teacher is paid;
• time period for which each employed registered teacher was paid at this level; and
• the employer and employee's signatures (or signatures of authorised representatives).

The Ministry of Education will not seek to verify other employment conditions as part of this process.

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Further Advice

ECE funding Questions

If you require further information early childhood education funding, contact the Ministry of Education's Resourcing Division Contact Centre:
Phone: (04) 463 8383
Fax: (04) 463 8374
Email: resourcing@minedu.govt.nz [NO SPAM]

Postal Address: PO Box 1666, Wellington, New Zealand

EC regulatory questions

If you require further information or guidance on your early childhood education regulatory requirements, contact your local Ministry of Education office. A list of the contact details of local offices can be found the contacts section of your Early Childhood Education Funding Handbook.

Teacher registration questions

If you require further information or guidance about teacher registration, you can contact the New Zealand Teachers' Council:
Phone: (04) 471 0852
Fax: (04) 471 0870
Email: inquiries@teacherscouncil.govt.nz [NO SPAM] 

Physical Address: 93 The Terrace, Wellington, New Zealand
Postal Address: PO Box 5326, Wellington, New Zealand

Consenting Parties Agreement

If you require further information about the Consenting Parties Early Childhood Collective Agreement, you can contact either of the following organisations:

Te Tari Puna Ora o Aotearoa NZ Childcare Association
Phone: (04) 473 4672
Internet: www.nzca.ac.nz  

NZEI Te Riu Roa
Phone (04) 384 9689 (National Office)
Internet: www.nzei.org.nz  

Issued by:

Kevin Wilson
Senior Manager
Resourcing Division
Te Wāhanga Whakarato Rawa
National Office
45 - 47 Pipitea Street, Thorndon
PO Box 1666, Wellington, New Zealand
Phone: 0800 323-323
Fax: 0-4-463 8374
Email: resourcing@minedu.govt.nz
Web: www.minedu.govt.nz 

^1. Funding rates applicable from 1 July 2005 are available at www.minedu.govt.nz. These rates will be updated with changes as they occur.

^2. Entry level refers to Q1, Q2 and Q3 rates identified in the Early Childhood Teacher/Kaiako rates in the Consenting Parties Early Childhood Collective Agreement. Full rates are available from Te Tari Puna Ora o Aotearoa NZ Childcare Association or NZEI Te Riu Roa (contact details on last page).

^3. The Consenting Parties Early Childhood Collective Agreement is negotiated by NZEI Te Riu Roa and a group of ECE employers.

^4. For a list of approved qualifications, you can contact the New Zealand Teachers' Council (contact details on last page).