Circular 2009/09 - Resourcing for 2010

Date: 18 September 2009
Circular Number: 2009/09
Category: Resourcing

Resourcing for 2010

This circular is about: Operational Funding Grant and Staffing Entitlement for 2010.

The action required is: Use the information provided in this circular for planning for 2010.

It is intended for: Chairpersons of board of trustees and principals in all state and state integrated schools.

Further information is available from:

• The Funding, Staffing and Allowances Handbook
• Budget 2009 announcements relating to operational funding for 2010
• Contact Centre
  Resourcing Division
  Ministry of Education
  PO Box 1666
  Wellington
  Phone 04-463 8383
  Fax 04-463 8374
  Email resourcing@minedu.govt.nz [no spam]

Introduction

This circular provides boards with information about their Operational Funding Grant and Staffing Entitlement for 2010.

Enclosed with this circular is:

• a provisional Operational Funding Entitlement Notice for 2010
• a provisional Staffing Entitlement Notice for 2010
• an Operational Funding Instalment Notice for the period 1 October 2009 to 31 December 2009.
• an updated Operational Funding Entitlement Notice for the October 2009 instalment has been included for those schools whose operational funding entitlement has changed since their last entitlement notice was posted.

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2010 Operational Funding

Rate changes

Most funding components have been increased by 1.95% for 2010. These include:

• Base Funding
• Per-Pupil Funding
• decile-related funding.

An increase of 1.95% has also been applied to the funding pools used to resource the following components:

• board of trustees election expenses
• setting-up grants for new schools and classrooms built because of roll growth.

There will be an increase of 1.95% to the funding available for the following components, which do not go to all schools:

• Targeted Funding for Isolation (TFI)
• Secondary Tertiary Alignment Resource (STAR)
• administration and travel grants for resource teachers
• administration grant for Out of Hours Music and Art.

New components of operational funding

Caretakers, Cleaners, Canteen Workers and Groundstaff

In 2008, the minimum pay rate for school caretakers, cleaners, canteen workers and groundstaff was increased. Additional funding of $17.5 million per annum was appropriated in Budget 2009 to help schools meet this increased cost. This funding is being allocated through a new component called Caretakers, Cleaners and Groundstaff.

Kiwisport funding

Schools with year 1-8 students will receive a half year entitlement for 2009 in their October instalment of operational funding. Schools with years 9-13+ students will receive this funding from 1 January 2010. This funding is available to all state and state integrated schools. The Kiwisport component will be displayed on your Operations Grant Entitlement notice.

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2010 Staffing

Units for primary, area and composite schools

The phased implementation of the additional 10,000 entitlement salary units for primary, intermediate and special schools, as a result of the settlement of the Primary Teachers’ Collective Agreement 2007-2010, will be completed in 2010 with the remaining 5,000 entitlement salary units being delivered.

In addition, the phased implementation of the additional 400 entitlement salary units for area/composite schools, as a result of the settlement of the Area School Teachers’ Collective Agreement 2007-2010, will be completed in 2010 with an additional 200 entitlement salary units being delivered.

Requests for review of predicted resourcing roll

Boards may apply for a review of their predicted resourcing roll if they consider that there are factors the Ministry has not taken into account. Boards will be required to demonstrate that the Ministry's estimate of the predicted resourcing roll is at least 5% at variance with that of the boards. Clear evidence supporting this variance will need to be provided before the Ministry will consider approving a change. A list of projected enrolments alone will not be sufficient.

The 2010 Provisional Staffing Roll Review form is available on www.minedu.govt.nz/resourcingforms and must be sent to Resourcing Division by 16 October 2009.

The following table details how to apply for a review of your 2010 predicted resourcing roll:

Staffing reduction

Responsibility for reducing staffing lies with school boards. Assistance, if required, should be sought from the New Zealand School Trustees Association (NZSTA). The Ministry is not involved in the staffing reduction process, except to give prior approval to access the surplus staffing provisions (supernumerary allowance, retraining course approval, severance payments and long service payments).

Please note that consultation with the Ministry (Resourcing Division) should take place before any discussion is held with a teacher, identified as surplus, around their access to the severance or long service payment provisions of the Primary Teachers' Collective Agreement.

The Ministry will fund surplus staffing costs only under certain conditions, and where procedures have been actioned within the timelines and guidelines notified by the Resourcing Division. Please refer to the Funding, Staffing and Allowances Handbook for full details. If you require further clarification after reading the information in the handbook, please contact the Resourcing Division.

The following table details timeframes for surplus staffing procedures.

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International Student Levy

Payment of Levy

The International Student Levy (ISL) applies to both state and state integrated schools that enrol international fee-paying students. The ISL is used to fund the ERO review of international student programmes, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) support and advisory services, and the Export Education Levy (EEL).

State and state integrated schools only pay the ISL levy. The EEL is paid by transfer from the ISL.

The ISL applies to each international fee-paying student enrolled regardless of how long they are enrolled. The ISL for each international fee-paying student is calculated by multiplying the number of weeks enrolled in each trimester by the weekly rates.

ISL Weekly Rates for 2010 (incl. GST)

Process for the collection of the Levy

The ENROL database is used to extract the list of international fee-paying students who have been enrolled at the school during each trimester period. This means that all international fee-paying students must be loaded onto ENROL even if they are here for only a matter of weeks. The administrator will send to schools a provisional list of international students and a calculation of the Levy amount for each student and a school levy total so that schools can check the accuracy of the return. A fortnight later schools will be sent a final version of the levy calculation.

The International Student Levy (ISL) is collected on a trimester basis. This means that schools will have the deduction of the levy spread over three periods.

Trimester 1 will total the tuition weeks international fee-paying students have consumed in the period 02 February to 30 April. The ISL amount will be deducted from schools’ July Operational Grant.

Trimester 2 will total the tuition weeks international fee-paying students have consumed in the period 1 May to 31 July. The ISL amount will be deducted from schools’ October Operational Grant.

Trimester 3 will total the tuition weeks international fee-paying students have consumed in the period 1 August to the end of December. The ISL amount will be deducted from schools’ Operational Grant in January of the following year.

Please refer any queries to:
Administrator International Levies,
Phone 04 463 8073
Email foreign.levy@minedu.govt.nz [no spam]

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Issued by

John Clark
Group Manager
Resourcing Division
Te Wāhanga Whakarato Rawa

National Office
45 – 47 Pipitea Street, Thorndon
P O Box 1666, Wellington, New Zealand
Phone 04-463 8383
Fax 04-463 8374
Email resourcing@minedu.govt.nz [no spam]