The Department of Education is to produce a policy paper on the creation of new, higher paid, roles for the State’s best teachers.
Announced by the Minister for Education and Early Learning, Sarah Mitchell, the new roles aim to create a stronger career path for classroom teachers that better reward excellence in teaching.
“NSW has some of the best teachers in the world, but they often leave the classroom and move into management roles to secure higher pay and career progression,” Ms Mitchell said.
“The structure of our teaching profession should reflect our teachers, by being innovative, ambitious and modern, keeping more of our best teachers in the classroom,” she said.
“This model is not ‘performance pay,’ this is about expanding the career options for teachers and keeping our best in the classroom.”
Ms Mitchell said newly graduated teachers in NSW started on an annual salary of $73,737.
“A classroom teacher’s pay reaches a maximum of $117,060 if they gain accreditation as Highly Accomplished or Lead Teacher, or $126,528 if they take on additional responsibilities as an Assistant Principal,” the Minister said.
“A better system for rewarding and retaining excellent teachers could also help attract more people to teaching profession.”
She said the Department of Education was expected to release its policy paper and initial recommendations on the issue later this year.
