“This model is not ‘pay for performance,’ it’s about expanding teachers’ career options and keeping the best in the classroom,” he said.
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The NSW Federation of Teachers is locked in a long-running pay dispute with the state government and its members have walked off the job three times in just over six months. Negotiations over an enterprise agreement are deadlocked, with the federation demanding a 5 per cent annual pay rise with an additional 2.5 per cent to recognize extra experience, as well as two more hours of weekly planning.
In a discussion paper to be discussed at Friday’s meeting, the Commonwealth has described the teacher shortage as unprecedented, with demand for secondary teachers set to outstrip graduates by around 4100 in the next three years.
Earlier this month, federal Education Minister Jason Clare said the chronic shortage of maths and science teachers was most acute in secondary schools.
The national Quality Initial Teacher Education Review report released earlier this year found that raising the top pay for teachers by $30,000 would help attract high-achieving students who avoid a teaching career because of their low status. About three percent of high-achieving students choose teaching for their undergraduate studies, but the report found that raising the pay would make students 13 percentage points more likely to choose to be a teacher .
Although the NSW HALT program has been running for years, only 280 teachers have been accredited and many have avoided applying due to complicated and expensive application processes.
Initial recommendations on the state’s highest-paid teaching jobs are expected later this year in a NSW Department of Education policy paper.
Hattie, who led one of the world’s leading studies into the factors that improve student learning, will provide independent advice.
“Rewarding excellence and expertise is the right subject to achieve high standards and maximize positive impacts on students,” Professor Hattie said. “It’s exciting to be part of these NSW discussions and I look forward to hearing the views of the profession.”
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Grattan Institute education program director Jordana Hunter said the research shows higher pay rates for expert teachers could be a powerful incentive for high-achieving students to choose teaching.
“High school achievers are concerned about top pay rates at the top of their careers. If the government is to attract the strongest applicants to education, it will be important for pay rates to keep pace with other professions,” Hunter said.
The Grattan Institute has previously recommended that two new expert teacher positions be created: instructional specialists and master teachers, with much higher salaries.
Hunter said the roles would be designed for expert teachers who can demonstrate exceptional subject-specific knowledge, skills and abilities and who can mentor others. He said the jobs could pay between $40,000 and $80,000 more than the top pay rate for regular classroom teachers in NSW.
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