Report finds no support for cash for grades model

AUSTRALIA – The Australian Education Union (AEU) has welcomed the findings of a new report on rewarding quality teaching that found no support for a cash for grades model.

AEU federal president Angelo Gavrielatos said the union supported the creation of an enhanced career structure for teachers that recognised and rewarded high quality teaching, knowledge, skills and practice.

“We have repeatedly stated our preparedness to negotiate around the construction of a professional pay structure. But governments have failed to allocate the necessary funds for this process.

“There is not the funding within the national partnerships on teacher quality to bring about the changes that are necessary.

“The fact is the ratio between the wages of beginning teachers and teachers at the top of the classroom scale in Australia is one of the lowest in the OECD. That must be addressed through enhanced career paths that recognize and reward quality teaching, knowledge, skills and practice to ensure we can retain the best teachers in our classrooms.”