Standards based remuneration for school counsellors
Download in PDF
| From July 2020 the Department will implement a standards based remuneration (SBR) structure for school counsellors with salaries equivalent to that of SBR for school teachers. |
|---|
Overview
As part of the settlement for the Crown Employees (Teachers in Schools and Related Employees) Salaries and Conditions Award 2020 (the "Award") all existing school counsellors will move to a new SBR structure from July 2020. The SBR structure will align the salaries of school counsellors to the requirements for registration as a psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia. The transition to SBR for school counsellors will also include the implementation of a Professional Practice Framework (PPF) to enable school counsellors to reach Band 3.0. The PPF will be developed and finalised during 2020 for implementation in 2021.
The New SBR Structure
School counsellors will be required to be registered and maintain that registration with the Psychology Board. The SBR structure will link levels of salary to registration and professional practice as a psychologist to enable school counsellors to progress from Band 1 to Band 3. Progression to Band 3 is not automatic and is achieved through practice evidenced against the PPF.
The Department will consult with the Federation and other key stakeholders during 2020 regarding the finalisation of the content and operation of the PPF which will commence 1 January 2021.
School counsellors who wish to progress to Band 3.0 of the SBR structure for school counsellors will be required to be accredited as teachers.
The Department acknowledges that existing school counsellors who are not registered psychologists and have psychology training more than 10 years old as at the effective date of the agreement to implement this reform will not be able to meet the proposed registration prerequisite for access to the Band 3.0 salary level. As a transitional measure to assist these school counsellors an equivalency process will be developed to enable these school counsellors to seek access to the Band 3.0 salary level when it commences operation in 2021.
The new structure and requirements are outlined in the table below:
Standards based remuneration structure - school counsellors
| Band | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Band 1 | Eligibility for registration with the Psychology Board |
| Band 2 | Proficient accreditation against the PPF and a minimum of provisional registration with the Psychology Board |
| Band 2 | (Proficient) Band 2.1 |
| Band 2 | (Proficient) Band 2.2 |
| Band 2 | (Proficient) Band 2.3 |
| Band 3 | Evidence against the PPF, full registration by the Psychology Board and accrediation proficient by NESA. |
Transition Arrangements
The Department will move all School Counsellors from the common incremental salary scale (CIS) to SBR effective from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2020 (10 July 2020) in accordance with the table below.
| Current common incremental salary scale step | Standards based remuneration level | Increment counter |
|---|---|---|
| Step 5 | Band 2.0 | Reset to zero |
| Step 6 | Band 2.0 | Reset to zero |
| Step 7 | Band 2.0 | Reset to zero |
| Step 8 (no increment prior to 1 July 2020) | Band 2.0 | Reset to zero |
| Step 9 | Band 2.1 | Reset to zero |
| Step 10 | Band 2.1 | Reset to zero |
| Step 11 | Band 2.2 | Reset to zero |
| Step 12 | Band 2.3 | Reset to zero |
| Step 13 | Band 2.3 | Balance retained |
Due to the change in classification, increment counters will be reset to zero except for those who move from Step 13 to Band 2.3. Balances will be retained for this group for the purpose of determining the 12 month service requirement should a school counsellor seek to progress to Band 3 after 1 January 2021.
Given the move to SBR will occur from July 2020 but the PPF won't be in operation until January 2021, transition arrangements will apply.
For the period 1 July 2020 to 31 January 2021 the SBR structure will be as follows:
Standards based remuneration structure - school counsellors - transition - 1 July 2020 to 31 December 2020
| Band | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Band 1 | Eligibility for registration with the Psychology Board |
| Band 2 | A minimum of provisional registration with the Psychology Board (Proficient) Band 2.1 |
| Band 2 | (Proficient) Band 2.2 |
| Band 2 | (Proficient) Band 2.3 |
There will be no access to Band 3 until the PPF is implemented from 2021. From January 2021 the new structure in its entirety as per page one of this factsheet will apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) I am currently a school counsellor paid at step 7 of the CIS. What classification will I be from July 2020?
School counsellors at step 7 of the CIS will move to Band 2.0 as per the school counsellor SBR structure from 10 July 2020. Your increment count will be set to zero.
2) I currently also work as temporary teacher, what will happen to my rate of pay as a teacher?
Teachers who are still remunerated on the CIS will move to SBR for teachers from 10 July 2020.
3) If I am a school teacher who moves in to a school counsellor role will I have to commence at the bottom of the school counsellor salary scale?
No. School counsellors and teachers will have different SBR structures and requirements for progression. Teachers will be required to have accreditation and maintain that accreditation with NESA, while school counsellors will be required to be registered and maintain that registration with the Psychology Board.
4) Does this change mean that my classification and pay rate will be changed retrospectively back to 2016?
No. All changes will apply prospectively from 10 July 2020 onwards.
5) Do the changes apply to both full time and part time pre-2016 teachers?
Yes.
6) Do these changes mean that I will now have access to the Band 2 salary as a casual school counsellor?
Yes. The Teachers award has been changed so that from 10 July 2020 casual school counsellors will now be paid either Band 1.0 or Band 2.0 for work as a casual school counsellor in accordance with their registration.
For more information contact Industrial Relations.