Teaching salaries, benefits, and incentives

Salary placement

We can recognise your previous teaching service from outside the department if you provide:

• a certified copy of teaching qualifications to determine correct salary placement; and
• a certified copy of any statements of service from employers indicating previous teaching service.

Further information on salary scales and awards

Published by the Tasmanian Industrial Commission:

• Teaching Service (Tasmanian Public Sector) Award (PDF, 15.1MB) 
• Teacher Transfer/Assignment of Permanent Duties Industrial Agreement 2013 (PDF, 4.9MB) 
• Teaching Service Tasmanian Public Service Principals Agreement 2013 (PDF, 1753KB) 

All of our employees are employed in accordance with the provisions of the State Service Act 2000. Conditions of employment are outlined in other statutes and industrial awards and agreements.

For teachers working in a remote school, you will receive:

• Settling in payment of $5,000 in addition to all your relocation expenses being paid for. This settling in payment is conditional to working two years at the remote school.
• Additional payments starting at $2,759 upon commencement of permanent employment and another payment after one, two and three years of continuous employment that increases to $5,523 upon completing four, five and six years of continued service.
• If you teach on the West Coast of Tasmania, pay only $10 per week for rental accommodation.
• You will receive paid time to attend urgent personal business.
• If you have specialist medical appointments that require overnight travel, your meals and accommodation will be covered.

All teachers are provided with a laptop upon employment.

All teachers work in a supportive workplace with induction, mentoring, and access to professional development opportunities.

DECYP has a range of programs to suit your personal and professional interests.

Teaching within regional and remote areas can provide career progression and professional development through opportunities that are not always available at metropolitan schools.

Early Career Teachers

As an Early Career Teacher, you are provided with a mentor – an experienced teacher who can provide ongoing feedback and support to improve your practice and build your teaching capability.

You will also be enrolled in a first year teacher induction program. This is a paid, four-day specialised professional development induction program taking place before Term 1.

Early Career Teachers are eligible for time release to facilitate induction and support transition into the profession. The Beginning Teacher Time Release (BeTTR) Program applies to beginning teachers who:

• are in their first and second year of employment since graduation; and
• are employed on a permanent or fixed-term basis for at least one school term; and
• are above 0.4 full-time equivalent (FTE).

This enables graduate teachers to undertake personal development and access to support and guidance as they embark on their teaching career.

Full-time beginning teachers are eligible to access a minimum ‘instructional load’ time release of four hours per fortnight in the first year and two hours per fortnight in the second year. Part-time teachers, above 0.4FTE, can access the time release on a pro-rata basis.

How can BeTTR be utilised?

• school based induction programs 
• structured mentoring – classroom observations, goal setting, feedback 
• professional development attendance  
• observations of experienced teachers 
• reflective practice 
• planning and assessment preparation
• transition from provisional to full registration.

Tasmanian Early Career Teachers receive the most planning and preparation time in the country!

Full-time Early Career Teachers are eligible to access a minimum ‘instructional load’ time release of:

• four hours per fortnight in the first year; and
• two hours per fortnight in the second year.

Eligible part-time teachers can access time release on a pro-rata basis.

A Vocational Education and Training (VET) specialist teacher, who is studying a Bachelor of Teaching (Applied Learning) or equivalent, is entitled to have one-line off teaching for study.

A full-time teacher is employed to work 70 hours per fortnight with an instructional load of:

• 42 hours per fortnight for primary school;
• 40 hours per fortnight for secondary school.

As a DECYP teacher, you’ll receive 11 weeks of annual leave. On top of this, you can get the following paid leave:

• Aboriginal cultural leave (up to five days per year)
• disability leave (up to five days per year)
• foster and kinship care leave (up to 10 days per year)
• gender affirmation leave (up to four weeks per year)
• family violence leave (up to 20 days per year)
• compassionate and bereavement leave (10 days per year*)
• parental leave (after 12 months of continuous service, up to 18 weeks per year)
• surrogacy leave (after 12 months of continuous service, up to six weeks per year).

* Manager’s discretion for further leave above the annual 10 days.

Working in Tasmanian government schools offers lifestyle and work opportunities other places in Australia can only dream of. If you’re looking for a sea change, clean air and beautiful countryside, Tasmania has it all.

Our schools are community-focused and committed to the goal that every student has the opportunity to learn and achieve their full potential.

When you’re not teaching, there is so much to do. Or so little. Rock-hopping, beachcombing, kayaking, cruising, mountain-bike riding, wine tasting or hiking in rainforest. You choose.

Living and working in regional Tasmania also brings:

• a variety of career and development pathways
• a welcoming team environment
• enriching teaching and learning experiences.

Our West Coast is peaceful, untamed and like nowhere else. When you’re not teaching, find your kind of adventure. Climb a mountain, chase a waterfall, cruise the waterways, ride the rapids, go fly fishing. Or slow right down.