TPAA - Go Local Campaign

Based on analysis by TPAA, a shift to put teachers in charge of schools can create savings that can be reinvested in higher pay for teachers.

In Australia there are 4 administrators for every 10 teachers. In France and most of Europe, there is 1 administrator for every 10 teachers.

All References and detailed Calculations can be found at the bottom of the page. In summary, by reducing the Administrator to Teacher ratio from 4:10 to 1:10 in Australia would cause a saving of:

QLD: $1,071,449,375 per year
NSW: $1,312,943,007 per year
ACT: $85,466,913 per year
NT: $64,466,097 per year
SA: $376,167,482 per year
VIC: $1,791,667,961 per year
TAS: $149,415,472 per year
WA: $1,307,071,371 per year

If these savings were passed on to teachers in the form of a pay rise, the government can afford to pay teachers on average 25% more without increasing the budget.

Australia's education system, much like the country's broader approach to centralisation, is failing—not just in delivering for students and families, but also in its international education rankings.

The system, which once began with locally-run, autonomous schools, has evolved into a structure that serves the interests of a tribal network of politicians, bureaucrats, and unions rather than focusing on the needs of students, the public, or education workers.

School boards, elected by parents, will bring transparency and accountability that bureaucracies can never achieve. These boards would oversee key decisions—such as appointing the school’s CEO or Principal, setting policies, and shaping the curriculum. With local control, schools can determine their own policies, including disciplinary procedures, teacher hiring, and firing.

This solution is not new but proven and in place in the world’s best education systems where autonomy at the local level is a key deliverable.

Let’s make our local schools autonomous, with an elected school boards, run by parents.

While anyone, including teachers, can be elected, the power remains with the parents. This places parents in charge of school policy, not teachers. In such a system, teachers would naturally have far more influence over policy decisions than they do now, as parents are more likely to listen to their insights compared to distant bureaucrats.

Part 1: A School Elected Board

The board's responsibilities would include appointing the school’s Principal, setting policies, and ensures are greater level of accountability as well as setting the appropriate curriculum. All policy including disciplinary procedures and the conditions under which students can continue at the school.

Part 2: Empowering Teachers in School Decision-Making

Teachers at the schools would be able to have a much greater level of input into effective policy than under the current system where centralised edicts from bureaucrat often stifle education outcomes.

Schools that wished to succeed would use traditional private sector mechanisms which would allow the school to dramatically reduce the cost of administration which means there will be a minimum extra available to increase teacher pay by 25% plus much more left over. The TPAA is for teachers not bureaucrats. TPAA would make sure that was the end result on pay.

Calculations & References

Click to expand the state:

Australian Capital Territory (ACT):
- Current system: For every 10 teachers, there are 3.90 administrators.
- Go Local system: By reducing to 1 administrator per 10 teachers, Australian Capital Territory would have a reduction of 1013.65 administrative positions, potentially saving $85,466,913.
- This could result in an average pay increase of $24,451 per teacher per year.
References

Teachers:
https://www.cmtedd.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/2231102/Education-Directorate-Teaching-Staff-Enterprise-Agreement-2023-2026.pdf

Administration:
https://www.education.act.gov.au/working-with-us/benefits-and-support/payrates

p.193 - as at 07/12/2023
https://www.cmtedd.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/2287633/ACT-Public-Sector-Administrative-and-Related-Classifications-Enterprise-Agreement-2023-2026.pdf
New South Wales (NSW):
- Current system: For every 10 teachers, there are 3.90 administrators.
- Go Local system: By reducing to 1 administrator per 10 teachers, NSW would have a reduction of 16,119 administrative positions, potentially saving $1,312,943,007.
- This could result in an average pay increase of $23,612 per teacher per year.
References

Teachers:
http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/irc/IRCGazette.nsf/(PublicationsByTitle)/BF7D011C857027D2CA258A73007CFD8D?OpenDocument

Administration:
Clauses 8.1.1-3
Schedule 1
https://psa.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Crown-Employees-School-Administrative-and-Support-Staff-Award-2022.pdf
Northern Territory (NT):
- Current system: For every 10 teachers, there are 3.33 administrators.
- Go Local system: By reducing to 1 administrator per 10 teachers, the Northern Territory would have a reduction of 581 administrative positions, potentially saving $64,466,097.
- This could result in an average pay increase of $25,894 per teacher per year.
References

Teachers:
https://ocpe.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/1095040/proposed-NTPS-non-contract-principals-teachers-and-assistant-teachers-2021-2025-enterprise-agreement.pdf

Administration:
https://ocpe.nt.gov.au/employment-terms-and-conditions/rates-of-pay/general-ntps-administrative-stream

Excluding Executive Officer 2-3 because it was unfairly skew the median wage.
Queensland (QLD):
- Current system: For every 10 teachers, there are 3.57 administrators.
- Go Local system: By reducing to 1 administrator per 10 teachers, Queensland would have a reduction of 11,080 administrative positions, potentially saving $1,071,449,375.
- This could result in an average pay increase of $24,840 per teacher per year.
References

Teachers:
https://www.qirc.qld.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-12/2022_cb135.pdf

Administration:
Appendix I. p.50
https://www.qirc.qld.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-05/2023_cb51.pdf
South Australia (SA):
- Current system: For every 10 teachers, there are 4.94 administrators.
- Go Local system: By reducing to 1 administrator per 10 teachers, South Australia would have a reduction of 5,071 administrative positions, potentially saving $376,167,482.
- This could result in an average pay increase of $29,235 per teacher per year.
References

Teachers:
https://www.saet.sa.gov.au/app/uploads/2020/04/South-Australian-School-and-Preschool-Education-Staff-Enterprise-Agreement-2020-1.pdf

Administration:
Schedule 4 - Salaries, which lists the salary scales for different classification levels.
Specifically, under the "ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES STREAM SALARIES" section of Schedule 4, which provides the salary ranges for Administrative Services Officer (ASO) levels 1 through 8.
The lowest increment for ASO-1 ($47,981) as the minimum, and the highest increment for ASO-8 ($100,353) as the maximum.
Schedule 3 - Classification Criteria, which defines the Administrative Services Stream and lists the types of occupations it covers, including administrative officers and clerical roles.
Clause 1.5 - Definitions, which defines the Administrative Services Stream as including clerical, administrative and related tasks.
https://www.saet.sa.gov.au/app/uploads/2023/06/427p-Award-June-2023.pdf
Tasmania (TAS):
- Current system: For every 10 teachers, there are 4.77 administrators.
- Go Local system: By reducing to 1 administrator per 10 teachers, Tasmania would have a reduction of 1,612 administrative positions, potentially saving $149,415,472.
- This could result in an average pay increase of $34,918 per teacher per year.
References

Teachers:
https://www.tic.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/711559/Teachers-Agreement-2023.pdf

Administration:
Excluding bands 8.3.3-10.1.5 because it was unfairly skew the median wage

https://web.archive.org/web/20231104235237/https://publicdocumentcentre.education.tas.gov.au/library/Shared%20Documents/Salary-Scales.pdf
Victoria (VIC):
- Current system: For every 10 teachers, there are 4.41 administrators.
- Go Local system: By reducing to 1 administrator per 10 teachers, Victoria would have a reduction of 17,797 administrative positions, potentially saving $1,791,667,961.
- This could result in an average pay increase of $34,360 per teacher per year.
References

Teachers:
https://www.aeuvic.asn.au/sites/default/files/Public%20Files/AEU%20VGSA%202022%20Implementation%20Guide.pdf

Administration:
https://content.sdp.education.vic.gov.au/media/vgsa-2022-pdf-1661

Based on the Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2022, for administrative employees working in public schools in 2023, the minimum and maximum annualised wages are:
Minimum: $53,834
Maximum: $147,508
This is determined from Schedule 1, section 1.4 which provides the salary scales for Education Support Class employees. Specifically:

The minimum salary for 2023 is listed under Range 1, level 1-1 as $53,834 effective from 1/01/23.
The maximum salary for 2023 is listed under Range 6, level 6-5 as $147,508 effective from 1/01/23.

The Education Support Class encompasses administrative and operational roles in schools, as outlined in Schedule 4 which describes the "Dimensions of Work" for this classification.
Western Australia (WA):
- Current system: For every 10 teachers, there are 6.1 administrators.
- Go Local system: By reducing to 1 administrator per 10 teachers, Western Australia would have a reduction of 10,670 administrative positions, potentially saving $1,307,071,371.
- This could result in an average pay increase of $62,422 per teacher per year.
References

Teachers:
https://downloads.wairc.wa.gov.au/agreements/sch012.pdf

Administration:
Table 13, 16
https://downloads.wairc.wa.gov.au/agreements/sch012.pdf
Total Impact:
- By implementing the Go Local system with a teacher-to-administrator ratio of 1:10 across all states and territories, Australia would have a reduction of 63943 administrative positions and of around $6,158,547,679 in administrative salaries.
- If the saved funds were redistributed to teachers, it would result in an average pay increase of $31,430 per teacher per year, based on the total FTE teacher count (as at 2023) of 194,949 across all states and territories.
Note:
- Calculations only consider administrative staff, as opposed to all non-teaching staff.
- The calculations are based on the median savings and average pay increases derived from the provided data. Actual figures may vary.
References:

https://www.acara.edu.au/reporting/national-report-on-schooling-in-australia/staff-numbers

Go Local Campaign

Steps Fix the System

TPAA In the Media

Research Papers & References

Media Mentions

to contact the executive directly email:

Media Mention Links

TV Appearances:

Changes to Queensland’s Education Bill all about ‘centralised power’ - Sky News - 02/04/24

Interview with ADH TV - Education System - The Other Side - 08/12/23

Student Behaviour - Sunrise - 13/11/23

Articles:

‘Ideological’ inclusion policies are driving teachers from the profession - education hq - 20/08/24

QLD education bill set to worsen dysfunctional school system - sky news - 04/04/24

Unions' 'indoctrination' of students has failed millions of young Australians - here's how we can fix our broken centralised school system - sky news - 07/12/23

The rot of bureaucracy: it’s time to ‘go local’ on education - the spectator - 19/10/23

Go Local Campaign

Sign the Petition:

Steps to Fix the System:

Let’s make our local schools autonomous, with an elected school boards, run by parents.

Part 1: A School Elected Board

Part 2: Empowering Teachers in School Decision-Making

If you want to help us deliver local teacher-run schools for your communities - Sign the Petition

Research Papers & References:

Introductory Letter to the Green Paper

TPAQ Media Release on QLD Education Bill 2024

TPAQ Parliamentary Submission on Education (GP) Bill 2024

Calculations & References

Australian Capital Territory (ACT):

New South Wales (NSW):

Northern Territory (NT):

Queensland (QLD):

South Australia (SA):

Tasmania (TAS):

Victoria (VIC):

Western Australia (WA):

Total Impact: