Salary
Each one of the sixty school boards has its own collective agreement with the local teachers union and the local support staff union (there may be more than one support staff union for each district). These agreements were created when individual boards and unions bargained at the local level and as such each agreement will include different provisions for benefits, salary and other terms of employment.
As Exempt Staff (Administrators and management) are not members of a union, each employee negotiates individual contracts of employment with their employer district.
Detailed salary information can be found in these sections:
Remote and Rural Allowance
Within districts, there may be remote and rural communities, which offer financial allowances to their teaching staff. This allowance is not offered by every district, nor is it offered to every community within a certain district. The allowance is both an adjustment to the salary grid and an annual allowance of $2,300 per FTE. Teachers on call (TOCs) are not eligible to receive this allowance. Check out the Salary Finder to find out to which districts and communities this allowance applies.
Benefits
Generous Vacation
Most support staff and exempt staff employees earn between 2 to 8 weeks of paid vacation time, incremental over years of service, plus statutory holidays. Teachers are paid an annual salary that includes vacation pay and most often take vacation when school is not in session.
Leaves
Our sector has many paid and unpaid leaves including compassionate care, bereavement, education, maternity, parental, union or personal leave
Health Benefits
Health and welfare plans include dental, basic medical coverage, extended health benefits, group life insurance, long term disability, and sick leave
Pension
The Education Sector in BC offers very generous pension plans. The Teachers’ Pension Plan is open to all certified teachers (including teachers on call), principals and vice-principals, directors of instruction, superintendents, assistant superintendents, associated professionals and certified professionals as long a they are members of the College of Teachers.
It is a defined benefit plan and is based on how many years you made contributions to the plan and the average of your highest five years of salary (not necessarily your last five years). It is not based on your contributions to the plan or on the performance of the plan’s assets.
The advantage of this kind of pension plan is that your pension is payable for your lifetime, and may continue for the lifetime of your spouse or eligible dependant.
Membership in the Municipal Pension Plan is open to all eligible employees from school districts and other sectors. This plan is usually for employees who are not members of the College of Teachers and would include support staff and many exempt staff. The Municipal Pension Plan is also a defined benefit plan.
Learn more about career opportunities in BC’s public schools!
