Teachers and Administrators include a variety of positions, including teacher, principal, and even Superintendent.
In the urban areas of the BC public education sector, education professionals often begin their careers as teachers-on-call (substitute teachers or temporary teachers). In more rural areas of the province, more full time classroom opportunities are available to beginning teachers. In both urban and rural settings of the province, teachers interested in management generally start as classroom teachers and progress into school based administration positions, becoming either principals or vice-principals.
School based administrators interested in district-based positions often become Directors of Instruction or Assistant Superintendents. Amongst the district positions, none is higher than the Superintendent of Schools. As the Chief Executive Officer of the school district, the Superintendent of Schools is responsible for the organization, administration, supervision and evaluation of all educational programs, the operation of schools, and the overall supervision and direction of the district’s staff.
In BC public education, all teachers are members of the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation: the union representing teachers within BC’s K-12 public education sector. Principals, vice-principals and other management positions are not unionized but are often voluntary members of a Principal and Vice-principal associations.
Teacher Salary
BC Teachers are members of the BC Teachers Federation and are represented by the local branch of the union in each district. They are paid an annual salary according to the TQS Level they are at. Below is an average minimum and maximum salary range for each TQS category. Depending on the level of experience a teacher has and the district a teacher is in they may be below or above these ranges.
| TQS Level | Salary range average July 1, 2008 | |
|---|---|---|
4 | Min: $41,757 | Max: $63,292 |
5 | Min: $45,395 | Max: $71,786 |
5+ | Min: $48,547 | Max: $76,932 |
6 | Min: $49,637 | Max: $78,617 |
Teachers on Call (TOC’s) effective July 1, 2008 are paid a daily rate of $206.60 for each day worked. On the fourth consecutive and subsequent consecutive days worked in an assignment a TOC will be paid on the salary scale at 1/189 of their category classification and experience. Below are the ‘on scale’ rates a TOC would earn after four consecutive and subsequent consecutive days based on 1/189 of the TQS average minimum and maximum salary ranges above.
TOC on scale rate (based on above salary ranges)
4 | Min: $220.94 | Max: $334.88 |
5 | Min: $240.19 | Max: $379.82 |
5+ | Min: $256.86 | Max: $407.05 |
6 | Min: $262.63 | Max: $415.96 |
There are some additional allowances paid to some teachers in certain districts. In many districts allowances are paid to teachers who hold positions of special responsibility such as a department head, head teacher, teacher in charge, or teacher coordinator. In addition teachers in some districts are paid a remote and rural allowance to aid in the recruiting efforts of districts in remote communities and to recognize the difficulty of working in a remote community.
