Category Assignation of Teachers
Unionized day and supplementary school teachers at schools affiliated with, and funded by, the Koschitzky Centre for Jewish Education, shall be categorized upon being hired. The KCJE facilitates the process of determining a teacher’s category based on requests from a school or from a teacher after a recent upgrade in qualification (such as a Master’s Degree). These categorizations are for the purpose of salary determinations however, actual salary determinations are made only by the individual school and NOT by the Koschitzky Centre for Jewish Education.
The process
For a teacher’s file to be evaluated, the following documents must be included:
- Current resume specifying ALL teaching positions
- Copies of all secondary diplomas
- Copy of employment letter(s)* from schools indicating number of teaching hours per week
- Any other relevant certificates or diplomas.
*If an employment letter cannot be obtained, please indicate the hours of teaching per week beside each teaching position in the resume.
Any missing information will delay the process and/ or may not guarantee an accurate categorization.
Once a file is received, it will be reviewed and assigned a category within 7 business days. Once a category is assigned, the teacher and the school’s administrator or principal will be notified via letter.
FAQ:
Q: What is this “teacher category” that must be obtained?
A: Teachers employed by schools affiliated with the teacher’s union will be asked for a teacher category. A category is assigned based on education credentials and teaching experience, so the school can provide a fair and appropriate salary, as per the Union’s Collective Agreement.
Q: When can information be submitted for categorization?
A: Once a teacher has been hired or is in the process of being hired by a school, the hiring manager or the teacher shall submit documents for review. This may be completed at any time during the year. When looking to upgrade a category, documents must be submitted by November 1st in order for any change to apply for that school year.
Q: What does each number in a categorization represent?
A: There are two parts to the determination: the category and the step. The first number is the category, of which there are 7; This number is based on education credentials. The second number is the step, of which there are 10; this number is based on teaching experience. For more details on how each category and step is determined, please see the PDF of the regulations below.
Q: I have been a teacher for 8 years, why am I only step 3?
A: A step is based on formal, sustained, teaching experience. For initial placement of a day school teacher, a year of experience (1 step) will consist of no fewer than twelve (12) hours per week in a full school year of teaching. Thus, if you have been teaching 6 hours a week for 2 years, it will equal one step, not two years.
Q: What if there is no copy of a diploma available?
A: Any claims of education credentials must be supported with documents to be considered. Transcripts can replace diplomas if necessary. However, it is in a teacher’s best interest to produce a verified copy of either a diploma or transcript to be assigned the best possible category for their experience.
Q: I don’t agree with my category assignment. What can I do?
A: A decision may be appealed by writing to us within 30 days of receiving an initial category. Both the school and the teacher will be notified of the appeal. Appeals will only be reviewed if additional or new information has been presented. Once reviewed, the decision will be transmitted in writing within 7 days and the decision will be final and binding.
