QTU secures pause on principal downgrades
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 130 No 4, 20 June 2025, page no 17.
The QTU has stepped in to protect principals facing a cut in pay and classification.
Earlier this year, the Department of Education began implementing outcomes from the 2024 School Threshold Annual Review (STAR) process, which reviews the classification levels of principals on the basis of changes in school funding and staffing. As a result, many school leaders were facing a reduction in salary and classification, even though there was no change in their responsibilities or performance.
Following strong advocacy from the QTU, the department has now confirmed a pause on all below-level downgrades for principals who have not yet been relocated. This is an important win that protects the stability of school leadership and ensures that no principal is unfairly penalised due to enrolment or funding shifts.
The STAR process is overseen by the Evaluation Review Committee (ERC), a joint committee made up of representatives from the department and the QTU. The ERC plays a vital role in reviewing classification levels, ensuring consistent and fair application of the rules and addressing any issues or anomalies in the system.
Principal classifications range from Level 1 to Level 10 and are based on a school’s total government resourcing. These are calculated using staffing allocations (Day 8 data) and financial appropriations from the previous year. When a school’s resourcing drops below the level required for the current principal classification, the position is considered “below-level”.
In these situations, principals have two options. They can:
- seek relocation to a school that matches their current classification level
- remain at their current school, keeping their classification for two years (salary maintenance) before being downgraded.
This year, more than 140 principals were already in the early stages of this process, and many more were due to follow. However, the number of suitable relocation opportunities was limited, meaning many principals were facing a reduction in salary and professional standing through no fault of their own.
The QTU raised these concerns through the ERC and directly with the department. We argued that it was unfair for principals to be forced into these outcomes simply because of changes in school size or budget, especially during a time of workforce pressure and instability.
The department’s decision to pause all below-level downgrades for principals is significant, and shows the value of Union membership, not just for individuals, but for the profession as a whole.