MMAs

MMAs - the basics

MMAs are "additional salary recognition for current designated curriculum and/or pastoral management responsibilities to support recruitment and retention of teachers who hold these responsibilities":

• Until 27th January 2020 they are worth $1,000 p.a. and $2,000 p.a. after that
• They are paid as part of the fortnightly salary
• There is no time additional allowance linked to MMAs
• At least 60% of the school’s MMAs must be permanent
• Up to 20% of the schools MMAs can be issued to people who do not have units
• You cannot have more than two MMAs

See clause 4.3a of the STCA.

Who are MMAs for?

4.3A.2    The Middle Management Allowances are restricted to:

(i)    teachers without units who have a designated curriculum or pastoral management responsibility;
(ii)    teacher with 1 to 4 units who have a designated curriculum or pastoral management responsibility;
(iii)    teachers with 5 units who have significant designated curriculum-related management responsibilities and
(iv)    each teacher who has responsibility for at least five High and/or Very High ORRS students if the teacher has special duties and responsibilities for those students

If you have 5 units and run a subject department you can hold one MMA.

You can have a fixed term and/or a permanent MMA with fixed term and/or permanent units.

Eligible teachers of ORS students must will receive at least one MMA and may be allocated a second from the general entitlement if they meet other criteria. 

Teachers with at least five ORRS students are eligible if they have direct responsibility for the development of the educational programmes of those students (including the significant adaptation of curriculum content); and the designated responsibility for the implementation of those programmes including providing special assistance to the students in face to face communication and social interaction in order for the students to be engaged, be understood, to respond and to learn.

What are MMAs not intended for?

• Extra-curricular activities
• ‘Other duties’ (e.g. form time, grounds duties, attending meetings, bus duty etc.)
• Teaching any particular class or student (e.g. NCEA classes)
• Teachers without management responsibilities
• Teachers with more than 5 units
• Teachers with five units who do not have designated curriculum management responsibility in addition to their administration role
• Principals
• Teachers on the Primary Teachers Collective Agreement, or on individual agreements based on the PTCA
• Senior leaders with two senior management allowances

How many MMAs will a school get?

It depends on the number of Ministry-funded teachers and the number of ORS students.

At the start of the school year the number of MMAs a school gets is based on the following formula:

(0.525 x (the school's formula-generated staffing – 1))
Round to the nearest whole number
Plus the integer of (ORRS roll/5)

How many MMAs should the school distribute?

All of them. If the school does not distribute all MMAs then some teachers will miss out on additional payment that they would otherwise receive. 

How should they allocated?

The Collective Agreement requires that schools consult staff annually on the use of their MMAs.

Every member has a right to be consulted, even if they are unlikely to receive an MMA. The exact process of consultation may vary from school to school, and the PPTA branch will naturally have an important role in facilitating consultation with teaching staff within a school.

Your PPTA branch chairperson will have more detailed information on how to conduct a legally compliant consultation.

Note: More substantial advice on MMAs is available on request. Contact enquiries@ppta.org.nz