To CPF or not to CPF, that is the question
Catholic School teachers are required to undertake Catholic Professional Formation studies to qualify for accreditation to work in Catholic Schools. This accreditation applies to permanent and fixed-term contract (i.e. replacement and temporary) teachers.
The CESA policy Teacher Accreditation, Formation and Professional Learning for Catholic Identity and Mission details the process.
There is a Catholic Professional Formation Allowance paid to teachers who complete the approved tertiary Catholic Studies program.
The allowance is payable as detailed in the Catholic Enterprise Agreement 2020, clause 72.
Attached for reference:
Clause 72: Catholic Professional Formation (CPF) Allowances
Note: Further information regarding the implementation of CPF Allowances is detailed in Appendix D.
72.1 CPF Allowances, where payable, are fixed for the duration of this Agreement.
- Level 1, a lump sum of $500 is payable annually to a teacher who is currently completing an approved tertiary Catholic Studies program.
- Level 2, a lump sum payment of $1,000 is payable for 12 months only to a teacher who have completed 4 units of an approved tertiary Catholic Studies program.
- Level 3, a lump sum payment of $1,250 is payable to a teacher on an ongoing basis who holds CPF 2 and who continues each year to complete 2 approved CESA modules in the previous calendar year.
Further Appendix D Catholic Professional Formation Allowances Supplementary Information details who gets the payments and when. In most cases you will need to wait until September the following year to qualify for the payment of the allowance.
One complication that has the potential for teachers not to receive the CPF3 payment is whether they are an employee of a Catholic School or College in the subsequent year to when the studies were undertaken. This allowance of $1250.00 will not be paid to teachers who have qualified for CPF3 and are no longer employees in the subsequent year.
So, if you are considering exiting the Catholic School system and are considering doing some Catholic Professional Formation studies be aware that the allowance will not be paid.
Given the considerable amount of work that is required to complete the modules by way of participation and written assignment work pitted against the possibility of not working in the Catholic sector in the following year, careful consideration needs to be given when opting to do the studies promoted by your employer.
If teachers are employed on any type of fixed term contract the likelihood of not working in the Catholic sector in the following year increases substantially. Relying on hope that the employer will continue to employ you on the grounds that you had done some Catholic studies would be hope misplaced.
