Recruitment, Retention and Responsibility National Fund

What is the Recruitment, Retention, and Responsibility National Fund?

The Recruitment, Retention, and Responsibility National Fund (3RNF) is a reintroduced initiative designed to support schools/kura that have struggled to attract a qualified teacher/kaiako. This fund enables schools/kura to employ people with subject matter expertise as a Limited Authority to Teach (LAT) teacher/kaiako from the domestic market.

Schools/kura recruiting people holding a Limited Authority to Teach (LAT) may be eligible for funding support of up to $8,250 per primary LAT teacher/kaiako per year, and up to $8,000 per secondary LAT teacher/kaiako per year.

Is our school/kura eligible?

A school/kura may be eligible if:

  • The school/kura is a Decile 1, Decile 2, or Decile 3 New Zealand state or state-integrated school/kura or is classified as a “hard to staff” state or state-integrated school/kura; OR
  • The position being filled is a STEM, te reo Māori or Māori Medium position.

Additionally, the LAT teacher/kaiako appointed by the school/kura:

  • Must have ‘specialist skills’ or ‘skills that are in short supply’, and hold a LAT granted by the Teaching Council at the time of the school/kura applying for funding;
  • Must have accepted an offer of employment from the school/kura as a LAT teacher/kaiako (not a registered teacher/kaiako, reliever or teacher aide) on a fixed-term basis (either full-time or part-time) for at least 1 school/kura term and for new employment starting after the 13th of October 2020.

Further, the position at the school/kura: 

  • Must have been advertised in the Education Gazette and either no registered/ certificated teacher/kaiako applied or any registered/ certificated teacher/kaiako who applied were demonstrably unsuited to the position.

Finally, the school/kura:

  • Must apply after the LAT teacher/kaiako commences employment in the school/kura, and within 3 months of the LAT teacher/kaiako commencing employment in the school/kura.
  • Must not have received the 3RNF payment limit for the same LAT teacher/kaiako within the current calendar year. 

Retirement of Decile System – Impact on Eligibility

The phasing out of deciles and the introduction of the new Equity Index will have an impact on a number of Ministry initiatives, including several of our workforce initiatives. To help manage the transition and to minimise impact on schools and kura, our workforce initiatives will continue to use existing eligibility settings, including decile, until the end of the 2023 school year.

Schools/kura who are currently eligible for the Recruitment, Retention and Responsibility National Fund due to their decile, or a teacher who works at an eligible school due to its decile, will maintain their eligibility until the end of the 2023 school year.

More information regarding eligibility will be made in 2023 for the 2024 school year as more decisions are made. If you have any questions, please reach out to us at: teacher.supply@education.govt.nz

How to apply?

You must have all details about the LAT teacher/kaiako, the position, and evidence that you have not been able to fill the position with a registered teacher/kaiako on your computer before starting your application.

Use the application form at the top right corner of this page to apply (only online forms and uploaded documents are accepted).

In the application you will indicate the amount of funding being requested.

Upload the following documents:

  1. Evidence of position advertisement details/Gazette issues and dates;
  2. A GST tax invoice from the school/kura to the Ministry of Education with the payment amount.

You will be asked to indicate your acceptance of a set of declarations.

Once submitted, you will be notified of the application outcome within 4 weeks of receipt of your application.

What information is shared?

Please note, the Ministry of Education will use the information collected on your application together with the information held in Education Service Payroll to:

  • Consider your application for a Recruitment, Retention, and Responsibility National Fund payment;
  • Administer your payment(s).

For these purposes, the Ministry of Education may share your information with the Inland Revenue Department. The Ministry may contact the Teaching Council to request details of the LAT teacher’s/kaiako's authorisation status. The Ministry may also use this information for statistical and research purposes.

Under the Privacy Act 1993 the LAT teacher/kaiako has the right to request access to all information held about themselves and to request corrections to that information, and you have the right to request access to all information held about yourself and to request corrections to that information.

Where can I get more information?

Send an email to teacher.supply@education.govt.nz or phone us on 0800 165 225.

New Zealand Teachers Council New Zealand Education Gazette New Zealand Qualifications Authority Immigration New Zealand