The Qualifications Evaluation Council of Ontario (QECO)

All teacher/occasional teacher Members of OSSTF/FEESO should have a Category Rating Statement (CRS) in their possession. This document ensures you receive grid pay for both Permanent and Long-Term Occasional (LTO) teaching positions.

Every school board in the province will place a new salaried teacher at the lowest level (Category A if you do not have a university degree, A1 if you have a degree) as a default position upon hire. But the vast majority of teachers can be placed in, and receive the salary of, a higher Category rating—either Category A2, A3, or A4. Every school board in the province will then place you at that higher Category level based on the CRS produced by the Qualifications Evaluation Council of Ontario (QECO).

The QECO does evaluations as a free service for all OSSTF/FEESO members in good standing with the OCT, including day-to-day supply teachers. If you are a daily occasional teacher on the OT Roster and you do not have a CRS, you should go to the QECO website and sign in or register. The application process is all online. Having a CRS in hand means that you will receive grid pay from the first day of any LTO position that you may obtain with no delay or effort required to chase retroactive pay for the assignment.

The attainable goal of all teacher members should be to get to a Category A4 placement as quickly, efficiently, and as inexpensively as possible. QECO upgrading advice assists in that planning.

Not in Category A4 yet?

Changes over time occur with the ongoing recognition of new acceptable academic institutions, both domestic and abroad; changes that affect the acceptability of some course providers; changes with the increase in Additional Qualification (AQ) course providers; and some legislative changes that can all influence teachers’ upgrading routes.

• QECO strongly urges all who have not yet reached Category A4 to formally apply for upgrading advice or annual re-evaluation.
• Applying for upgrading advice can only be advantageous to a teacher; it will never be harmful.
• QECO/OSSTF upgrading advice never “expires.”

Members are encouraged to apply for rating statements and category changes as soon as possible, keeping in mind the deadlines that apply at their respective school boards.

For more information, contact QECO at 416-323-1969 or info@qeco.ca, or visit their website.