Priority transfers continue under the new school teacher staffing procedures. Priority transfers are nominated transfers when a teacher needs to move schools because of changed enrolment or curriculum patterns, incentive transfers for teachers who have served the required number of years in a rural or remote school, and compassionate transfers.

When a vacancy occurs, the first action is to run a computerised match to see if any teachers with a priority transfer match the position. There is no power of veto to the appointment by the receiving school, or by the school education director or regional director when a priority transfer applicant matches the position.

Service transfer opportunities for classroom teachers also continue under the new school teacher staffing procedures. There are different procedures that apply depending on whether the service transfer form has been lodged before or after 13 April 2008.

Under a transition arrangement until Term 2, 2010, teachers who had an active service transfer application as at 13 April 2008 are considered for appointment once priority transfers have been made.

Where a service transfer applicant matches the position, the teacher will be appointed if the last vacant position at that school was not filled through service transfer. The teacher is not automatically appointed if the last vacant position was filled through service transfer. In this case, the school chooses from a suite of options to fill the position, one of which is service transfer.

From Term 2, 2010 where there are no priority placements to be made, schools will be able to choose how to fill a position, either through advertisement, or from the service transfer, graduate recruitment or employment lists.