Prime Minister Helen Clark has promised a "pay jolt" for the lowest paid school support staff.

Miss Clark made the announcement, expected to cost about $8 million a year, to a New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) conference in Wellington today.

"That means our Government will be prepared to pay the additional funding required for a pay jolt to raise the pay rates for low paid school support staff just as we are proposing to do for school cleaners and caretakers."

The Education Ministry and NZEI had been talking about the issue and reached an agreement on how it would be approached in pay negotiations.

Miss Clark said the Government would fund the pay rise expected to be included in a new support staff collective agreement early next year.

New rates should come into force at the same time as those for school cleaners and caretakers and bring them up to the same level.

General pay increases for higher paid support staff would continue to be negotiated as usual.

NZEI vice-president Ian Leckie welcomed the promise.

He said some school support staff were paid as little as $12.69 an hour. Examples of support staff were teacher aides, office managers, technology specialists and therapists.

"Support staff have long felt undervalued and the prime minister's announcement means at last there is some commitment to recognise the important work they carry out in our schools."