About 50 local early childhood centre and primary school educators gathered at the National electorate office in Rotorua to rally against the Government's Investing in Educational Success policy.
Teachers, principals and support staff from a number of Rotorua schools wore purple to the rally last Friday and held up placards asking the Government for a better education plan.
Rotorua MP Todd McClay said he was not at the office during the rally but had "a lot of respect for local teachers and the work they do".
"People have the right to express their opinions but I do think the nationwide rally was politically motivated, being staged so close to election day."
Mr McClay said there was a long consultation period and the unions present supported the policy initially.
"There have been a lot of discussions and I would advise the union re-engage in negiotiations with their concerns."
The controversial policy was introduced in a bid to increase student achievement through a Communities in Schools project.
It aims to encourage collaboration between early childhood, primary and secondary school clusters, instead of the self-managing competitive model.
The Government tasked the Ministry of Education to work with the sector to introduce three new teacher and principal roles within schools, as well as an extra allowance to attract capable principals to schools with the greatest challenges.
The New Zealand Educational Institute had primary school teachers and principals vote on the Investing in Educational Success policy last month after many in the industry voiced concerns about the scheme.
The vote came back with 93 per cent of industry workers declaring they had no confidence in the Investing in Educational Success policy and did not want to re-enter negotiations.
Members are asking for genuine consultation with schools and communities about how to spend the $359 million in a way that will benefit students.
The New Zealand Educational Institute said they wanted to see the money spent on reducing class sizes and increasing funding for special education services, not "paying executive principals and expert teachers to work in schools as the policy suggests".