Local public primary and secondary school educators joined an estimated 35,000 teachers, principals and staff across the state on Tuesday for the first educators strike in 13 years.

Action followed a failed wages and condition agreement on the negotiating table for the last eight months with the Victorian government.

Teachers from Beechworth Secondary College (BSC), and Beechworth and Yackandandah primary schools rallied at the kiosk in Beechworth’s Camp Street.

Some teachers stood on the roundabout waving placards while drivers from a supporting community tooted horns.

BSC teacher Jacob Myers said a lack of sufficient funding for Victorian public schools remained compared to other states.

“This has been going on for four years with negotiations held for the last eight months,” Mr Myers said.

“It’s not just a pay dispute, it’s about our schools not being properly funded with students missing out and that’s what most of us are here for.

“We received out first offer the other day with conditions attached including a reduction of time in lieu.

“It still wouldn’t put us at parity with schools in NSW just 40 minutes over the border which is set at a 30 per cent higher pay rate.

“We're the lowest paid teachers in Australia.

“The Victorian Government has delayed any additional funding until 2031 so we're missing out on about $2.4 billion in much needed resourcing.”

The funding would mean every student would receive more individual support.

“It's disappointing and it would be great for the government to hear our concerns,” Mr Myers said.

With some teachers joining the rally in Melbourne, Mr Myers said teachers also wanted to hold a local rally as schools are part of the community.

“The community has rallied around us with great support, and we hope something positive comes out of this,” Mr Myers said.

“We haven’t taken this decision to stop work lightly as none of us want to be out here today and would prefer to be at school working with our students, but we feel like our hands are being forced.

“We're doing it because we don't feel like our work is being valued, and we don't feel like the state government is valuing public education.

“Our students aren't being funded to the level of any other student in Australia, which is really disheartening.”

Beechworth Primary School assistant principal and wellbeing coordinator Ngaire King said teachers work in a wonderful community.

“We're all in support of our teachers and our local schools and we want to keep supporting our students and educating them in this society,” she said.

“That’s what we're all standing for today - to help teachers get the support that they need and get schools the money that they need from the government.

“It's an ongoing issue, and the agreement for teachers in Victoria is very poor in comparison to other states in Australia.

“We all love our job and what we do as educators and want to be heard by the government.”

BSC principal Patricia Broom said the majority of teachers and education support staff at the college took action.

“We appreciate the support of the many families who elected to keep their children at home to allow us to work towards better public education funding,” she said.