Teaching in AL?

[VMH2507]

My experience is that it is hard to get into the Huntsville schools without experience and then it can be difficult if you have too much experience because the pay is higher and schools trying to control budgets.

[allthetimemom]

Go to www,alsde.edu (broken link) and you can find a link to all job posting in Alabama. I agree with getting a job in Huntsville. They are notorious for pink-slipping at the end of the year and then rehiring the people again in the fall to avoid giving their teachers tenure (just a rumor I have heard!) Alabama has really made some great strides in teacher's salaries. You can check Alabama Education Association information for members for the Alabama pay matrix. This will be my 5th year teaching with a Master's degree and this year I will make just over $45,000. One positive of Alabama over Georgia is that Alabama has the tenure system, Georgia does not.

[dentaigirl10]

From what I have heard there is a need for teachers in N Alabama there is a a couple new schools and the growth here is rapid. As far as pay that I dont know, but keep in mind the cost of living is one of the lowest in the country.

[stinerbean]

Hi! It is true that the pay is higher in Georgia, but as was said earlier, the cost of living is very low in AL. I was able to live comfortably there as a single on a beginning MA level teacher's salary. There have also been raises over the last 2-3 years which add up to about a 12% overall raise for teachers. I live in NJ now, where the teacher salaries are among the highest in the country, but the difference doesn't even begin to compensate for the cost of living.

Also, the teacher retirement program in AL is really good if you stick it out to the end of the 25 years, even better if you go for 30, but not so great if you hang it up before then.

The biggest problem with AL teacher salaries (and this is very opposite from where I live now) is that they are unbelievably front loaded. You pretty much get your last big raise after year three and your last even mentionable raise after year seven. It is a holding pattern after that.

Where I lived in Mobile before, I worked also as a tutor to students who were in other teacher's classes. I easily charged $35 an hour and could have charged more. There isn't much competition for tutors in getting clients in most fields.

Growth areas and nice places to teach are the Birmingham area (more expensive to live, but some of the schools pay more than minimums). There is plenty to do and see in that area, also, and it is nice that Atlanta is close by. The largest growth area in the state (and a big growth area for the country) is in Baldwin County. There are many good public schools there, and though it is further South than you stated you would like, the Eastern Shore especially and also the Gulf Coast are some of the most beautiful places to live in the state. Huntsville and Decatur are also nice areas of the state, but there isn't as much growth. I would stay away from Montgomery.

[lrtjs5]

Originally Posted by ptcgirl

Alabama pays teachers horribly. Try Georgia. It has a far higher pay scale and needs good teachers. Georgia really promotes education. Check out the state base salaries of each state on the dept of eds websites.

I taught in Alabama for 29 years and am now teaching in Georgia. Yes, the pay is highter but the benefits stink. Georgia teachers are treated like slaves they have no rights. Teacher unions are non-existent. They are not ahead of Alabama in many places. The buildings are often run down. You must check carefully in any area you choose. I taught in Birmingham, which can be difficult, but I enjoyed most of my years there. I don't hate teaching in Georgia, but it is not all that it is promoted to be.

[urbups]

I looked into starting to teach this year but it did not work out. I saw an ad for Hall County that advertised 34,500 for teachers. Starting in Bham and a couple of surrounding cities would have been about 33,000. In that case I didn't see that much of a difference.
How are benefits less?
How are you treated badly?

[Southlander]

Originally Posted by stinerbean

Huntsville and Decatur are also nice areas of the state, but there isn't as much growth.

Huntsville & Madison are the top growing areas of Alabama.