Teaching in Dallas ISD (Plano, Carrollton: employment, transfer, best schools)

[irulace]

Hey everyone,
My Gf and I will be moving to the Plano area this summer from Louisiana and we are finding that getting a teaching position in Plano is harder than expected.

We are thinking about trying to apply for the Leadership Fellowship Program in Dallas ISD because it seems like a good opportunity to become an administrator. Does anyone have experience in Dallas ISD or have any advice for out of state teachers?

PS : my gf is a health/ pe teacher and basketball assistant coach, but would rather steer away from the coaching positions. Thanks!

[Ramona72]

Originally Posted by irulace

Hey everyone,
My Gf and I will be moving to the Plano area this summer from Louisiana and we are finding that getting a teaching position in Plano is harder than expected.

We are thinking about trying to apply for the Leadership Fellowship Program in Dallas ISD because it seems like a good opportunity to become an administrator. Does anyone have experience in Dallas ISD or have any advice for out of state teachers?

PS : my gf is a health/ pe teacher and basketball assistant coach, but would rather steer away from the coaching positions. Thanks!

The Fellows program in DISD is highly competitive and would be very, very difficult to get into as an out-of-state teacher without experience in DISD. However, check on the DISD website for information for teaching positions and for applicants with out-of-state credentials. DISD will have many teaching openings for next year, but do some research as it is the middle of huge and controversial changes and be prepared to teach in some rough areas.

[irulace]

Thanks! I appreciate it. Just hoping for the best maybe after a couple of years we can find something in a better district.

[loves2read]

search the Dallas link for teaching and DISD posts

[robmab]

Dallas ISD is not the only alternative. Also look at Richardson ISD, Allen ISD, Frisco ISD, Lewisville ISD and Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD. They're all within a reasonable drive of Plano.

Most districts start having job fairs in the spring for fall teaching positions, so your girlfriend could learn a lot about the districts and open positions by attending some of those.

[irulace]

Thanks Robmab, she was invited to the DISD career fair next weekend so we'll start there but definitely look into those options you mentioned.

[Restrain]

My DIL teaches at Dallas ISD,has weekly horror stories. There is a reason that DISD has a high turnover, high burnout rate. There are plenty of schools opening in the northern suburbs, look there.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by Restrain

My DIL teaches at Dallas ISD,has weekly horror stories. There is a reason that DISD has a high turnover, high burnout rate. There are plenty of schools opening in the northern suburbs, look there.

A more balanced review of DISD is this --> it is a HUGE urban district with hundreds of schools and around 200,000 students enrolled. A lot of schools in DISD are unsafe and absolutely awful; others are among the top schools in the entire United States with bright students and involved parents.

OP- if you look for employment in DISD, only apply to the magnet / TAG schools or to a very specific list of elementary schools:
Preston Hollow
DeGoyler
Kramer
Walnut Hill
Rosemont
Led
Lipscomb
Lakewood
Stonewall Jackson
Hexter
I think there is another elementary in east Dallas that is ok (Sanger?).

[loves2read]

I think getting hired by one of the better regarded districts is still just as difficult as it has been in the past
unless you have special skills that set you apart (like history of coaching winning cheerleading teams or sports/debate/whatever) it is going to be uphill battle to separate yourself from other applicants...
MOST districts now want you to apply online and they can screen any they don't want to see very easily--since the HR dept does it and applications never get to the principals who do the true "hiring" for the most part

you can check the Educational Service Centers--10 and 11--which serve the DFW and surrounding areas/ISDs/Charter schools for jobs
this is the link to job search in 10 (Richardson office)

https://www.teacherjobnet.org/Jobs/

Most districts don't post "anticipated" jobs--until they either have the resignation of the person in that current position or get approval from their districts to add specific jobs in schools...that doesn't usually happen until the Boards meet with the Admin Staff in later spring/summer they finalize budgets...
doesn't mean the principals don't have idea of where they might need teachers --
just means it is very difficult for anyone outside the schools to know where there might be openings...
AND if you are not already certified for TX then it is more uphill since any teacher hired under a provisional certification (while you are taking classes or awaiting a test to take) you are a liability on the school and district's rating from TEA...

[Wrecked]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

A more balanced review of DISD is this --> it is a HUGE urban district with hundreds of schools and around 200,000 students enrolled. A lot of schools in DISD are unsafe and absolutely awful; others are among the top schools in the entire United States with bright students and involved parents.

OP- if you look for employment in DISD, only apply to the magnet / TAG schools or to a very specific list of elementary schools:
Preston Hollow
DeGoyler
Kramer
Walnut Hill
Rosemont
Led
Lipscomb
Lakewood
Stonewall Jackson
Hexter
I think there is another elementary in east Dallas that is ok (Sanger?).

Townview(TAG and the other magnets) very rarely have open positions. And you don't get to apply to specific schools in DISD, you can list your preferences but you do not apply to individual school positions. You submit a teacher application and then are either 1. contacted by schools looking to hire you or 2. get invited to the numerous cattle calls. Townview schools are unlikely to ever hire from the cattle calls.

Furthermore, it is highly likely that almost all TAG/Townview positions that do open up are ALWAYS filled by someone who is doing an intradistrict transfer who has a proven track record(ie: great evaluations and great test performance) and has contacts/connections.

Finally while DISD has some of the best schools in the state and country, 90-95% of their schools are near the worst.