California teachers who relocated to DFW district (Dallas, Arlington: low income, apartment)

[missmykids]

If you were a teacher in California and have been hired to teach in the DFW area, can you tell me about the hiring process and what it is like working there vs. California schools?

[Grainraiser]

DFW area is huge and it would really depend on the district your interested in. Each district will have it's own set of challenges. I would suggest you come up with a list of districts your interested in and check out the districts website. Another approach would be to the form your questions as "I teach in xxxxx district in CA and could someone compare xxxx district in Texas to the one I am currently in". Goodluck.

[loves2read]

tough to do--getting hired in quality DFW district--I don't consider FTW ISD which is making big splash to hire teachers out of state (which is really strange when there ARE plenty of teachers in state to hire)--but FTW does not have a good rep in state...

[DWong]

My wife recently did the opposite move and it seems like the biggest shocker is quality of schools and attitude. TX is far more traditional and strict esp in the elementary schools. CA schools generally are laid back. The TAKS is pretty much all the talk about in TX schools. CA sure we have testing, but it isn't a make or break or students and teachers. TX puts all their emphasis on the TAKS, you'll see the difference in how they talk about it and prepare for it. TX schools are generally better on avg than most CA schools. CA schools are hit or miss. CA schools are mainly immigrant populations, however those that aren't are highly regarded. The middle ground is practically non-existent in CA and making improvements are far more difficult. Only shocker you may notice is pay. Pay for 10 years exp is thousands a month less in TX than CA. Even more so depending on what district you go to. But making 50k in TX you can live comfortably, making 80k in SoCal or NoCal - you're just making ends meet in a nice apartment.

[missmykids]

I have 10 years teaching experience in California and currently make about $60,000 a year. I know that there is quite a drop in salary, but I am willing to try it if I can be close to my kids (Frisco and Plano). My school is in a very low income area with lots of foster kids and incarcerated parents. I would love to work in a school where parents are involved and committed to their child's education. It seems that there is a higher percentage of involved parents. Am I living in a dream world or is it different in Texas?

[loves2read]

there are some schools with minority lower socioeconomic students who have little parental involvement in their lives in DFW area--but most of the more poor districts are those out in the rural areas--they pay less than the metro discticts usually--

I think even in many of the schools in FTW or Dallas or Arlington ISD--the larger metro districts--you could find schools better than the one in CA you are with...
but frankly it is not that easy getting a teaching job in this area--especially when you have experience and have higher salary requirements than a newbie...

[becmar]

I moved here from CA (was hired right out of school) and now teach here in a small school. Everyone has been right on about the what it's like but the how to is very different here. (The test for teaching in CA is a joke-- kind of like the TAKS test here where you need to know general information about all subjects) I teach art--what good did that do them to know that I know my subject. You can teach here for 1 yr with your CA teaching cert, they call it an emergency cert for TX. You have 1 yr to pass 2 tests for a TX cert. One is on general teaching practices and the other in your subject area. Pay is less yes... areas are better if you stay out of the big cities. Same amounts of kids in the class rooms in the big cities...but they have rule on behavior here!!! YEAH!!
You might even be able to own a house here--but in CA they are right you fight to make ends meet. My first 2 yrs where tough being on the low pay scale here, but you live by your means not above them. People here are great--family feeling in the schools, parents are involved more than CA but I won't say more than 10% unless their child is failing or in sports...then they come out of the wood work. You do deal with a variety of incomes here --- farm communities too. But the schools are nice and the people are great. Look into Texas teaching on line and find all the testing requirements. By the way there is a spanish teaching job at our school RVISD. good luck...

[DWong]

Originally Posted by becmar

I moved here from CA (was hired right out of school) and now teach here in a small school. Everyone has been right on about the what it's like but the how to is very different here. (The test for teaching in CA is a joke-- kind of like the TAKS test here where you need to know general information about all subjects) I teach art--what good did that do them to know that I know my subject. You can teach here for 1 yr with your CA teaching cert, they call it an emergency cert for TX. You have 1 yr to pass 2 tests for a TX cert. One is on general teaching practices and the other in your subject area. Pay is less yes... areas are better if you stay out of the big cities. Same amounts of kids in the class rooms in the big cities...but they have rule on behavior here!!! YEAH!!
You might even be able to own a house here--but in CA they are right you fight to make ends meet. My first 2 yrs where tough being on the low pay scale here, but you live by your means not above them. People here are great--family feeling in the schools, parents are involved more than CA but I won't say more than 10% unless their child is failing or in sports...then they come out of the wood work. You do deal with a variety of incomes here --- farm communities too. But the schools are nice and the people are great. Look into Texas teaching on line and find all the testing requirements. By the way there is a spanish teaching job at our school RVISD. good luck...

I would definitely check out the site, but speak to a person too. We had to deal w/ the CA Education Board and county offices, a nightmare in itself. Everyone will give you a different answer. Best to know your facts and talk to them - bc many times they don't know what's goin on.

[DWong]

Originally Posted by missmykids

I have 10 years teaching experience in California and currently make about $60,000 a year. I know that there is quite a drop in salary, but I am willing to try it if I can be close to my kids (Frisco and Plano). My school is in a very low income area with lots of foster kids and incarcerated parents. I would love to work in a school where parents are involved and committed to their child's education. It seems that there is a higher percentage of involved parents. Am I living in a dream world or is it different in Texas?

only 60k a year? What district is that? You can do closer to 75 in many districts here in SoCal

[missmykids]

Moreno Valley. Definitely not the OC.