California teacher moving to New Mexico... (Albuquerque, Las Cruces: rent, crime, how much)

[psalmi82]

I am a teacher here in California. I may be cut from my job due to the financial crisis here in the state. My wife and I want to move somewhere where our children can be bilingual (Spanish), and be safe... somewhere calm and more slow pace... we think New Mexico is a great place, but we need your input, thanks!

[Billygoat the Kid]

Originally Posted by psalmi82

I am a teacher here in California. I may be cut from my job due to the financial crisis here in the state. My wife and I want to move somewhere where our children can be bilingual (Spanish), and be safe... somewhere calm and more slow pace... we think New Mexico is a great place, but we need your input, thanks!

Hi, Psalmi.

Your questions is kinda broad, but I will try to answer it as best as I can.

First, I am sorry to read about your possible job loss as a teacher. It's sad when the government cuts one of the most important positions in the country. But what can you expect from out wonderful legislators? With CA being a mere $30 billion in debt, they have to make cuts somewhere. Unfortunately, teacher jobs here in NM may be next on the chopping block. And I will let you know that our fabulous governor and the state legislature has officially left the state of NM $1billion in the red. I am sure there will be cuts across the board, and I am sure that even teachers may be cut as well. I emplore you to Google "cuts in education new mexico" to see what I am referring to.

I don't know how much you make in CA, but you may want to brace for a sticker shock in lower salary when you come out here. I know I was in shock at the low pay when I moved back to NM from CA.

As far as being bilingual and 'safe', NM is pretty bilingual friendly. In fact, I believe Spanish is the official language in the state constitution. But as far as safe states goes, NM does not fare well. This is truly the wild west, and the crime rate, poverty, lack of jobs, lack of education, lack of respect for education, high drunk driving rate, high teenage pregnancy rate, high dropout rate, and low pay reflect that.

I don't know what city you reside in CA, but have you looked at UI benefits to hold you over until this crisis settles? I'm not trying to discourage you or anything, but I try to tell it like it is the best I can.

Who knows? You may come to NM, find a good job, and love living here. Some do. I hope that happens for you, if you do decide to move out here. I know when I left CA, I was in for a long ride as to jobs and making a career out here. But that was me. You must decide what is in your best interest. But ask yourself this: Why leave CA for a job that is going possibly going to be cut in NM?

I wish you well. God speed.


--BtK

[nmguy]

I was in a similar situation many years ago, except my job in CA was secure.

I came out for a visit and was even offered a job in Taos. When I discovered how much I'd be making --literally half of my California salary-- I said, "No, gracias".

Six years ago, I retired from teaching and moved to NM, often observing the education scene. My take: folks out here have to work so hard for a living that they don't give much thought to schools. Consequently, teaching is a low priority, and the profession doesn't have much prestige.

I hope you will be able to keep your job. If so, stay put.

[bongo]

I am a New Mexican living and teaching in Alaska because it was hard to find a teaching position near our NM home in northern NM. If you are a native Spanish speaker you have a better chance of getting a job than I did.

However, I taught for many years out on the Navajo Reservation and it was fairly easy to secure a teaching position out there due to isolation, living conditions, turnover, etc. The BIA pay scale is much better than NM districts. The BIA also provides fairly low rent housing. So this is just another option for you to explore. The Eastern Navajo Agency in Crownpoint would be a contact point.

As an aside, Anchorage School District has 2 Spanish Immersion schools that are always looking for native Spanish teachers.

[Zoidberg]

I think your fluency in Spanish puts you at a definite advantage over other candidates for NM teaching positions. ESL classes always seem to be the hardest to staff.

Given the economy, I imagine the cushiest teaching jobs will probably be hard to come by in NM, but rural areas always seem to need teachers. Unless you're coming from an empty corner of California, rural NM may not be a worthwhile change of scene; the culture shock is very hard for many to take.

Given the large numbers of children of immigrants and immigrant children in all 50 states, your ESL teaching skills might be in demand in places you never thought needed them (Colorado, North Carolina, Iowa, Georgia), but I get what you mean about wanting a bilingual culture. NM is that as much as any other place in the U.S..

[Nedely]

Is it possible to get a little more information from you? Like, what you teach, how long you've been teaching, how big of a pay cut you're willing to take???

I will tell you that in my school, there are a five teachers aids with certification in elementary ed. They can't find jobs. As a result, they're going into special ed. on waivers, going back to school to get endorsements in bilingual, math, or science ed.

Currently, there are not very many positions for teachers outside of these four subjects. The majority of open positions are in middle school, or special ed. And this is all in Albuquerque Public Schools. The states largest school district.

Santa Fe and APS pay the same salary. Don't think that Santa Fe will pay you more because of it's higher cost of living.

Las Cruces currently pays more than any other district. AND from what I remember reading, they give a yearly raise. This is tempting, but with Texas just RIGHT THERE, you'd be silly to stay in NM and settle for less.

I highly suggest you pick a city or town in NM you want to live in, and look at their school districts website. Whatever jobs are available should be listed there. Be advised, if you pick APS, you will not get a salary quote until very near the time of being hired. And whatever your salary may be, it will be divided up into 26 paychecks. NOT including deductions.

And, I lived in California for 24 years. I'm bilingual in English and Spanish, and I am visibly hispanic. CA was always a bilingual "safe" place for me.

good luck

[bongo]

That's great advise, Nedely, regarding obtaining certification in SpEd. That is the ticket for becoming more marketable for teaching jobs nationwide, as a rule.

Plus, one is much more marketable with a K-8 certification with a bilingual endorsement, then, say, certification in high school history. In addition, with No Child Left Behind legislation, one must be highly qualified in the area in which one wants to teach, which compounds the issue.

[nmnita]

bilingual should be a real advantage. Of course you can get more information by logging onto a website with information about teaching opportunities in NM.

I can hardly believe what has happened to the teaching profession, who would have ever dreamed there would be an over abudance of teachers? As well as budget cut backs, it seems families are having fewer kids and waiting longer, plus more are attending private school and being home schooled so the need isn't as great as in decades past.

Good luck, NM is a wonderful place to live in many ways.

Nita