Lack of upstate NY jobs in education

[rochacha]

I stand by my statement of the NYSUT being a powerful special interest group and getting everything on a silver platter. When you do not see a property tax cap, it will further prove this. Keep in mind, I am not anti-teacher -- I wouldn't want their job -- but I believe in the laws of supply and demand and the fact that there are a lot of people competing for open positions says a lot [edit: this was already pointed out, sorry for being repetitive]. And that tells me all is not as bad as it is in the teachers' best interest to make it seem.

[Source: http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--taxcap0427apr27,0,7810506.story] (broken link)

The powerful New York State United Teachers union opposes the cap that would limit how much most school districts could raise through the local tax levy...
Paterson notes local school taxes have still gone up an average of 7 percent for five straight years despite increases in STAR and historic increases in traditional state school aid...
[Regarding the NYSUT call for a circuit breaker and no cap]"If you were to do a circuit breaker without a property tax cap, there would be less incentive for school districts to control their spending because the burden would be shifted to the state," Suozzi said...
But that goes against the teachers unions, which emerged as the most powerful lobbying force in Albany this budget season. The group, which spends millions on lobbying and campaign contributions, last month helped win a record increase in school aid despite hard fiscal times, fought off a tougher requirement for getting tenure, and even got a statewide day of commemoration for teachers.

[iloveupstateny]

Latest info from Newsweek suggests that many of the top schools are not in the Northeast (which does surprise me)!!! City Honors in Buffalo and #79 Pittsford Sutherland are the only local numbers mentioned (in the top 100).

As had been said in this thread before, that schools are much better in the north, what I have been saying for a while may be ringing true. Where there are jobs and growth, people go. They are usually professional people, who in turn, bring their kids........Schools in the Southeast and Sunbelt are actually very well represented according to Newsweek. It begins to concern me that this lack of prosperity, specifically for Upstate NY (which 6-7 years ago was loaded on this list) may be affected by the lack of jobs for parents who then move out of state and take their kids who then rise above what upstate could ever offer, or the well-qualified teachers who are leaving the area in droves as the who-you-know or work-for-me-one-day-per-week-as-a-sub-for-5-years-until-we-hire-you mentality prevails, etc. All the while, the taxpayers in this area keeps getting sucked dry by failed systems that don't really work and aren't necessary (i.e. BOCES, etc.) . Again, I personally am all for upstate NY, but the older I get, and as times-are-a-changin, it just gets harder for me to see the pros in it.

America's Top Public High Schools | Newsweek Best High Schools | Newsweek.com

[jec55]

Myself, I'll be very glad when we finally leave New York (upstate)-- it is not exactly progressive. I've lived in 5 states, two of them in the south, and this area is by far the most stunted. By that time, I'll be too old to teach anyway, but I'll still be glad to leave.

[Muggy]

Originally Posted by iloveupstateny

Again, I personally am all for upstate NY, but the older I get, and as times-are-a-changin, it just gets harder for me to see the pros in it.

This is a discussion that my wife and I have often, if you look at SAT scores there isn't much of a difference. I challenge the notion that NY schools are better than southern schools (now). Ten years ago I might have argued differently.

I have friends that teach at all levels in every geographic region imaginable and it's pretty much the same everywhere. In fact, if you compare the dropout rate in Rochester to St. Petersburg, Rochester is higher.

One thing the south has going for it is a wave of young teachers that couldn't find work in the north. I think you will see some interesting educational outcomes as a result. I believe we are approaching "cultural parity" anyway; the only difference in 10 years will be the weather. Ironically - in Florida - I've met some incredible science teachers in a state known for lax science standards. I know chem, bio and earth science teachers that are teaching in high school what I learned in college.

[iloveupstateny]

Well folks, it seems I have only begun to answer the question of how odd finding gainful employment as an educator is in Upstate Ny (and I mean the Albany, Buff, Syr., Roch area). I am really dumbfounded.
With a solid year experience I was actually contacted for interviews for a few jobs this year. Although they were literally on my last day of school and on my first day back. When I explained this to the people interviewing and dare asked for another day, it was like I asked them for a private airplane to fly me back and forth....and I really am just dumbfounded. Maybe I am just dumb. If a system really wants the best, and aims to think they are getting the best, and only allows one day for interviews, how can they ensure they are getting the best? Do I risk losing my job to fly up for interviews? It just seems like NY, which is so elitist in their thinking re: teachers, is actually very "hokey" and actually stupid in its human resources processes. Is there some NY law that states that they have to interview a certain number of people and only on a certain day? I guess next year, I'll know better....Wondering how others have fared.

[ckhthankgod]

I know here in the Syracuse area, there have some districts looking more than others. East Syracuse-Minoa is one that comes to mind.

Also, try places like Hillside Children's center. My wife teaches at the Fingerlakes campus in Auburn and they have location in across the state. It is a school for children with emotional disabilities. It can be tough at times, but she likes it and feel like she is making a difference. Here is there website:Hillside Family of Agencies
It is based out of Rochester and according to my wife, they are trying to expand out of state, with Prince George's County, MD as one place in mind.