Teaching/subbing jobs in OR... (Portland, Eugene: fingerprints, credit, high school)

[heavens54]

I do not have a teaching credential in CA, was just starting to work on it and now we will be relocating up to OR. I sub in CA, have been doing this on an emergency credential for the last ten years.

Is anyone familiar with teaching in OR? Pay? Emergency credentials, subbing pay, testing to get into an education program or any info you might have would be helpful...thanks for your time.

[ChadPettingill]

Hey, I'm in the process of getting my OR license right now and it's kind of a pain in the butt. You have to send in all these forms, transcripts, fingerprinting stuff and it all has to be sealed up by other people for authenticity. Takes a long time, took me a month and my fingerprints were just rejected for some smudging.

I was given an emergency cert though so that was nice until they can clear up this fingerprinting mess.

I know subbing pay in the Pdx area is very good! Some told me around $150 a day or around $18 an hour.

Also, you will have to take the PRAXIS test to get endorsed and THAT IS THE BIGGEST PAIN IN THE ASS IN THE WORLD! It's very expensive and very frivolous and much of the time the questions don't even align to state curriculum.

Good luck!

[Acuda]

Oregon has high requirements for teachers (much higher than many states). Here are a few of the licenses available:

Initial I Teaching - Apply if you have a bachelor's degree and have completed an approved bachelor's or post-bachelor's teacher education program, but only if you can satisfy ALL other requirements, including measures of subject
mastery, basic skills, civil rights understanding and recent experience.

Initial Teaching - Apply if you cannot satisfy all requirements for the Initial I Teaching License but have a bachelor's degree related to teaching at one or more levels in at least one specialty and have completed an approved teacher education program.

Substitute Teaching - You may apply for a Substitute Teaching License if you have completed a bachelor's degree related to teaching at one or more levels through a regionally accredited college or university and if you have completed an approved teacher education program in any state in an institution approved to prepare teachers or if you have held an unrestricted license for full-time teaching in any state. The Substitute Teaching License is valid at any level for replacing in any specialty a teacher who is temporarily unable to work.

Look at the TSPC website: Teacher Standards and Practices Commission

I believe Oregon now requires teachers to have master's. Almost every teaching program in the state has young, recent graduates rolling out with master's and their credentials. In many places it is very difficult to get hired. In cities like Eugene, there are three teaching colleges, so if you do not have a master's, you will have a hard time getting hired. Plus, if you want to sub, again you are competing with young teachers that may have more connections than yourself and again have master's. Portland is a little different as it has more population. However, it can be difficult getting hired in nice, stable schools that 90% of teachers want to work at. As in most large cities, schools with lower socio-economic statuses have a higher burn out rate, and may seem like they need more teachers more regularly, but keep in mind, those Oregon teaching graduates are more than likely at the top of the list (unless one has a lot of experience).

As far as testing, it depends on what grade you want to teach. If you want elementary, you will take the ORELA (which replaced the MSAT) and the CBEST (or some other basic skills test). If you want to teach middle/high school, you'll take the PRAXIS tests I believe.

Each teaching program requires different things. Go to the school websites and find out what those are. Just make sure you don't go to Oregon State, Ducks are better.

Good Luck and I hope this helps a wee bit.

[heavens54]

Wow, thanks for all of your time and valuable info you put in your post.

Very helpful info.

[Acuda]

The most important thing to remember is DON'T go to Oregon State. Beavers are icky creatures.

Ducks are swell

[heavens54]

Actually, I am a TX Longhorn, through and through. I will enjoy watching either beavers or ducks and may the best team win.

Hook um horns!!!

[Acuda]

What a coincidence. I just moved to Austin from Eugene 1 month ago. I'm sure all my little fourth graders will try to convert me to a Longhorn fan. If they are chill kids, I may put a Longhorn sticker somewhere in the classroom...maybe. I'm sure I'll get at least one of my students to like the Ducks.

[ChadPettingill]

Just an update, I moved last week and spent two days driving all over the metro area registering to sub. I am now registered at Multnomah ESD (which includes the districts of Centennial, Corbett, Parkrose, Riverdale, David Douglas and Reynolds), North Clackamas, Oregon Trail, Evergreen (I have a WA license too) and getting registered in Gresham-Barlow soon. But I was not called at all last week. I think this is because it was the first week of school. I'm really hoping the jobs come!!

One thing I noticed is that Evergreen in East Vancouver only pays $116 a day for subs while all the districts on the Oregon side of the river were at least $140 and above. Very interesting!!

[seekNsun]

Originally Posted by ChadPettingill

...One thing I noticed is that Evergreen in East Vancouver only pays $116 a day for subs while all the districts on the Oregon side of the river were at least $140 and above. Very interesting!!

Oregon continues to compensate their teachers (and state employees) very well.

heavens: Looks like Acuda give you same excellent information -- I need not elaborate. On a positive note, my wife is one of those Oregon graduates with a Master's degree and we will be moving to CA next July, to make room for you, of course! Best of luck to you.