Teaching in Oregon? (Salem, Bend, Keizer: layoffs, school districts, universities)

[CoFan21]

I am soon to be a certified teacher looking to relocate. What can you all tell me about school districts in Oregon? Which are the best? The worst?

Anything helps

[Gandalara]

You don't say if you're coming from out of state. If you are, you may want to look at this thread:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/orego...achers-os.html

[delta07]

Originally Posted by CoFan21

I am soon to be a certified teacher looking to relocate. What can you all tell me about school districts in Oregon? Which are the best? The worst?

Anything helps

I can tell you that right now is not the best time to try and find a teaching job in Oregon. I relocated to Bend a little over a year ago and have yet to find a teaching job. Districts are facing severe cutbacks due to budget problems. The districts around Bend (Bend-LaPine, Redmond, and Crook Co.) have all laid off teachers, and Redmond has even gone to a 4 day school week. It's even difficult to get substitute positions right now. With so many teacher layoffs, the pool is flooded with well qualified candidates. If you are lucky enough to find a teaching job in Oregon, I wouldn't worry so much about what district it's in, but whether the position will still be there a year or two from now. It's pretty dismal out here right now.

[Dark of the Moon]

Friends in the Salem-Keizer district tell me that a number of positions went unfilled last year, and there were a several openings posted on EdZapp for this year -- but I don't know whether any were filled or simply left open due to budget issues. It might be a place to start your search, though.

[Steve97415]

Originally Posted by CoFan21

I am soon to be a certified teacher looking to relocate.

You will only be certified in the state you graduate from. To move to a new state you will have to reapply for in-state certification and probably take additional coursework. Oregon has some quirky certification requirements that tend to favor graduates of its own universities.

[delta07]

Originally Posted by Steve97415

You will only be certified in the state you graduate from. To move to a new state you will have to reapply for in-state certification and probably take additional coursework. Oregon has some quirky certification requirements that tend to favor graduates of its own universities.

This is the truth! I was certified in Colorado, taught two years at the elementary level, and I still have to take the state tests in Oregon to gain licensure. It depends on where you are certified as to the process you will go through to get licensure in Oregon. Right now, I'm debating on renewing my license in Oregon due to the economy. It's an expensive process, and with no real hope of gaining employment, I'm not sure it makes sense right now.