Job market for educators in Portland area? (Falmouth, Wells: public schools, college)

[GiveMeCoffee]

My husband and I fell in love with Portland. We just started a conversation about the potential to move there. We’re both experienced educators in NY (he teaches HS math in the suburbs; I’m a HS guidance counselor/college advisor in NYC). I’m open to working in higher ed (as an academic advisor type of position). What’s the job market like for educators in the Portland area?

[mainegrl2011]

Math teachers are in demand everywhere in the U.S. excellent math teachers are even more in demand.

Here is the website for your husband. www.servingschools.com

Here is the website with college information for you. Scroll down and look at the left column. https://www.maine.gov/portal/employment/jobs.html

[WhoFanMe]

I'm not an expert on the job market, but I know that all of the schools are bursting at the seems and need to be renovated, etc. I would guess that would mean that the job market is good with increased enrollment.

[gf2020]

Assuming you work at public schools in New York, you will find that public school salaries in Maine are dramatically lower and the teacher retirement pension system is no where near as generous as that in New York, Connecticut or Massachusetts.

https://www.mainepers.org/PDFs/handb...ooklet_web.pdf

[GiveMeCoffee]

Originally Posted by gf2020

Assuming you work at public schools in New York, you will find that public school salaries in Maine are dramatically lower and the teacher retirement pension system is no where near as generous as that in New York, Connecticut or Massachusetts.

https://www.mainepers.org/PDFs/handb...ooklet_web.pdf

We do and we understand. Cost of living is also lower, and quality of life factors in as well.

[Jriley978]

I moved from Massachusetts over 10 years ago, but decided to keep my teaching job there because of the huge pay difference. I do carpool to keep travel costs down. It seems to me that the highest paying districts in Portland area are Falmouth, Yarmouth, and Cape Elizabeth - as those are also fairly affluent. Wells, more middle class, also pays very well. The other towns, regardless of whether or not they are affluent or not, pay less in general, which is about 20% less than jobs in ma. If you live south of portland, the commute into northern ma is easy (an hour or less, never traffic, straight open highway) and the retirement is excellent (80% for career teachers). Good luck.
PS - you can always check out the district’s teachers union contract to see where you’d fall on the salary schedule.

[GiveMeCoffee]

Bumping. Any thoughts on the post-pandemic job market?

[mainegrl2011]

I know many teachers. Imo, teachers who can retire are retiring and some are just leaving the profession. Therefore, there are many job openings for teachers. What I am about to say may or may not matter to you. In Maine if you retire and receive payments from the state retirement system, you won't get anything or much less from social security unless you paid into social security in a different state or while working a non school system job for 30 years. This would include jobs ineligible for state retirement. Social security is not withheld from any teacher's pay (or other school system employee) in Maine. Yes, this is legal. Look at Windfall Elimination Provision on the Social Security website. Maine teachers pay a considerable amount into their retirement accounts annually. Once they reach retirement age, the payments they receive are not gifts.