PA Art Teacher looking to relocate! (San Diego: teaching jobs, school districts, property tax)

[cmac09]

This is my first post on here. I am a first year art teacher in Pennsylvania. Although I am new into my career and VERY grateful to have an art teaching job, I realize that while I am young and have nothing to tie me down I need to travel and pursue my dreams (and nicer weather!) My dream has been to move to the west for many years, and I have been following teaching jobs in CA for about a year now. They are more plentiful there, but California is so large and it's hard to focus on a specific area to narrow my search.

What are the best places to live in your opinions? I have been looking at San Diego, LA County, San Fran, and I am interested in Lake Tahoe area. I also was debating whether or not to just move out there during the summer, and begin to sub and network next year, possibly get a resort or serving job......instead of doing the jobhunt on the internet from Pennsylvania. Any advice? Any art teachers who know about the market out there? If you have also relocated I would really appreciate some guidance, because I want to plan and anticipate everything before taking the plunge!

Thanks!

[fakeplastictrees]

As a teacher, I can tell you that many art jobs are being cut out here. Many teachers are out of work and those are the ones being rehired most of the time. Last year I tried to find a subbing job and was rejected because I didn't have enough experience, although I was in a credential program and had years of paid experience working in classrooms. At this time, I would NOT move and then look for a teaching job. I would only move if I knew I had one lined up.

[love2him]

Originally Posted by cmac09

This is my first post on here. I am a first year art teacher in Pennsylvania. Although I am new into my career and VERY grateful to have an art teaching job, I realize that while I am young and have nothing to tie me down I need to travel and pursue my dreams (and nicer weather!) My dream has been to move to the west for many years, and I have been following teaching jobs in CA for about a year now. They are more plentiful there, but California is so large and it's hard to focus on a specific area to narrow my search.

What are the best places to live in your opinions? I have been looking at San Diego, LA County, San Fran, and I am interested in Lake Tahoe area. I also was debating whether or not to just move out there during the summer, and begin to sub and network next year, possibly get a resort or serving job......instead of doing the jobhunt on the internet from Pennsylvania. Any advice? Any art teachers who know about the market out there? If you have also relocated I would really appreciate some guidance, because I want to plan and anticipate everything before taking the plunge!

Thanks!

I am not sure what you have decided, but there are jobs out there. I say if you want to move, go for it!! Try to sub and get your foot in the door. I am currently an art teacher in St Louis. We are moving to Pitt and I will be looking for a job. Do you know of any openings? Maybe yours? Good luck!!

[gone down south]

Can you narrow down your list of must haves/likes/hates for where you live? California is so huge that you can find pretty much any economic, political, social, cultural, climate, etc, area imaginable.

[kguru]

The state budget is still pretty bad despite there being some degree of economic recovery in the state. If the proposed ballot measures pass in November, there probably will be a revival of arts programs in school districts that eliminated them. Until then school districts are preparing for it to not pass, which would mean some further cuts. There probably will be a few art teacher positions listed across the state. You can take a look at Ed Join which is a website listing school jobs around the state. Some of the larger school districts use their own job boards. There are some school districts that have passed local property tax measures to fund the arts and other things to enhance their schools, but the proposition 13 law makes it tough to pass them, as a 66% vote is needed for most new taxes in California.

[0'Farrell]

Do not move unless you have a job lined up. Do you know hoe expensive SF is? Please be prepared before making decisions.

[eureka1]

We're handing out pink slips to teachers up here. Not a good year for relocating.