Teaching in Tallahassee (Hernando: second mortgage, lenders, buying a home)

[barney40]

I am thinking of going to to FSU for my PhD. My wife is an elementary school teacher. What can anybody tell us about the schools in Tallahassee? Are there any that she should avoid? What is teacher pay, etc? Also, what is the job market like there for teachers? Thanks

[sunrico90]

Originally Posted by barney40

I am thinking of going to to FSU for my PhD. My wife is an elementary school teacher. What can anybody tell us about the schools in Tallahassee? Are there any that she should avoid? What is teacher pay, etc? Also, what is the job market like there for teachers? Thanks

Visit the following:
http://www.feaweb.org/
http://www.fate1.org/
http://www.floridapta.org/
http://www.nea.org/jobs/vaclist.html (broken link)
http://hernandocta.org/Legislators.htm (broken link)

[barney40]

Thank you for your help

[sunrico90]

Fifteen teachers from across Florida met Tuesday with Gov. Charlie Crist to outline the challenges they are facing including excessive testing, unrealistic goals, poor leadership and high turnover among faculty and principals.

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2007/may/08/teachers_outline_challenges_meeting_crist/ (broken link)

[sunrico90]

Nearly 10,000 military retirees have used a program to start new careers as teachers. Free assistance

The assistance is free. Some of the retirees qualify for stipends as much as $10,000 to help with tuition and other academic expenses.

ast Facts:

Troops to Teachers

Web site: www.ProudToServeAgain.com.

Established in: 1994 as a Defense Department initiative.

Goal: To recruit military veterans to become teachers in schools that serve low-income students.

You're eligible if: You're a military retiree, on active duty separating with six or more years of service, or a reservist with six or more years toward retirement. You also must have a bachelor's degree, or a year of college plus six or more years of relevant work experience.

Number served: 9,904 veterans.

Florida's rank: 2 (764 teachers, behind only Texas).

Locally: 27 in Hillsborough, 12 in Pinellas, nine in Pasco and seven in Hernando.

Did you know? There's a Spouses to Teachers component of the program too. Visit www.spousestoteachers (broken link). com for more information.

[Strel]

Originally Posted by barney40

I am thinking of going to to FSU for my PhD. My wife is an elementary school teacher. What can anybody tell us about the schools in Tallahassee? Are there any that she should avoid? What is teacher pay, etc? Also, what is the job market like there for teachers? Thanks

Schools vary, like anywhere else. You may have heard that schools in Florida are bad in general, but this is not the case. Some are absolutely awful, others are exemplary.

Tallahassee features both kinds but tends to have better schools than the rest of the state. The schools on the northeast side tend to be better. I live two blocks from DeSoto Trail Elementary, for example, which is some kind of nationally award-winning public school. There are also a relatively large number of private schools in the area as well.

Also - as a teacher, your wife may qualify both of you for special financing on buying a home. If you qualify as a "First Time Homebuyer" (generally, you haven't bought a house in the last five years or so) the Florida Housing Finance Corporation can give you up to $25,000 in downpayment assistance.

That's a $25,000 second mortgage - no interest, and no payments as long as you stay in the house and don't make too much money. They also give special deals to firefighters, cops, nurses, etc. On top of that, their participating lenders will give better rates than you could get from a a more private-sector lender.

See http://www.floridahousing.org

NOTE TO MODS: this isn't advertising - it's a public service announcment! Florida Housing is a public corporation and an instrumentality of the State of Florida - it's the Florida affordable housing finance agency, they aren't in it for the money.

[sunrico90]

Originally Posted by Strel

Schools vary, like anywhere else. You may have heard that schools in Florida are bad in general, but this is not the case. Some are absolutely awful, others are exemplary.

Tallahassee features both kinds but tends to have better schools than the rest of the state. The schools on the northeast side tend to be better. I live two blocks from DeSoto Trail Elementary, for example, which is some kind of nationally award-winning public school. There are also a relatively large number of private schools in the area as well.

Also - as a teacher, your wife may qualify both of you for special financing on buying a home. If you qualify as a "First Time Homebuyer" (generally, you haven't bought a house in the last five years or so) the Florida Housing Finance Corporation can give you up to $25,000 in downpayment assistance.

That's a $25,000 second mortgage - no interest, and no payments as long as you stay in the house and don't make too much money. They also give special deals to firefighters, cops, nurses, etc. On top of that, their participating lenders will give better rates than you could get from a a more private-sector lender.

See http://www.floridahousing.org

NOTE TO MODS: this isn't advertising - it's a public service announcment! Florida Housing is a public corporation and an instrumentality of the State of Florida - it's the Florida affordable housing finance agency, they aren't in it for the money.

Excellent post....

[YHCLynn]

Originally Posted by barney40

I am thinking of going to to FSU for my PhD. My wife is an elementary school teacher. What can anybody tell us about the schools in Tallahassee? Are there any that she should avoid? What is teacher pay, etc? Also, what is the job market like there for teachers? Thanks

Funny thing. My husband is looking to get his PHD. at FSU. I am an elementary teacher. Thank you for this post. I got some helpful hints from here. If you did move, Please tell me anything that was missed in this forum that you and your wife learned from experiencing Tallahassee.

Thank you,
YHC Lynn