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Old 03-21-2017, 06:56 PM
 
Location: Florida & Arizona
5,931 posts, read 7,268,588 times
Reputation: 7519

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Quote:
Originally Posted by skolarkev View Post
You guys are quite a wealth of information. I've actually never had tenure, because I've changed districts a couple times. I know in Florida teachers make way less compared to where I'm teaching now. In fact, in the worst paying district around where I'm at now, the starting salary here is where Florida caps teachers salaries pretty much across the state. That's unfortunate, but something we will deal with.
And understand that your benefits, especially health insurance, will be stupid expensive. Pasco does cover the cost of their plan, but it's pretty lousy coverage according to a friend who has taught there for some years.

If you do the math you're going to come out in the negative compared to where you are now. Really. You just pointed out how bad it is here yourself.

One of the reasons there are teaching jobs here is due to the turnover. Hillsborough County employs about 20,000 teachers, and they regularly hire close to 1,000 annually. Do the math for that, too, and you'll understand what the turnover is like here. There's a reason for it - it's not because that many people are retiring annually. It's so bad that they actively recruit non-teaching graduates to be "trained" for ESE positions. That's something I really have an issue with, as I have a degree in ESE and certifications for all grade levels as well as for media specialist, middle grades integrated curriculum and others. I busted my tail getting through a really tough program to do ESE, and they're so desperate for people they'll literally take someone off the street with absolutely no teaching background/experience and put them in a classroom of special needs kids. Yikes!

They did this during the housing boom when they couldn't find enough teachers. They had an "alternative certification" program where they recruited retirees and midlife college graduates to teach. They played up the common misconception that anyone can teach if they're educated.

After the smoke cleared they discovered that less than 5% of the people recruited through this program were still in education five years later. The attrition rate was well into the 70%-80% range within the first couple of years. It was a massive waste of time and resources. However, you'l never hear them talk about it....

Personally, I think you're nuts to come here to teach. The chance that you'll still be in the classroom in 5-7 years after arriving here is pretty small in my opinion.

RM
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Old 05-13-2017, 07:24 PM
 
12 posts, read 8,438 times
Reputation: 10
Thank you to all of you who have commented and PM's me. I got hired last month in Pinellas County as a 3rd grade teacher. What concerns me now is that my girlfriend has also been applying but doesn't receive calls. She did have one interview set up via Skype and they cancelled last minute and no longer respond. It's very weird because she has more experience (17 years) then me. I'm still receiving calls from Hillsborough county, and she doesn't hear anything from Hillsborough or Pinellas. I don't think she is doing anything different than I. The only thing I can see that is different is that she has an official Statement of Status Eligibility pending fingerprints and immigrant documentation/work authorization signed by hiring school district (She has permanent residency).

She exceeds the highly qualified status and has a masters degree in education with an ESOL endorsement.

Any thoughts on why she would not be receiving any calls for interviews?
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Old 05-13-2017, 07:43 PM
 
4,523 posts, read 3,724,159 times
Reputation: 17386
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcharas View Post
If I can add to this... The county schools system...

I'm not a teacher, so I cannot say what you will experience from the teaching end in a county-run system if you aren't familiar.


But, as a parent... (maybe a parent's viewpoint makes a difference for you as a teacher? I know I'm not the only one that feels this way about county schools). :

We came down from NY where each district is funded based on the taxes that a town's residents provide. We MUCH PREFER the town system. We were able to see exactly where every dime we spent went, which in turn created a very strong and committed district for, with, and by families, faculty, the board, and students. It created such an environment of accountability, too. There were still diverse families with diverse incomes and diverse housing, and yet ALL schools in our surrounding area had less disparity because the kids in each district had money spent on them directly, rather than a county spreading it thin... It created better schools by creating competition among them to all perform better. People talk a lot about "school choice" these days, and I truly believe that the best way to create school "choice" is to get rid of the county school system and have parents pay directly for their neighborhood schools. (But that brings up the problem of areas that aren't incorporated towns or villages, for which there are many in FL, and that requires a deeper discussion.)


Maybe there are teachers that can reply here some evening or weekend, or a retiree. I am intersted to see what teachers have to say myself, because I haven't found one down here in two years in a private or public school that will outwardly discuss their opinions- perhaps because of the lack of unions, which MortonR references. In any case, good luck and I hope you get the answers you're looking for.

As a parent and now a grandparent, I disagree, I prefer a county approach than individual communities within a county. Our property taxes have increased each year for 33 years in NY, with the school portion the most expensive part of our property taxes. I always felt my property taxes were providing a quality education for our son and worth it.

I wanted to see for myself, after reading on this site about FL's dismal school system, how bad my granddaughter's education was in FL. I went onto different school rating websites and then to cost per pupil websites comparing her FL school and her Dad's NY school. I learned both systems are rated highly, but my granddaughter's elementary school in Sarasota county is rated slighltly higher than the elementary school in NY. These stats were from 2015.
In NY the cost per student was $13,500+, in FL it was $6,700+. I expected a much better performing school with twice the money per pupil and had some of my northern elitism taken down a notch after seeing the numbers.

Quote:
Being a teacher in Florida sucks.
It does if you hate having lots of vacation time.
I have no idea what the above means. In lower NY there are many religious holidays along with 1/2 days and early releases. In FL, there are no 1/2 days and very few days off for anything other than holidays or conferences for the teachers. The continuity seems better here and is much easier on working parents without school 1/2 days or early releases.

My granddaughter's teachers have been great in their commitment and professionalism and have been effective teachers for my granddaughter. The class ratios are 15:1 at the elementary level. The Sarasota county school system is ranked fourth in FL and she is fortunate to be in one of the better FL school systems.

Florida, Georgia, and Oklahoma are the only states that currently make pre-K available to all four year olds, which shows a commitment to children and learning.

Last edited by jean_ji; 05-13-2017 at 09:11 PM..
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Old 05-14-2017, 11:02 AM
 
Location: Florida & Arizona
5,931 posts, read 7,268,588 times
Reputation: 7519
Quote:
Originally Posted by skolarkev View Post
Thank you to all of you who have commented and PM's me. I got hired last month in Pinellas County as a 3rd grade teacher. What concerns me now is that my girlfriend has also been applying but doesn't receive calls. She did have one interview set up via Skype and they cancelled last minute and no longer respond. It's very weird because she has more experience (17 years) then me. I'm still receiving calls from Hillsborough county, and she doesn't hear anything from Hillsborough or Pinellas. I don't think she is doing anything different than I. The only thing I can see that is different is that she has an official Statement of Status Eligibility pending fingerprints and immigrant documentation/work authorization signed by hiring school district (She has permanent residency).

She exceeds the highly qualified status and has a masters degree in education with an ESOL endorsement.

Any thoughts on why she would not be receiving any calls for interviews?
Other than connecting the dots in your description the only other thing I can think of is that this is the absolute worst time of year as far as organizational and hiring issues for the school districts. They're having to establish units for the fall, allocate teachers and resource, and deal with the transfer period for existing employees. It's utter chaos right now.

RM
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Old 05-14-2017, 11:12 AM
 
12 posts, read 8,438 times
Reputation: 10
When do you think would be a good time to try and get hired? She's been trying since March.
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Old 05-15-2017, 07:28 AM
 
Location: Florida & Arizona
5,931 posts, read 7,268,588 times
Reputation: 7519
Things won't slow down until the students are out for the summer. Unfortunately, at that point they're typically not looking heavily as units have been assigned and transfers and new hires processed.

Have they called HR to ask what's up? Can't hurt.

RM
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Old 05-27-2017, 02:22 PM
 
149 posts, read 144,283 times
Reputation: 198
Got a degree from usf in secondary ed. found out during my internship, this is not for me
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Old 05-28-2017, 05:02 AM
 
350 posts, read 331,810 times
Reputation: 856
Go to Hillsborough website. You will find specific openings. Hiring has begun in earnest now that school is out. My husband and I moved here nine years ago from a small corporation in southern Indiana I was hired that June (Special Education) and my husband (Social Studies) was hired in September of the first year. Can't imagine that you won't be able to find positions. Join the union (and there is one) despite the legislators efforts to "bust it".
Best Wishes!!!!!
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Old 05-28-2017, 08:47 AM
 
Location: Florida & Arizona
5,931 posts, read 7,268,588 times
Reputation: 7519
Quote:
Originally Posted by indytoflgirl View Post
Join the union (and there is one) despite the legislators efforts to "bust it".
Best Wishes!!!!!
CTA is not a "union" in the same sense that unions are in northern states. They represent the rank and file in contract negotiations, but do not have the right or ability to engage in labor actions, such as strikes, against the school district.

With over 10 years of experience in Hillsborough, I can't for any reason understand why someone would belong to HCTA and pay dues. Since Florida is an "open shop" state, as an employee of a group of employees represented by organized labor you're under no obligation to pay union dues/join the union. You'll get the "benefits" (and I use that term very loosely!) that HCTA negotiates with the District no matter what - so why give them your money?

HCTA will promote the fact that as a part of your dues you receive legal representation in the event of a conflict with the District.

Ask someone who has been in the position of needing support when an issue with the District or administration comes up. Over the years I was in the District I knew a number of people who had issues like this of one type or another. HCTA blew off nearly every one of them, and in one case even refused to appear for the meeting between the teacher and administration because they didn't feel it was necessary.

If you're concerned about representation, save the money you would otherwise put into dues and set it aside to pay your own attorney's fees. You'll get far better representation and someone who actually has your interests in mind.

The HCTA is so poorly supported it's come close to being decertified on more than one occasion. That's when a representative body, like the HCTA, has less than 50% of the rank and file as dues paying members.

What does that tell you about people's feelings about the value of an HCTA membership?

RM
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Old 05-28-2017, 10:28 AM
 
350 posts, read 331,810 times
Reputation: 856
I know people in the District who have been represented with fidelity by our union and have had positive outcomes. I understand they are not the same as the unions in the north.,


I have tenured status in Hillsborough and so does my husband. People not being members of the union play right into the legislative process of allowing teachers to have no rights. I saw how that sanctimonious. self-serving, misogynist Pence who hides his true colors under "Christian values" decimated teachers rights in Indiana. Teachers are no longer able to bargain at ALL in Indiana.


I understand that the support is low and that is a shame. This is my 9th year in education in Florida and my 42nd year in education. I am so tired of teachers being blamed for everything, but I still love it. I earn Highly Effective money and have no plans to retire. I also have no plans to stop "advertising" for union membership. Less than 50% is EXACTLY what the legislators want so ANY representation will be gone.
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