Can private school teacher move to public schools? (degree, hire, demand)
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This is a repost because the other title I used sounded like I was applying for a job. Here is my original question:
"Can an experienced private school teacher make it in public school? I have taught foreign languages in private schools in the southeastern US for 18 years. I have recently relocated to NE Tarrant County in Texas (northern burbs of Ft. Worth) and find that because of the excellent public schools in my area, there are very few private schools. Most of these private schools are religious in nature and pay very little. I'm making 15K less than I did a year ago.
My question is this - if I went ahead and took a few classes/exams to get my Texas certification, would I even be considered for a job? Because of all my experience, would I be "too expensive" to hire especially in this economy? Other public school teachers I have talked to have hinted that I'd have a hard time getting hired."
This is a repost because the other title I used sounded like I was applying for a job. Here is my original question:
"Can an experienced private school teacher make it in public school? I have taught foreign languages in private schools in the southeastern US for 18 years. I have recently relocated to NE Tarrant County in Texas (northern burbs of Ft. Worth) and find that because of the excellent public schools in my area, there are very few private schools. Most of these private schools are religious in nature and pay very little. I'm making 15K less than I did a year ago.
My question is this - if I went ahead and took a few classes/exams to get my Texas certification, would I even be considered for a job? Because of all my experience, would I be "too expensive" to hire especially in this economy? Other public school teachers I have talked to have hinted that I'd have a hard time getting hired."
I don't know how it works in Texas but here in Michigan, you start at level zero when you hire into a district regardless of how many years experience you have elsewhere. What matters is your time in a particular district. Having an advanced degree can result in higher pay.
I taught for two years in a charter school and just hired into a district. I start at level zero for the district, which is over $10K more than I was making so I'm not complaining .
As to whether you should get the certificate, go for it. No one can predict the market in two years. Eventually, the baby boomers have to start retiring. Far better to get the certificate and decide you didn't need it than not get it and decide you did.
I am a 5th grade teacher in a public school in North Carolina. I know here you can start out at a slightly higher pay scale by NC taking into account your prior years experience, they did that for me when I started teaching here. I moved from NY and they took into my account my years teaching at a preschool. I would assume that the people who are hiring would want someone with experience. I had a hand in doing some hiring a couple of years ago and I looked for people with experience. Isay get your Texas certification and do whatever exams you need to do. Good luck to you!
The districts where I've worked always count prior experience when placing new teachers on the salary step scale. However, UNLICENSED experience doesn't count for anything. In other words -- I taught one year at a private school prior to becoming licensed, and no district has ever counted that towards salary placement.
So, while the new district may value your previous experience, it won't necessarily mean anything in terms of what it pays you. I suggest you look at the salary scale for the district(s) you're interested in and see how they classify previous experience.
My wife was hired 4 years ago after working for 10 years in a private school. The public school system credited her the 10 years and started her off on step 11.
I moved from one state to another and was credited for all of the years experience I taught in another state. I've known people to be able to command step 5 on a placement, regardless of how much experience they might have had in a private, charter, or out of state setting. Much depends on how high in demand your subject area certification is, and how badly you want to work or teach.
My gut response is to take your exams and get the certificate, but wait for a few years (don't know your age, perhaps that's not feasible).
Eventually there will be a backlash response to NCLB and its intensification under Arne Duncan and Obama. In the meantime, "Get-the-teacher" is the new conservative talk show radio sporting event. It's all about blame the teacher and coddle the adolescent. When the zeitgeist shifts you'll be in good shape and the demand will be high after the teaching profession has shrunk.
I'd say wait a little while before searching for a job in public schools. It's not worth your health right now.
My gut response is to take your exams and get the certificate, but wait for a few years (don't know your age, perhaps that's not feasible).
Eventually there will be a backlash response to NCLB and its intensification under Arne Duncan and Obama. In the meantime, "Get-the-teacher" is the new conservative talk show radio sporting event. It's all about blame the teacher and coddle the adolescent. When the zeitgeist shifts you'll be in good shape and the demand will be high after the teaching profession has shrunk.
I'd say wait a little while before searching for a job in public schools. It's not worth your health right now.
I'm just moving into a public district from a charter school. I can attest that, at least, in the charter school I attended, this is the way things are. I felt like my hands were tied, I was blamed, kids wer coddled and I had no control. It was a very frustrating year for me. I'm hoping things are better in the district I just hired into both because they are a good district and there's a union. I never thought I'd see the day I went pro union but after two years in a charter school with little classroom support, low pay, high demands for the teacher and coddling students was expected. I'm signing up.
While I would agree the switch from private to public probably will be more stressful, if you're like me and switching from charter to public district, I think it's a good move. But if she goes into a good district, it could be a good move. I, certainly, wouldn't take just any job in a district right now. You are correct, the teachers are moving targets. Every bad thing is our fault from students not doing their homework to failing exams. Students falling asleep in class? It can't be because they didn't get enough sleep. The teacher must be boring. Students failing exams? Can't be because they didn't study, the teacher must not have taught it right. Failing students get second, third and even fourth chances to retake exams to pull their grades up removing all incentive to do the work and study the first time. In theory, I'm all for second chances but in practice, that just elminates students trying the first time.
I am really hoping things are better in this district for me in the fall. I was ready to quit teaching alltogether after last year and would have if I hadn't been offered this job. Also, I think the tide is turning already WRT demand for teachers. In the past three weeks, I've was called by two districts I didn't even apply to and asked to interview for positions. The school I accepted acted like if they didn't act now I'd get away. I see a, totally, different attitude this year over last. Last year I coudln't buy an interview. Now I"m turning them down. So, now may be the time to get that certificate.
I'm around the Dallas area and would say that the only reason it would be hard to get a job in teaching right now would be that nobody is hiring. Many districts are on a hiring freeze. I don't know that they would credit you with prior experience, just call Human Resources and ask, but I think it would have to have been certified teaching experience as far as the getting paid. They would definitely take it into consideration when interviewing for the job.
The good thing is that the school doesn't pay you, the district does, so they don't care about your pay scale at all when they hire you. That is something the district has to deal with since it doesn't come out of the school's budget.
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