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I've been teaching in a large public school district for 8 years and just found out about a new charter school opening for the 18-19 school year.
It sounds like a good option, but I'm nervous about being in a school system that is brand new.
Anyone worked in a new charter? pros/ cons.
Thanks in advance
I highly recommend avoiding charter schools at all costs. I can't quite capture in words the enormous differences between working in a district and working in a charter. They're often hiring because they have high turnover, and for good reason. The charter school I taught for had half the staff quit each year.
This was my experience:
District: Charter:
Pay $54,500 $28,500
Retirement: yes no
Sick days per year: 10 2 (but frowned upon to use them)
Personal days: 3 2 (highly frowned upon to use them, couldn't use until Oct 15, not after apr 1)
Insurance: Great Terrible
Morale: Decent Terrible
Professionalism: Solid Terrible
Step Increases: 2K a year no, never
Merit pay: no yes, up to $1,000 a year, lol! (at director's discretion)
Principal: Qualified, experienced 23 years old! Family member of director
Turnover: 10% a year 50% a year quit
Supplies: Doable Non-existent, you bought your own paper
Reimbursements? Yes No Union? Yes No
The also make it virtually impossible to escape. They don't give you your contract for the next year until June so you're left guessing and unable to interview for districts. Job fair? Take a personal day? Forget about it. You can't take a personal day after April 1. I was so thankful when I escaped mid-year.
I'm a former charter school teacher. Go to a charter only if:
...You like low pay
...You like spending your own money on basics like copies. My charter allowed us to make only 5000 copies per semester. I started the year with over 200 students in my classes. My three page syllabus used up over 10% of my copy rights and one of my classes had no books. This is why I own an office printer at home. I don't use it much now that I'm in a public school but I had no choice in the charter school. At first I just bought my own paper and used their copier but they caught on to that and locked us out of the machine after 5000 pages were printed. This cut my copies in half because I did double sided to save paper but the machine counted each side as one page. I spent $3k of my own money during the two years I taught chemistry and physics at a charter. Most of it on lab supplies so I could do labs with my students.
...You like starting the year with your classrooms so packed it's standing room only. (they max out enrollment until count day and then start kicking kids out once they know they are getting most of the money for that student).
...I'd add you never get a raise but that's true of districts here in Michigan now that the state made giving steps optional. Even with no steps my pay is $8k higher than it would be in a charter around here. I'm not taking a pay cut to work in worse conditions. IME charters treat staff as disposable. They're more than happy to not renew your contract (if you're willing to come back after a year) if they even think you're looking for another job. Mine laid me off as soon as they found out I had interviewed at a district. Fortunately, I got that job. Another teacher I worked with at the time had also interviewed for another job but she didn't get it. They still laid her off. She ended up out of work the next year. Michigan still has a glut of teachers so only the worst districts have openings.
I would not go to a charter if I had any other choice. Given a choice between a charter at $32k or taking a lab tech position with the EPA at $12.76 per hour I'd take the lab tech job. I'd be treated better, have better insurance, I could leave work at work and I wouldn't be spending my own money on supplies.
Last edited by Ivorytickler; 01-27-2018 at 09:53 AM..
I never worked at a charter school, but I have friends who have.
Teacher turnover is very high. The first year pay is comparable to a public school starting salary, but few stick around to get a raise, which is conditional on whether the director/principal likes you. Most staff are very young and inexperienced, including those who run the school. Most here are extremely well equipped as they get money from all kinds of foundations, Gates, etc. They are especially overloaded with the latest gadgets and technology.
Hours are very, very long and teachers are discouraged from taking any sick days. No freedom. Teachers are closely monitored and forbidden from any independence or including any originality. Everything is strictly controlled and scripted. The days are also very long for the students and I was told that the kindergarteners and first graders would often fall asleep in class. Some of these kids would leave their homes at 5:30-6 AM to arrive for the beginning of the school day at 7 AM. Teachers would arrive a half hour before school starts.
Read about the scandals surrounding Success Academy where teachers are required to use shame and intimidation to get students to comply. There are plenty of articles about Esther Moscowitz and corruption.
I wouldn't go to a new charter school at all. I'd wait until it has been around for many many years. I've seen many charter school shut down randomly and quickly, even in the middle of a school year due to financial issues.
Occasionally you'll get a unique charter paired up with a college or university (usually in the college town) where pay and benefits and the vibe are at least in the same ballpark as the publics, but in most cases, yeah, I'd avoid them if at all possible.
I've been teaching in a large public school district for 8 years and just found out about a new charter school opening for the 18-19 school year.
It sounds like a good option, but I'm nervous about being in a school system that is brand new.
Anyone worked in a new charter? pros/ cons.
Thanks in advance
RUN!
They will work teachers to death, demand all sorts of extra time to cover events after school hours, pay the least they can, and blame the teacher because the students and parents are always 110% right--ALWAYS.
I only wish I would have stayed in a public system...they even have a real retirement and not some poverty driven 401......
I wouldn't go to a new charter school at all. I'd wait until it has been around for many many years. I've seen many charter school shut down randomly and quickly, even in the middle of a school year due to financial issues.
Here in Michigan even charter schools that have been around 5--10 years are liable to shut down over night and disappear.
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