Teacher moving to Texas- Free to choose any city! Any advice on best cities/districts to work in? (Houston: health insurance, day cares)

[fjb903]

My husband and I live in the Chicago burbs right now and we are looking for a change. I've always dreamed of living in Texas! Since he'll be starting a new career, it probably won't matter which one of us finds a job first. I'm looking to return to teaching- Early Childhood (either Pre-K Special Ed or K-3.)

Please, Texas teachers, tell me where you would work if you had a chance to choose anywhere in the state! Of course, salary is important, but so is working and living in a nice area. My children would likely go to school in the same or a neighboring district.

Thank you so much for your advice!

[loves2read]

Your post seems pretty sanguine about how you and your husband will find employment and support a family for this move--if you read posts on this board in general, TX is not without problems although it seems a Mecca for many people who are dissatisfied with their current locations/employment..

do a search on this site and the local--Dallas and Fort Worth sites for
teaching and you should get some hits--there have been some pretty lengthy discussions regarding teachers moving to TX w/out of state credentials---

you need to understand what having long-term employment as a TX teacher might do to your SS individual and spousal entitlements if you plan on working long enough to retire...a new state law revising teacher retirement and a federal revison three years ago has made it more difficult for people who have a break in their teaching years to retire with a full pension and health benefits (which is important reason for some people to return to teaching) and retain rights to full-spousal SS pensions....

You should contact the TX state teacher board about your certification requirements for TX jobs...

that being said--private schools sometimes have more leeway in whom they hire on provisonal certificates...they do not pay as well normally as public schools...
there are many day cares who emphasize the quality of their early childhood programs that might interest you as well...my daughter's best friend who has her degree in elem ed has only taught at a Primrose School kindergarten and she likes it there even though it does not pay as well as the local ISD ...

there are pros and cons to any district you get hired in -- some districts with great TAKS scores and what you would consider a very desireable student body have issues--they are just different issues than an inner-city school might have....

some people value small-town life over higher pay in big city/suburban districts -- some people value being in certain geographical areas like the Coast or Hill Country -- some people have to take jobs as close as they can to where their spouses find work...

[fjb903]

Thank you, loves2read, for your insight!

I appreciate the SS heads-up! I'll be sure to look into that situation. How sad that teachers who have a break in their teaching years are getting "punished." Many of us take that break to build our families, or for other reasons, and then return when the time is right for us.

I think we'll look toward big cities and surrounding areas for now, not only for the higher pay, but because it will be less shocking to the kids. We go into downtown Chicago frequently for family events and would like to keep doing those types of things. I can see us looking for small town living later in life.

Does anyone have any advice on the following areas for teaching?
Irving, Grapevine, Frisco? in Fort Worth? in San Antonio or around there?

Thank you!!!!!

[shady12]

My girlfriend recently graduated and looked for her first teaching job this summer, so I learned a little about it. She's from San Antonio. The Northside and NE districts in San Antonio are very good, and pay very well, starting around $45,000 for first year teachers. Also growing like crazy, hiring something like 2,000 or more new teachers for the upcoming school year. For big cities, that is my favorite, I'd look in that area. Plenty of smaller towns/districts in the area, they all pay decent at least but not as much as the districts IN San Antonio.

DFW area also pays well. I think one of the northern Fort Worth districts claims to pay the most in the state for teachers. I like that area fine also..San Antonio is just a prettier area with more to do for my liking such as the Hill Country and so on.

[loves2read]

you use the word "punished" like teachers with a break in their careers were the only ones singled out--plenty of teachers who have never missed a year of teaching since they began were not helped by that rule change...

teachers who started teaching as a second career--teachers who might have wanted to take early retirement, and spouses of people who have maxed out SS deductions won't realize what other teachers/people in other states with state pensions have legal access to...

the state tightened up when people can apply for early retirement and full health insurce because it was a financial drain on TRS--teacher retirement system...it just sucked if you were someone who got caught in the squeeze---ultimately it is supposed to be to the benefit of all concerned to keep TRS a viable pension fund...but now there is really no early retirement with reduced pensions and access to health insurance...before a person only had to be 55 and have 10 years of teaching to take early retirement at reduced benefit and get full health coverage (that they paid a high premium for) but they could get it...now if people leave teaching before a full retirement they can't get health ins even as suppliment until they are 62, I believe, when Medicare is available and don't think there is really anything like "early" retirement...

[teatime]

I think it really depends on your grade level and whether you are bilingual. For elementary school teaching in San Antonio (and Houston) and southward, you need to be certified in bilingual education. South Texas is predominantly Hispanic and they mostly need ESL teachers in the elementary schools.

That's much less important in secondary ed. but it still might be a factor in South Texas. I was an English teacher and some districts were leery of hiring me because I'm not fluent in Spanish. I eventually got a job and did great with the kids but I was sweating it out!

Thus, if you aren't fluent in Spanish, I would recommend places north of San Antonio. I currently live in Abilene and have heard raves about the school district here. However, I don't believe enrollment is growing -- it might even be losing students. Look for a district that is growing and needs teachers for that reason. I'd recommend looking at the DFW suburbs.

[shady12]

San Antonio doesn't require bilingual. And with ESL, you take a test or something, but don't have to be fluent in Spanish I don't believe, just take a test or something.

[teatime]

I didn't mean it was required by the district, per se. It's simply the area with the most job openings in elementary ed. I know elementary school teachers who weren't bilingual-certified in South Texas and they couldn't find jobs.

I don't know how people who aren't fluent in Spanish could teach bilingual or ESL classes. How could they communicate with their students? Theoretically, bilingual ed. is supposed to move students to English proficiency but it takes a number of years.

[shady12]

ESL just means that you will have kids with whom English is their second language in the classroom. You get a little training or testing for it. Just means you must be willing to work with them. But they should be able to speak some English, and you some Spanish. At least, this is what I was told, could be wrong.

I know my cousin teaches in the Hays ISD near Austin and is ESL. But she is definitely not fluent in Spanish..far as I know she doesn't know much at all.

[teatime]

I don't want to beat a dead horse here but I do want the teachers to have the correct info. A bilingual certificate in elementary ed. requires the ability to speak, read, and write in the students' first language.

Here's the link to teacher certification requirements for all disciplines:

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