Las Vegas teachers to Austin? (Houston, San Antonio: apartment, health insurance, get credit)

[lava5000]

Originally Posted by ohio2texas

I don't think you will have a hard time finding art positions. In fact, Round Rock (where I teach music) has a posting right now for art teachers at "various locations" and school starts Monday! I would suggest, as soon as you decide on moving, to submit all your transcripts/Nevada teaching certificate to SBEC for a credential review. That will get you a one year, temporary certificate. You'll have to pass two tests within the year to get your Texas teaching certificate.

I was just looking at that job at Round Rock last night!

Thanks for the information. We moved to Las Vegas sight unseen from Pittsburgh, and we do love it here, we are just ready for a change!

Were you a teacher befor moving from Ohio? If so, did they start you on the pay scale at year 1, or did they start your for as many year as you have taught?

[ohio2texas]

I taught in Ohio nine years before moving to Texas. Three in a private school and six in public... Round Rock gave me the six years I taught in public schools in Ohio, not my private school years. I don't know if that varies from district to district or not.

[lava5000]

Any Las Vegans now in Austin out there?!

[lava5000]

I just got the Austin Relocation guide today!!! It has been great reading about your wonderful city. It is definitely making us lean more toward Austin.

[stkntx]

I am going to be very honest with you. I have lived here for 9 years. I visit my father in LV regularly. I am originally from the bay area. I am a certified teacher and have subbed in Austin, Leander and Roundrock. I have been looking for a teaching job here for 3 years. I am certified in Art, Spec. Ed, Elementary, ESL, Gifted and a few other catagories. There is a glut of teachers here. Many cannot find jobs. There is no teacher's union . It is illegal in this state to collectively bargain for teachers or other state workers. There is a teachers "group" you can join which is better than nothing, I suppose. This is an "at-will" state which means that you can be fired (or your contract not renewed) for any time or for any reason-barring federal discrimination laws. When you sign your employment "contract" it states the very same-that they can fire you at any time. I have known experienced teachers who's contract is not picked up the following year-no reason given. Maybe they got up in the pay scale a bit too far. There is nothing they can do about it. Look at the districts' pay scale . In 10 years you will be lucky to be making 45K. The health care benefits are pathetic. Last I looked only 1 health care company was available and payment for a family was over 500.00 a month in one of these districts. I do not recommend moving here. That said-it's possible your husband can find a job as the districts prefer males or anyone except white women. They are quite open in the fact that they are actively "diversifying." They also prefer Spanish bi-lingual (especially in AISD). It is also possible that you can find a job but it helps greatly if you have "kinfolk" working in any of the districts. This town runs on family connections.
There is a lot of great propaganda about Austin which also convinced me to move here. After being here I would say choose San Antonio or Houston (not Dallas) over Austin. Both are more like real cities where the good ole boy network is not in full swing. Also, it is much easier to be hired as a teacher in those cities-no teacher gluts there.
Austin claims to be the music capital of the world-but that is BS. In reality, there is not much going on musically. There are a few Country groups and little bands hanging around. No, not much in rock, blues or alternative. I believe LV has more and I know the bay area has much much more music.

The property taxes run at about 3 percent of fully appraised value every year. I.E. a 300K house would be almost 9K in taxes. Texas has one of the highest average property tax rates in the country. Since this is a non-referendum state (no propostions allowed here) no reform or real change will ever happen. The gov. is very corrupt and the state records on safety, environmentalism, health care rank about the lowest in the country.
Driving-hmm LV traffic is bad but it makes more sense. The reason Austin traffic is bad is because the highways were never designed properly. Also the trucks, semis, etc. can drive in the left lane. There are no truck inspections here like in Cali. There are accidents here all the time as you can imagine. The trucking industry does not want trucks relegated to the right lane, etc. So big business always wins over consumer safety. There is a local law now that in a small stretch of Hiway 35 in downtown Austin they can't be in the left lane . BFD. There's a bigger section in Houston where they are more regulated and accidents have gone way down. But does this mean it will ever be a statewide law-hell no.
It is pretty boring here. It takes 3 hours to drive to the gulf. The gulf beaches are horribly polluted. It is quite shocking.
Why am I still here? The reason is my house has barely appreciated in value since the late 90s. Everywhere else has (especially in the West). I am sort of stuck. If you are looking for a nicer cheaper place than LV-maybe Portland or maybe Tucson. I believe some other Southern states are even OK-maybe NC?. Just avoid Texas-especially Austin.

[lava5000]

Wow, thank you for the information Stkntx. I really appreciate your honesty. For you not to be able to find a job in 3 years really scares me. Since we are both art teachers, I know it will be even harder for us to find a job since we are both in the same field. I think as pay goes, we are doing pretty good in Las Vegas.
Someone else had said that the music scene there was not great even though Austin had Austin City Limits.

You have given me a lot to think about. I like Las Vegas too much to move to a city that can not give us jobs.

Thanks again.

[karnival96]

Stkntx has provided interesting entertainment, but not very much in what she posted is true. Think about it. Do you want to trust a person who couldn't find a job in her field after 3 years of searching. I am not a teacher, but I do know that Austin and the surrounding communities have built a good number of new schools over the past few years and most of these schools require new teachers. Stkntx's quote about the lack of musical diversity here really reveals that she has probably never set foot in Austin (anyone who has been here for 5 minutes would know that this statement is not true). Also, trucking accidents are not the problem here; it's the volume of traffic on I35. There are other options for many of us that really can provide a much more pleasurable commute. Also, if you think it's boring here, there are probably only a handfull of places in the US that would satisfy you. There are tons of activities available to keep the NORMAL person busy here. The beaches in Corpus and North Padre Island are great and are not to cold to swim in like the ones in SoCal (they are much cleaner according the the EPA also).

[Zzyzx]

Originally Posted by lava5000

Any Las Vegans now in Austin out there?!

We moved from Las Vegas (Green Valley) in 3/05

[texastea]

Originally Posted by stkntx

This is an "at-will" state which means that you can be fired (or your contract not renewed) for any time or for any reason-barring federal discrimination laws.

One reason our schools are so good?

[lava5000]

Karnival96 -
Thank you for your response. I did find it interesting that she is certified in special ed and having a hard time finding a job. I know pretty much every school district is in deperate need of sped teachers. From the relocation guide I did find that there were so many art galleries, museums, theaters, things to do on the lake etc. that I think Vegas is lacking. Plus it it green! Which is something I really miss. I have to remember that it was one persons opinion. It seems like Austin has so much to offer.

Zzyzx -
My husband and I live in Greenvalley. How do you like it in Austin?