Teaching Outlook for 2014-2015 in Dallas Northern Suburbs (Houston, Austin: credit, how much)

[huskyfan82]

I am from Connecticut and I have been looking into relocating and teaching in Texas for the past few years and I feel that this is the year to move based on my family's situation. I have been teaching for about 12 years in NY and I hold a Special Ed cert 1-6, Elementary Ed pre-K, and a Social Studies 7-12 cert.

The main reason for the move is to be closer to my wife's family. My wife is from the west Texas region and I have acquired a standard Generalist 4-8 teaching certificate so I am fully certified to teach in Texas. The weather here this time of the year doesn't help either!

I have seen a lot of older posts about finding teaching jobs in Texas from around 2010 and 2011 when Texas was experiencing budget problems resulting in teacher layoffs and hiring freezes. I have been hearing lately that Texas has put more money into education so I am assuming Texas will be hiring more teachers this Spring?

I am looking for some advice as to how I would go about getting a teaching position in a Northern Dallas suburb. Is there much of a chance for an out-of-stater to get a job there? A couple of years ago I went into a University of Texas at Austin Teacher Career Fair which was a waste of time since all I kept getting was "make sure you apply online" and "be sure to check the district websites for teaching vacancies."

Has anyone had success with acquiring a teaching job in the northern suburbs of Dallas from out-of-state? Could you share how you went about that?

[jetsettingdiva73]

Originally Posted by huskyfan82

I am from Connecticut and I have been looking into relocating and teaching in Texas for the past few years and I feel that this is the year to move based on my family's situation. I have been teaching for about 12 years in NY and I hold a Special Ed cert 1-6, Elementary Ed pre-K, and a Social Studies 7-12 cert.

The main reason for the move is to be closer to my wife's family. My wife is from the west Texas region and I have acquired a standard Generalist 4-8 teaching certificate so I am fully certified to teach in Texas. The weather here this time of the year doesn't help either!

I have seen a lot of older posts about finding teaching jobs in Texas from around 2010 and 2011 when Texas was experiencing budget problems resulting in teacher layoffs and hiring freezes. I have been hearing lately that Texas has put more money into education so I am assuming Texas will be hiring more teachers this Spring?

I am looking for some advice as to how I would go about getting a teaching position in a Northern Dallas suburb. Is there much of a chance for an out-of-stater to get a job there? A couple of years ago I went into a University of Texas at Austin Teacher Career Fair which was a waste of time since all I kept getting was "make sure you apply online" and "be sure to check the district websites for teaching vacancies."

Has anyone had success with acquiring a teaching job in the northern suburbs of Dallas from out-of-state? Could you share how you went about that?

You will never have a problem getting a job in education here. Check with Plano ISD, McKinney and Frisco ISD. Plano is always hiring. But generally speaking, newer teachers are walking off of jobs because they can't handle the classroom so if you're coming from an experienced background, you should be fine. The online apps are mundane and you will have to do them, but follow up once you're in the system. It's a lot easier to talk to HR once your app has been submitted. Each district is different but the necessary evil of red tape is pretty standard.

[katfzl]

Originally Posted by jetsettingdiva73

You will never have a problem getting a job in education here. Check with Plano ISD, McKinney and Frisco ISD. Plano is always hiring. But generally speaking, newer teachers are walking off of jobs because they can't handle the classroom so if you're coming from an experienced background, you should be fine. The online apps are mundane and you will have to do them, but follow up once you're in the system. It's a lot easier to talk to HR once your app has been submitted. Each district is different but the necessary evil of red tape is pretty standard.

Interesting how times have changed, because I was in Fort Worth in 2010-11, and it was hard to even get a position subbing in Ft Worth Metroplex. I had two interviews and was told they were getting 500 to 1000 applicants for positions. I have a Masters and license Special Ed....

[Allison81]

I moved here last summer from FL and was hired fairly quickly. Each ISD is unique. Some pay more than others, some are more desirable (suburban schools, etc.), which may make for more competition. My biggest hurdle was getting interviews without my TX certification secured yet. I'd submitted for it, but just didn't have it. Some principals were apprehensive of that, and didn't ask for an interview. Their loss! LOL. Overall though, I had 3 interviews and 3 job offers.

After I submitted resumes, I tried to find the principal's email address on the school website. I personally emailed the principal and attached my cover letter and resume. I got several return emails that way. Many districts will send you a "Gallup Survey." Don't take that survey lightly. If you don't score a certain number, your resume won't even show up in the system to principals.

You're in education, so you know the drill...start applying in April and get in early when positions start opening up for the next school year. You'll find something.

[bencronin04]

Originally Posted by jetsettingdiva73

You will never have a problem getting a job in education here. Check with Plano ISD, McKinney and Frisco ISD. Plano is always hiring. But generally speaking, newer teachers are walking off of jobs because they can't handle the classroom so if you're coming from an experienced background, you should be fine. The online apps are mundane and you will have to do them, but follow up once you're in the system. It's a lot easier to talk to HR once your app has been submitted. Each district is different but the necessary evil of red tape is pretty standard.

This is completely inaccurate information. Right now seems to be a good time for teachers, but it has not always been this way. I was working for PISD from 2008 to 2010. Teachers were losing their jobs in the burbs and DISD. Our family has a very strong presences in PISD and even some cousins were not able to find work after graduating college. It has definitely turned around, but saying that you will never have a problem finding a job as a teach is wrong. Good luck OP!

[Allison81]

Originally Posted by bencronin04

This is completely inaccurate information. Right now seems to be a good time for teachers, but it has not always been this way. I was working for PISD from 2008 to 2010. Teachers were losing their jobs in the burbs and DISD. Our family has a very strong presences in PISD and even some cousins were not able to find work after graduating college. It has definitely turned around, but saying that you will never have a problem finding a job as a teach is wrong. Good luck OP!

I almost got pink slipped then too. The economy was in a decline during that time, and things are definitely better. With so much new development, new schools are being built too.

[loves2read]

The on-line application is mainly a weeding out vs hiring process--
each district has a list of key words it favors and searches for those in an application's responses--
if yours doesn't hit the right key words then your resume is not really accepted in the sense that you are chosen to be re-submitted to principals when jobs come vacant

MOST ISDs allow principals at schools lot of leaway to hire people--
that is the crux of the matter--getting past HR to a principal and making a pitch--
sometimes it is helpful for a secondary person to send cover letter and resume to head of dept in specific schools--
some principals will take input from say the English or Math head when looking at new people since they know what their dept needs sometimes more specifically than the principal of large school

having your certification is important because the state's grading system will penalize an ISD for having un-certified teachers on faculty--it costs them points against their overall grade which is very important for any number of reasons.
Some jobs that are really necessary might need to be filled by uncertified/out of state teachers if they are difficult to fill--
like physics teachers

The regions in TX have regional offices w/training/admin staff and also support online employment lists--
Dallas region covers outlying large and small suburban districts
Google it and check the employment site--
the better times to submit an application are in the spring and in the summer right before school opens--
vacacies sometimes appear in the week or two before school opens that occur from last minute job changes, families moving, last minute enrollment upticks that weren't anticipated when planning for teacher number in spring...
each ISD has a budget session in spring that sets the classroom numbers they anticipate hiring for--
one that is done, the principal knows how many staff s/he will be budgeting for--
many districts now let principals manage their school's budget on all levels and hold them accountable for how well they operate within those guidelines--and salaries/benefit costs are important aspect--
one reason why more new/lower salary teachers tend to get hired vs teacher w/more experience and higher salaries...

you need to see how much of your experience will translate into your starting salary--
some distrcits won't give you a yr for yr trade--
I had 5 yrs of teaching exp in Houston ISD but stayed home for more than 15 yrs to raise my children--
moved to new area and went back into teaching--
got part time job and was offered half credit for my teaching years--so paid for 2.5 yrs and half salary since half time--
although I really did more than that...
got full time teaching job next year but didn't get bumped to 5.5 yrs of exp until I argued my case a year or so later

Districts tend to be incestuous--you will find that many teachers are children, even grandchildren, of other teachers and admins who went to that same district--they get hired by connections--

the way that new schools in districts are staffed is that the principal usually gets to personally choose half (or less depending on district sz) of his staff from those HE wants--and takes the rest of the staff from those who apply as transfers from other schools in district or as applicants out of the district or new to teaching...
having transfers from within the district frees up vacancies in other schools but it also allows for smoothing numbers in schools where enrollment has dropped and fewer teachers are needed

Good luck--
getting in to see a principal is the most difficult aspect of being hired in Texas IMO