[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by Spring Hillian

Great. You go live there.

Many people live there happily (more so than the "paradise of Spring Hill" ) and I would be more than happy to if the circumstances called for it.

[Spring Hillian]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Many people live there happily (more so than the "paradise of Spring Hill" ) and I would be more than happy to if the circumstances called for it.

I live in the paradise of spring hill due to its rural nature. I dont like being in large metro areas. After growing up and living in NYC for 30 years it kind of looses its appeal.

[Sweetbottoms]

Originally Posted by Spring Hillian

they just go by what they "heard"

Sorry but in towns like Immokalee in Naples and parts of the Estates there are kids who can't speak a lick of English and are integrated into the public schools. I went to school with many of them and I went to a very "rich" school in North Naples. There are many immigrant towns on the west coast also that the children are bussed and zoned for public schools where teachers need a basic grasp on both languages and more and more come every day. Just last night I found a lost dog from the fireworks, a family walking by didn't speak one ounce of English, the mom or the 5 children. Thankfully I knew just enough to ask if they knew were the dog lived, living in Fla for 31 years you pick it up

[Spring Hillian]

Originally Posted by Sweetbottoms

Sorry but in towns like Immokalee in Naples and parts of the Estates there are kids who can't speak a lick of English and are integrated into the public schools. I went to school with many of them and I went to a very "rich" school in North Naples. There are many immigrant towns on the west coast also that the children are bussed and zoned for public schools where teachers need a basic grasp on both languages and more and more come every day. Just last night I found a lost dog from the fireworks, a family walking by didn't speak one ounce of English, the mom or the 5 children. Thankfully I knew just enough to ask if they knew were the dog lived, living in Fla for 31 years you pick it up

That is why I wouldnt live in a place where migrants and immigrants tend to settle. This is what you get when a country caters to every foreign language used in this country. Every government service is available in any language you choose. Why bother learning English?

I know that when my grandparents arrived at Ellis Island they did not speak English. They quickly found out that it was a necessity and went to school to learn English. They didnt speak like a Bostonian but they had enough command of English to assimilate into America. In those days there were no government services available in any language except English.

[jghorton]

We moved to Florida 42 years ago. My wife retired a couple of years ago from the Florida School System as a Principal, after many years in Brevard, Hillsborough and Osceola Counties, where she hired and mentored many young teachers. Our kids also attended Florida school. Therefore, it is with some degree of actual, diversified experience that I can assure you that most of the 'Florida bashing' on CD Forums (schools, living, COL and employment) is based on stereotypes and ill-informed opinions or generalized 'broad-brush' editorials, not first-hand knowledge. For example, Florida is still part of the United States and the language and school curriculum (even in Miami) are still English, not Spanish!

Having said that, I can tell you that while Florida is a great plac(e to live, it's not 'Camelot.' Sunshine, beaches and palm trees won't 'pay the rent or put food on the table' in Florida (...or anyplace else!). You have a major advantage over many other young teachers who want to move here, because you at least have family with whom you might stay, ... while you take a serious job-hunting trip/s to Florida this summer. (Florida Principals work year-round and now is a great time to make appointments and first-hand contacts with people in a position to actually give you a job in the fall). It's even better, if you already have a 'fall back position' lined-up in Philadelphia, in the event things don't work out for you in Florida.

All I'm really saying is that optimism and dreams are wonderful, but, there is no substitute for common sense and planning, when it comes to employment ... or anything else in life. Good luck!

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

South Florida has higher salaries than other areas of the state which is how people afford more expensive housing generally, just like in other more expensive housing areas of the country. It's not rocket science.

False. It's actually worse there. Central fl is far more affordable proportional to the salary

http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/ripti...ly_unaffor.php

[Spring Hillian]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

False. It's actually worse there. Central fl is far more affordable proportional to the salary

Miami Rents Are Wildly Unaffordable for Average Residents | Miami New Times

I know as a fact it is worse there. I have a brother in Pembroke Pines. He tells me that the COL
is catching up on him as he has recently retired after 30 years with Miami-Dade as a carpenter.
Everything costs him more than it would in other parts of the state. He tells me there are a lot of well paying jobs but getting people who are qualified is another story.

[OrlFlaUsa]

Florida is hardly the worst state for being a teacher. Just go visit a teacher in the Carolinas and see if they wouldn't mind making the income and benefits of a Florida counterpart.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

False. It's actually worse there. Central fl is far more affordable proportional to the salary

Miami Rents Are Wildly Unaffordable for Average Residents | Miami New Times

Well, not really....especially since so many work lower paying jobs. "The four-county metro area has 262,772 renters who earn an average hourly wage of $13.31 and cannot alone afford the area's fair-market rent of $936"...

Rentals in Florida: Rentals in Florida too high - Orlando Sentinel

[LakelandFLNative]

This link has a document you can download that shows the average teacher salary by district. This might be a good starting point.

Apart from that, I would certainly put Jacksonville on your list of considerations.

Florida Teacher Salaries