[Shoegal1075]

While I don't share Funnyman's sentiment - I say go for it too - 33k in DC isn't getting you nice food either - What do you do that you have a Masters and only make 33K? I'm just wondering. You are right about politics in DC, if you are not in it - why are you there thing. That being said - it is a really tough job market in Florida and I have found that everything in Florida in very specialized. You are pinholed to a point - if you are a Corporate Paralegal - you can not deviate to Litigation. To me it is a bit strange, but it is how things work there. Good luck!

[d-fens]

I work right now in college athletics but I have degrees in education. In this field, salaries are notoriously low and there really isn't much of a light at the end of the tunnel unless you somehow get a big position at a big university. I did at one time have a job offered to me to be a middle school teacher in FL but turned it down to pursue this. After a few years in this field, I have decided I would rather become a teacher. In this field you can't choose where you get to live as you have limited opportunities for any job. Problem is only NCLB subjects are being hired in pretty much the whole country (well, the relevant states that have more than 6 people living in them). I am going to take the Florida certification test to add a Biology subject coverage to my Florida license.

[Swimmom32]

I can tell you all over the country they will hire Math and Science teachers as most of the schools need them..my cousin is a math hs teacher up in NY state and her fiance is a Science teacher HS as well and she always says that they can find jobs anywhere, its just a matter of how much will they make...it seems there is always a shortage in these subjects....good luck to you

[MovedfromFL]

Try this forum for teachers. Florida Teachers.Net - The Florida Teacher Website! Teacher chatboards & teacher chat rooms, lesson plans and teaching tools, teacher job listings and career resources, reference desk and curriculum tools, everything for the on-line teacher!

I hear that there are many unemployed science and math teachers now, but who knows?

Florida has a very strict class size amendment that was voted in years ago. This year is a critical juncture because this fall is the school year when the limits are to be applied to each individual class. The limit numbers are currently calculated on a school wide basis, so you could have a special ed class with 5 kids and a science class with 35 and it all averages out. This fall, you will have a hard cap on that science class. There is talk about cutting other teachers like art, PE, guidance counselors, etc to free up money to pay for the smaller core subject class sizes. There is also talk of putting the issue back on the ballot for voters but that can't happen until November. Meanwhile, districts have to meet the requirements come August when school starts.

You need to read up on this for sure. I'm worried that they will hire a lot of teachers and then voters will speak in November to delay the hard caps. Then a lot of those new teachers could be cut. You also need to read up on FL's proposed merit pay plan. Follow all of this on the Orlando Sentinel newspaper's website. There is a tab for "Education" which has a lot of info.

Central Florida Schools: Orlando and Central Florida school and education news - OrlandoSentinel.com

Oh and I'm sure you will notice the sky high fees to take teacher certification tests these days in FL. They jacked those from like $70 to $200. It will cost me $200 just to add a subject if I want to. My husband and I both taught in FL but we moved to GA in 2006. We are on track to move back to FL this summer but I'm really scared about the job situation. I do think things here in GA are even worse, though. We had massive layoffs, pay cuts, and furlough days this year. We are talking 15% pay cuts for next year. (2 furlough weeks for teachers vs. the 6 we had this year) Kids would also stay home a full week for 5 of those furlough days! Can you imagine just shutting school down for a week statewide because we don't have the money? That's what the GA legislature is proposing.
You need to keep in mind that next summer is the "stimulus funding cliff" that we hear about. The federal stimulus money runs out and that money is really keeping our schools limping along right now. I'm worried about that too. We might get a job for next school year, only to be cut in the spring when the money dries up! (but then again, how much can they cut in FL if you still have the class size amendment?)

Good luck in your move to FL. Also, many districts have open positions throughout the year, so you might find something in say November or February. Keep in mind that first hired = first cut, so new teachers will always be on the chopping block. If you start mid-year, that would really put you on top of the list. You might find a long term sub position and use that to segway into the classroom also. Competition will be stiff because many states are laying off teachers and the colleges are still churning out education graduates.

I get the impression that you are a male, so that might help you somehow. I hope we both make it down to FL this year!

[tercel95]

I moved here about 10 months ago... I am from the DC/Metro area as well so I feel your pain... I am a software developer for a defense contractor and my company had no issues hiring me from MD... They gave me plenty of time to get moved down here and were very accommodating... Who knows maybe you can find that too? Unfortunately it doesn't seem as if teachers are doing so well anywhere right now...

Good luck to you

[Chicken Wing]

Accounting

Moved here in April 2009 due to my fiance finding a job in March 2009 here (she works for a laboratory). It took me a while to land a full time gig, which I finally did in December 2009.

[Shoegal1075]

Originally Posted by Chicken Wing

Accounting

Moved here in April 2009 due to my fiance finding a job in March 2009 here (she works for a laboratory). It took me a while to land a full time gig, which I finally did in December 2009.

What are you doing? are you in AR/AP a controller or what? I'm interested in know what the pay is for accounting.

[personalensign79]

Originally Posted by Chelsa1075

What are you doing? are you in AR/AP a controller or what? I'm interested in know what the pay is for accounting.

I have a few friends in accounting. I think their titles are "Staff Accountant" but with two different employers. One has a Bachelors degree, will sit for the CPA sometime within a year and has a current salary in the 33k area. Another has no degree but over 25 years of experience and makes about $45-$48k.

[Shoegal1075]

Oh - okay - Jeesh - florida really needs to up their salaries dramatically!