Has employment for teachers improved in the past year??? (Portland: teaching jobs, private schools)

[PurksGirl]

Hi everyone! I'm new to this forum and yes...I'm posting another teacher question. The rest of the posts I found are at least a year old or a little different than my situation so deal with me for a minute.

My boyfriend and I are planning to move to the Portland area this summer. I work in animation here in California and he is a 1st/2nd grade teacher and has worked for the past 6 years in Alaska. He's originally from Oregon and has a state teaching license there.

I know it's been hard for teachers looking for jobs in Oregon, but has conditions gotten better? Is it impossible to think he could get a job in the greater Portland area? He's a little nervous about employment and will substitute if he can't find anything right away. And teaching in California would be tough too. But I want to be positive! Any thoughts? Thanks!

[hamellr]

I do not think that teaching jobs in Oregon have gotten any better - but that's 100% based on friends.

Since you're in animation, be sure to check out Laika (LAIKA .) But be aware that most everyone I know in animation moves every 2-3 years to follow the jobs. Right now it's Pixar in Vancouver BC that is hiring. Last year it was WETA down in your area.

[roneb]

As a currently unemployed teacher I can save without a doubt that the employment outlook for teachers is still very bleak.

[PurksGirl]

roneb, I hope you don't mind me asking but how long have you been unemployed? Is getting substitute jobs hard as well?

[davefr]

With a $3B budget shortfall it'll likely get worse in the near term.

[jaijj1b]

Originally Posted by NewEntrepreneur

.....because the teacher's unions have ravaged the budget with their ridiculous pension and health benefits. And then the liberal politicians have the nerve to lecture the taxpayers / business owners when they oppose tax increases saying they don't care about the "kids." You brought it on yourselves.

well happy teachers = happy kids..

[Minervah]

I think your boyfriend might want to check out PPS to determine the status of the waiting list for substitute teaching jobs. That will give him an idea of what the job availiablities are. Also, maybe he can look into private schools. Don't discount the suburbs. I don't think it's very good anywhere but at least you will have a first hand idea as to what the situation is.

[mobilemindstationaryreality]

NO, NO, NO! Never been able to get a teaching job here and I have many principals and other teachers who have flat out told me, "I can't believe you haven't been hired yet. You're so good at what you do!" I have been everyone's favorite substitute teacher for the last four years but never able to be hired. The market here stinks for teachers and unless your bf speaks Spanish, it is very doubtful he would get a job. I applied for jobs in small Oregon/Washington towns that I've never even heard of and I wasn't even called for an interview.

I'm just lucky that I started networking years ago right after I graduated college. Because of that networking, I have been able to work full time as a substitute and have been grandfathered into many district's systems. New subs who start cannot even get onto systems. Portland Public is completely full and I think they only accept a few new subs every year. That's after an application process, waiting, and an interview. MESD, which runs the sub system for all of the other districts in Multnomah County is full and only takes a few new people every year. North Clackamas district, a large district south of Portland recently started giving a test to their subs at the beginning of the school year to weed out the bad ones. Even though I passed this test and still continue to sub for NC, there were many good subs who were weeded out by this test and have now had to find other means to sustain themselves. Oregon City, West Linn...they're all over saturated with subs and can only work maybe one day a week. I'm not sure about Beaverton or Hillsboro but that pretty much sums up most of the metro area. There aren't even opportunities in Vancouver or Camas, everyone is just over saturated.

If your bf gets any kind of teaching job, it might be with some private academy or something and they pay would be pretty equal to minimum wage if you count all of the extra hours he would have to put in. Let me just tell you, it probably wouldn't be worth the move!