Job market for School Psychs (San Diego, Stockton: transfer, university, salary)

[CD2017]

My GF and I are contemplating a move to California. We currently live in Minneapolis. She was a school psych for 13 years in Indianapolis and Minneapolis and is now currently a Supervisor in Special Education. Anyway, we would like to get to CA (she went to 3 years of school in Stockton in the early 2000's--no desire to be in the central valley).

She still has contacts in CA and was told to focus her search towards NorCal due to more openings. As a result, we are taking a 10 day trip to check some things out in the SJ/SF area. Despite this, we both would like to be near SD, preferably somewhere semi-close to the coast.

Our question for now is, does anyone know what the job market for school psych's looks like in the SD vicinity?

Thanks.

[Snort]

The job market and salary is generally better up north than it is in San Diego County. How do I know this?
She should get her CA certificate asap. Trust me, there are jobs to be had in some pretty decent places.

[RosieSD]

Your girlfriend is probably already familiar with this site: https://www.edjoin.org/ It would be one way to scope out job possibilities.

There are currently 300+ ads for school psychologists in California listed -- they are spread out fairly evenly between north and south California, with perhaps a few more listed in Southern California. Several districts in San Diego County are currently taking applications (I believe you can sort jobs by county using the advanced search function. Salaries are pretty much the same range throughout the state, and dependent on experience and education of course. Be sure to factor in the cost of living differential between living in a more expensive area like the Bay area when comparing available positions. Of course, this is just a snapshot of job openings TODAY; what's open next week or next year might differ. But it will give your girlfriend at least an idea of salaries and job descriptions.

It also would be worthwhile for your girlfriend to look into joining the California Association of School Psychologists (CASPOnline) which maintains a job board for its members. If your girlfriend can visit and attend one of CASP's conferences or other events, that would be a good networking opportunity. In any case, getting in touch with CASP would be a good source of information on what the job market actually looks like here.

I'm sure your girlfriend has already looked into how to transfer her PPS credential to California. But just in case, here is the information she'll need on how to do this if she didn't receive her master's from a California university: http://www.ctc.ca.gov/credentials/CR...nnel-svcs.html

Obviously, you should also be thinking about where the jobs for YOU might also be located, and be doing your own job search at the same time.

Good luck to you and your girlfriend with your research and decision.

[CD2017]

Thanks OP's. Yes, I will be doing a search for myself as well. I'm a bit more in a career change. I did 13 years in juvenile corrections and unsure if that's what I want to continue to do, especially in CA.

[nightlysparrow]

For your reference, here's the requirements for LAUSD, a much bigger district:

Prospective Employees / School Psychologists