Recent PA teacher needs some advice...to relocate, or not to relocate?

[tgbwc]

Originally Posted by toobusytoday

I think I read somewhere that there are teacher unions in all states NEA - State Affiliates (http://www.nea.org/home/1621.htm - broken link) but how powerful they are is what makes the difference. PA is a right-to-strike state and that wields a big stick along with the collective bargaining.

True. And within even one state their "clout" can vary. There is also a difference between a union and an association. So I just wanted to say that it isn't accurate to say that VA has no teacher unions.

[endersshadow]

Originally Posted by tgbwc

There are teachers' unions in VA. Fairfax County, for example, has the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers. It is a true labor union affiliated with the AFT and AFL-CIO. There are also associations such as the Fairfax Education Association. The difference between VA and MD is that VA is a right to work state, so an employee cannot be required to join a union to work for the district. Also, VA does not have collective bargaining as MD does. But YES, VA does have teacher unions.

I stand corrected

[North Beach Person]

To the OP:
Your PA certificate is transferrable to MD with a caveat-the terminology of certification has to match exactly. An example: when my wife and I moved here from PA (25 years ago) her cert was in Library Science. MD called them Media Specialists. Ten years, a foot thick stack of letters, and my finding someone in the MD State Dept of Ed with a brain later her certificate transferred. MD does require the PRAXIS and Reading and Special Ed endorsements to get your Standard Professional. You do have longer here than PA to gets your Master's or equivalent.

[jbtx]

Stay in PA.

Most of the rest of the country is sick and tired of teachers who are unqualified to teach apple bobbing on Halloween. If you are certified to teach in your home state,,, stay there.

Moving out-of-state will almost certainly involve testing and re-certification, which will be expensive and time consuming.

Good luck