Anyone else's school laying off teachers?

[Momgonepostal]

My husband just got notice his contract will not be renewed for next year. He's been an intern 3 years and will get his credential in June. Several other teachers at his school are in the same boat, and several others have gotten pink slips.

We're stressed out, because this is a career change job for him, and the field seemed so safe, back when he first got this bright idea. Oh, and he teaches Special Ed, too, so even though you'd think it would be fairly easy to find another position, we're sweating given the state of things here in California.

What's going on at everyone else's district?

[Epiphany4z]

1. yes we just got a letter saying we will

pay more if our kids want to play sports, the schools will not be open for as many after school activities, they are cutting some teachers positions....trying to sell a middle school building that hasn't been used for school in 2 or 3 years...cutting back on field trips, and no new buses.

[JoDog]

2. The district where a friend

did his student teaching just announced that they will be laying off all non-tenured teachers. It's in the south burbs of Chicago.

He will not get his certificate until May and has no idea what is next for him.

[Momgonepostal]

3. Yikes! poor guy...

[Reader Rabbit]

4. No RIFFing this school year, but definitely next.

First and second year teachers—possibly even third—will get their notices in May, most likely.

[YvonneCa]

5. California districts that anticipate layoffs are required by law...

...to notify teachers by March 15th. Historically, most of the teachers getting notices (pink slips) end up keeping their jobs. But if a district is unsure of funding, the notices have to go out anyway.

The circumstances this year ARE worse than usual...so there is reason for concern. If you read local newspapers, you'll find that MANY districts in California are doing this, as they did last year. It is VERY stressful, but my advice would be to just hang in there...finish the school year...and then see where things stand. By then, maybe we'll all know more about how the economy will play out in Califprnia.

[Catshrink]

6. We are losing about 8% of our teachers

at our school. Next year it will be worse.

[donco6]

7. Trying to avoid it - pay freeze plus furlough to keep all positions.

We'll see what happens.

[LWolf]

8. Our district is talking about it.

Right now the big conversation is how many days of our contract will be cut this year: what kind of a hit we'll take on our paychecks April-August.

As soon as that decision is reached, they will start deciding how to balance the budget next year. Everything is on the table.

[AwakeAtLast]

9. No, but my schedule just went to hell

My district is not RIFing, but they are opening up a new middle school to alleviate serious overcrowding (my school is 150 students over capacity). The old middle school is now available and will be used as an intermediate school. They were supposed to hire special area teachers for the new building, but now they are not. The special area teachers in the other buildings are going to have to cover. After promising us relief for two years we are now traveling instead. :(

Class sizes will also be larger. They will not hire anyone even if there are people who retire. :( :(

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. No but I am in a large urban district with a high turnover

We typically have 50 or more jobs every year we can't fill.

Wanna move? :)

[Momgonepostal]

13. Do I ever!

Are you in Kansas?

I was on a Kansas kick a while back. I would totally move just about anywhere, but my husband would drag his feet.

Would your state accept a CA credential? About what does your district pay a new teacher with a Masters? My husband's field is Spec Ed. Feel free to answer in PM if you'd like.

[frustratedmom]

16. Teachers being riffed

Sorry to hear about your luck. I am proud to be a Kansan. Sad to here this is happening everywhere!! Our little school district riffed 4 teachers this year. Two surrounding school districts, approximately the same size riffed 6 and 7 teachers. Things are tough all over and I wish those people who are aiming their anger at the school board and administration could realize this. My husband is a school board member where you know everyone personally, so those who lost their jobs or were cut back took it very personally. This was the toughest thing he has ever had to do and hated every second of it. Some want to lay the blame on them but the economic times have EVERYONE in a crunch!!! Its time we made our politicians at our federal and state levels accountable for their actions. I for one am tired of the trickle down effect that their ignorance is causing!!!!!

[Theory5]

11. soon

Not yet, but they have laid off all of the students that have jobs, such as tutors, and they have said they will not hire anyone over the summer. We do not need to bail out big companies, we need to bail out the education system, to give us kids a better education!

[Rhiannon12866]

12. Our school district always gets everything they want, wonder if that's going to change...

Welcome to DU, Theory5! It's great to have you with us! :toast::hi:

[ChazII]

14. Scottsdale is laying off about

40 first-year teachers.

[sally jo]

15. I am planning to get a Master's in SPED...I am hoping that my state will have enough jobs

I think so far it's been okay because I have a friend who got her first SPED job last fall and she is 50!

[Catshrink]

17. I just heard they riffed our social worker.

WTF? I can't believe it. We need her. I can't imagine what idiot decided that her job was nonessential. In a perfect world we wouldn't need social workers but until parents do their jobs, hostilities between different campus groups cease, family members stop dying, kids stop using drugs, kids have money for food, etc., we need social workers. I am not qualified to offer students that kind of counseling. The academic counselors have nearly double their work load of two years ago.

I am so distraught about this!

:banghead:

Sheesh. I need to use spell check before clicking post.

[LWolf]

18. All of ours were notified yesterday.

I don't know who got RIFFED at my school; they were told privately, and I thought it best to give them some space. I'll probably hear about it soon.

I did get a visit from an upset ex-student; she's in a small "school within a school" program at the local high school. 8 teachers in that program got cut. She ran back over to make sure that her middle school teachers still had a job.

They expected the total number to be riffed in our district to be about 57.