Teaching in Florida
#31
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Joined: Jun 2015
Location: Near Lynchburg Tennessee, home of Jack Daniels
Posts: 1,379
Re: Teaching in Florida
Also if coming to Iowa would be easier give it a try. It's hard to judge any state by a drive thru on the freeway. You could get established there and then move anywhere you desire in a year or two. You will definitely find a much lower cost of living which will make it easier just starting out.
#32
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 22,105
Re: Teaching in Florida
Newly qualified and experienced. My friend only just had her first year of teaching last year (she was hired up immediately last summer after graduation) and this year has had three offers. Some of our administrators actually went back east to (I think Minnesota, might have been Michigan) recruiting teachers this past spring. We had a shortage of subs last year as well.
#33
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 22,105
Re: Teaching in Florida
Round here they seem to prefer newly qualified teachers ...... because they are cheaper.
To the OP, I know you didn't come here looking for career advice, but if you can get your (insurance) employer to give you a job you may find better pay and career potential in working for the insurance company than in teaching. ......
Teaching here in many states is a horrible political football, usually over either budget concerns or over performance of the worst performing schools. Part of the issue, as it affects teachers, is that while teachers, as in the UK, are employed and paid by the school district/ county, teachers are also assigned to schools at the whim of the school district (this may not be true in all states). A few years ago in Charlotte, NC, the new director of the school district had the bright idea of trying to improve the performance of the worst schools, of which there are (still ) many, by reassigning all the best teachers to the worst schools! IIRC within two years 30% of the entire teaching staff of the entire school system had quit! Apparently the only person who didn't see this coming was the director of the school district. A couple of years later the director of the school district also resigned, before he was fired, because his plan to improve poor school performance (i) had not worked, at all, and (ii) had resulted in experienced teachers being replaced with less experienced or poor performing teachers desperate for a job.
To the OP, I know you didn't come here looking for career advice, but if you can get your (insurance) employer to give you a job you may find better pay and career potential in working for the insurance company than in teaching. ......
Teaching here in many states is a horrible political football, usually over either budget concerns or over performance of the worst performing schools. Part of the issue, as it affects teachers, is that while teachers, as in the UK, are employed and paid by the school district/ county, teachers are also assigned to schools at the whim of the school district (this may not be true in all states). A few years ago in Charlotte, NC, the new director of the school district had the bright idea of trying to improve the performance of the worst schools, of which there are (still ) many, by reassigning all the best teachers to the worst schools! IIRC within two years 30% of the entire teaching staff of the entire school system had quit! Apparently the only person who didn't see this coming was the director of the school district. A couple of years later the director of the school district also resigned, before he was fired, because his plan to improve poor school performance (i) had not worked, at all, and (ii) had resulted in experienced teachers being replaced with less experienced or poor performing teachers desperate for a job.
#34
Re: Teaching in Florida
What you say is, in practice usually works, but there is the option that the school district has to reassign teachers. I know that is how it works in VA and NC, I doubt it is unique to those to states.
#35
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 22,105
Re: Teaching in Florida
I'm highly doubtful. And I would hope that those districts would be more respectful of their teachers....
#36
Re: Teaching in Florida
Honestly, while I have the greatest respect and admiration for those who choose a career as a school teacher (my mother is a retired high school teacher), I would notrecommend teaching in the public school system in America as a career choice.
#37
Re: Teaching in Florida
What have you been smoking?
Honestly, while I have the greatest respect and admiration for those who choose a career as a school teacher (my mother is a retired high school teacher), I would notrecommend teaching in the public school system in America as a career choice.
Honestly, while I have the greatest respect and admiration for those who choose a career as a school teacher (my mother is a retired high school teacher), I would notrecommend teaching in the public school system in America as a career choice.
A county less than forty miles from Tampa has recently cancelled all it's department chairs posts and is encouraging most of them to reapply. My wife (who happens to be one) was told 'she'd be first in line if a youngster doesn't apply for her old post'. She's told them they can stick their reapplication because she's fed up with all the politics.
All this because the unions (of which she's not a member) kicked up a stink last year when the district halved the pittance that masquerades as an incentive to be a chair and now the county want to weed out union members from all Department chair positions.
(This is the same District whose board have managed to wrongly spend/not document $6.4million and can't physically trace $3million nor find a load of relevant emails that have mysteriously disappeared - there is an external investigation!!).
#38
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 22,105
Re: Teaching in Florida
What have you been smoking?
Honestly, while I have the greatest respect and admiration for those who choose a career as a school teacher (my mother is a retired high school teacher), I would notrecommend teaching in the public school system in America as a career choice.
Honestly, while I have the greatest respect and admiration for those who choose a career as a school teacher (my mother is a retired high school teacher), I would notrecommend teaching in the public school system in America as a career choice.
I do know that there are people who enjoy teaching AND do a good job at it. I think they should be commended and respected, it's a hard job.
#39
Re: Teaching in Florida
I was only suggesting that your "hope" was wildly unrealistic.
I wish I was surprised. The education system across much of America is an embarrassment.
..... A county less than forty miles from Tampa has recently cancelled all it's department chairs posts and is encouraging most of them to reapply. My wife (who happens to be one) was told 'she'd be first in line if a youngster doesn't apply for her old post'. She's told them they can stick their reapplication because she's fed up with all the politics.
All this because the unions (of which she's not a member) kicked up a stink last year when the district halved the pittance that masquerades as an incentive to be a chair and now the county want to weed out union members from all Department chair positions.
(This is the same District whose board have managed to wrongly spend/not document $6.4million and can't physically trace $3million nor find a load of relevant emails that have mysteriously disappeared - there is an external investigation!!). .....
All this because the unions (of which she's not a member) kicked up a stink last year when the district halved the pittance that masquerades as an incentive to be a chair and now the county want to weed out union members from all Department chair positions.
(This is the same District whose board have managed to wrongly spend/not document $6.4million and can't physically trace $3million nor find a load of relevant emails that have mysteriously disappeared - there is an external investigation!!). .....
Last edited by Pulaski; Aug 29th 2015 at 11:42 pm.
#40
Re: Teaching in Florida
I only know NC, but it looks about right. The problem is the relatively high cost of some things even in a low cost state. If your gross income is $3,000/mth, even in a low cost state housing is going to take about $1,000 (you could pay less, but it would be poor housing in a poor part of town), and medical insurance/ out of pocket costs probably $400, utilities probably $250, food and supplies, minumum $800, cell phones and cable $200, car/car payments $250, petrol $200 (you will drive a lot more than in the UK.) ..... Oh, and now we've already spent more than your gross income. And there's still taxes to pay, clothes to buy, car tax and repairs, daycare for your son, if your husband works, ...... So making the move to the US is going to be critically dependent on what job your husband can get.
Back to daycare for your son - $400/ mth in someone's home, (would be $1,000+ in a custom facility with professional staff). If you're both working, you'll need another car $250, another $100 for petrol (you drive together on weekends), clothing for all of you $300/mth (that won't go far), car repairs and service, two cars, $100/mth (assuming nothing major goes wrong). That's $4,250 if I added it up right, and personally I think most of those numbers are on the low side. And there's no budget there for holidays or travel back to the UK.
ETA I forgot car insurance: think $150/mth, at least to start with.
Your husband is going to need to pull in $36k minimum just to balance the budget. ..... $72k for a couple is going to net around $56-$58k, or just under $5k/mth.
Back to daycare for your son - $400/ mth in someone's home, (would be $1,000+ in a custom facility with professional staff). If you're both working, you'll need another car $250, another $100 for petrol (you drive together on weekends), clothing for all of you $300/mth (that won't go far), car repairs and service, two cars, $100/mth (assuming nothing major goes wrong). That's $4,250 if I added it up right, and personally I think most of those numbers are on the low side. And there's no budget there for holidays or travel back to the UK.
ETA I forgot car insurance: think $150/mth, at least to start with.
Your husband is going to need to pull in $36k minimum just to balance the budget. ..... $72k for a couple is going to net around $56-$58k, or just under $5k/mth.
Round my way daycare is $200 p/week p/child in someone's house ...if you can find anywhere with availability.
#41
Re: Teaching in Florida
There are probably a number of things I forgot/ didn't include. .... Renters insurance, furniture, mowing/ gardening, and I am sure some other things.
Yeah, I know it is a lot more in most of the big cities, and consistent with your numbers, about twice what it is round here (NC) seems to be the going rate in the major cities of the NE and West Coast.
..... Round my way daycare is $200 p/week p/child in someone's house ...if you can find anywhere with availability.
#44
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2007
Location: Northern Ireland/Florida
Posts: 112
Re: Teaching in Florida
When we moved here we paid $875 for a 2 bed condo in a great area in Dunedin. That included lawn & pool maintence, water and basic cable. Electricity was $90 per month...Internet/phone $90. We got prepay cellphones $60 per month. Health benefits come through my husbands work. $40 co pay to see a doctor! Well baby visits for the kids are free in ours and most benefit packages...that covers all the babies immunization a etc. my son was born in the UK but my daughter was born here....that was around $5000 out of pocket...even with benefits. Our car was the biggest expense $330 a month. My husband cycled to work so we were lucky to only have to run one car so I can't comment on gas prices. Car insurance was $80 per month. I stayed at home with my kids but I know the daycare rates are $180 for non potty trained kids and $150 for potty trained. Bright beginnings daycare seems to be the fave in this area. Most of the day cares have waiting lists but there are tons of in home daycares so you might have to start of with one of them. I find food here more expensive than where we were in the UK. I spend $150-$200 per week to feed my family of 4. If you can find a teaching job with benefits you could probably make it in this area. There are a lot of fun and free things to do and a large community of young families. Finding the job is probably going to be the hardest part!
Last edited by indigogirl1976; Aug 30th 2015 at 6:15 am.
#45
Re: Teaching in Florida
..... Our car was the biggest expense $330 a month. My husband cycled to work so we were lucky to only have to run one car so I can't comment on gas prices. Car insurance was $80 per month. ......
..... I stayed at home with my kids but I know the daycare rates are $180 for non potty trained kids and $150 for potty trained. .....