Layoffs

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I received an e-mail from our INEA (teacher's union) president that our district is considering layoffs for next year.

Our district was royally screwed over when the county reassessed land values this year after the budget had been made. We entered into legal action against them and lost. We found out that the state is continuing to cut funding and apparently income from gambling and other sales taxes fell well below the projected amount.

Many jobs were eliminated this year due to attrition. INEA is talking to the district about retirement incentives and other things to help. I am fairly certain that even in layoffs my position would be safe due to the nature of my classroom. But if they decide to lay off all first year teachers like some other districts did, I am screwed.

Needless to say I am a bit worried. I have received several interview offers from apps I submitted last year, and I am going to start calling them back. I'm afraid that if I wait too long and they announce the layoffs, all the jobs for next year will be taken.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

It is always easier to find work if you are employed. Even in this market, you look more attractive - they don't have to wonder why you were let go from your last position.

If you feel that your job is in jeopardy, start looking now. Good luck...

 

[happygirl]

It would be hard to be laid off. It you do get laid off at least you still have your World of Fun job

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Very wise to be proactive!

Sorry about the potential layoff. You are now armed with knowledge so that you can help prevent a gap in income. Then your severance--becomes a signing bonus. How cool is that?

Good luck!

 

[monsterkitty]

Very wise to be proactive!

Sorry about the potential layoff. You are now armed with knowledge so that you can help prevent a gap in income. Then your severance--becomes a signing bonus. How cool is that?

Good luck!

Teachers don't get severance packages when there is a RIF.

Our district is in the same boat - they have to cut 8 million from the budget for next year. Because I am an elective teacher, chances are my program will be eliminated. So, after 20 years in the same school, I will likely be moved to another school next year as I am also certified as a reading specialist. All districts are cutting back so I know I will not be able to find another music ed job any time soon.

Go to every job fair you can. Good luck!

 

[barkley]

a friend and her husband work for a district that did layoffs this school year, and project more for next. i was curious how they did it with the credentialing requirements in the state she lives. she said it was a nightmare-and took so much time to see who would eventualy be cut. their contracts required the district to figure out the number of positions lost first, then figure out who was low seniority, then figure how/if higher seniority could legaly (with their credentialing) move into other slots...everyone was scared. she reports that since the first wave of cuts the number of teachers who have enrolled in nite and summer courses to get additional certifications in what they are seeing as the 'safer' positions has skyrocketed.

she was safe in the last round b/c her position was specialy funded for a 2 year cycle, but that cycle ends this spring so it's anyone's guess if she will be back in the fall (her dh has over 20 years in his district as a counselor-and he came very close to being eliminated this past fall).

 

[ksjayhawks]

Very wise to be proactive!

Sorry about the potential layoff. You are now armed with knowledge so that you can help prevent a gap in income. Then your severance--becomes a signing bonus. How cool is that?

Good luck!

If only we teachers received severance packages! No such luck.

OP you are smart to start looking now. Our district is also facing cuts again for next year. They are offering an early retirement package again and hopefully most of the cuts will be covered by this and not by having to let those with less years in the system go. Last year they ended up with more retiring than they had planned on, so had to hire about 70 teachers. Not sure what will happen this year. Heard that classes will be bigger and many electives will not be offered at the 6/12 level if there are not enough kids enrolled to justify paying a teacher. Will have to see.

Good luck on the job hunt!

 

[minniecarousel]

Yup, our District has already decided to increase class sizes in previously protected small classrooms. All the teachers I know have been checking the Seniority list - just to make sure of their position.

As clerical, I expect to receive a notice, but I think I'd be able to "bump", or the PTA may be able to raise funds for my position.

 

[manning]

Welcome to the cruel world. It isn't fun. I know I have been thru it. When values go down and tax increase caps are in place there is only one thing to do, make cuts. This is the worst recession I have ever seen.

 

[shrubber]

Perhaps you should look for a position outside of a union.

 

[FireDancer]

It is always easier to find work if you are employed. Even in this market, you look more attractive - they don't have to wonder why you were let go from your last position.

If you feel that your job is in jeopardy, start looking now. Good luck...

I find that even the stress of the interview process is mitigated by knowing that you have the current job as a fall back. Of course it isn't always possible but if you have the choice be proactive and not reactive.

 

[Cindy B]

yes, I would start looking now. Consider yourself very lucky you had a teaching job this year though. I know many graduates (me included) that could not find any teaching positions since graduation. I am going into my 2nd year after graduation without a teaching position.

Many districts do lay off and then rehire different (read cheaper) candidates later. In one nearby district, they laid off 55 experiences teachers and rehired 33 different teachers at a lower rate. Around here an experienced veteran teacher makes anywhere from 75-95K (yes really) and starting salary is 47K for our state..so they can get 1.5 to 2 positions for the price of one.

My last teaching position as a Basic Skills teacher was eliminated due to budget cuts -- the levy for the town didn't pass so my position was eliminated.. I was the last hired so first to go

Around here there are no public school districts without unions. The only "districts" that don't have unions are either private schools and some specific charter schools.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

There are a few things you should be doing or have done (and continue to do) already.

1. Make sure you have 6 months of salary in your savings account, not earmarked for anything else.
2. Education, use it, continue it. For a teacher this is even more important, not just because it makes you more valuable, but because there are new things every year, and it will keep your teaching skills relevant.

In my opinion, the second part is what drives me crazy about union teaching (or really any position). So you get a job, you have great credentials, but after a few years, you can pretty much rest on your laurels (excluding the basic CE required by law) and use your years of service to stay in your position.

I'd rather have a person who continues to educate themselves then someone that has been in the position for 20 years.

 

[FireDancer]

yes, I would start looking now. Consider yourself very lucky you had a teaching job this year though. I know many graduates (me included) that could not find any teaching positions since graduation. I am going into my 2nd year after graduation without a teaching position.

Many districts do lay off and then rehire different (read cheaper) candidates later. In one nearby district, they laid off 55 experiences teachers and rehired 33 different teachers at a lower rate. Around here an experienced veteran teacher makes anywhere from 75-95K (yes really) and starting salary is 47K for our state..so they can get 1.5 to 2 positions for the price of one.

My last teaching position as a Basic Skills teacher was eliminated due to budget cuts -- the levy for the town didn't pass so my position was eliminated.. I was the last hired so first to go

Around here there are no public school districts without unions. The only "districts" that don't have unions are either private schools and some specific charter schools.

Have you considered moving to find work? I have found it is always easier to find a job if you are willing to relocate, especially if the new employer will pay part or all of your relocation. I am not sure if that is standard for teachers but my last two jobs both necessitated a 1,200 mile move and in one case it was fully paid for by the employer. The other was not. Even if you don't really want to relocate it never hurts to put it out there and then turn down the job offer. You never know.

Where I live now most of the cities are experiencing a population decline which makes it hard to find teaching jobs. If schools aren't expanding you have to wait for a position to open up. If you are willing to go somewhere with an expanding population it will be easier.

 

[barkley]

Perhaps you should look for a position outside of a union.

for teachers that want to teach, those positions can be even harder to come by these days. private schools are having huge decreases in enrollment, and some schools are closing entirely.


the one my kids attended several years back elimated a bunch of positions this school year, and b/c they (1) don't have to require credentials or even college degrees for their teaching staff, (2) don't do unions-so no seniority/no protection the first staff to go were the actual educated/credentialed (and esp. those within any close proximity to actualy qualifying for a pension) teachers who they replaced with barely above minimum wage/no benefit staff (i posted back some months ago about how the school had re-assigned an undegreed/uncredentialed yard monitor as a highschool chemestry instructor, their reasoning being that the woman had at one point held her cosmetology license so 'she has experience and education in working with chemicals').


i have to ask-how do these layoffs effect teachers (more recent grads) that signed up for those loan forgiveness programs (for school) where if they credentialed in a 'high need' (like math and science) and then worked in certain types of schools for so many years? is the government cutting them any kind of slack due to the fact that there just are'nt jobs enough for existing teachers, or are they going to be looking at being jobless (at least in their chosen careers) and having to repay these?

 

[barkley]

hey-i jumped from this board to read one of the newspapers from our former area. seems one of the school districts there is closed for week b/c of a deal the teachers/unions did to lower the amount of layoffs that were to occur for the '09-'10 school year.

apparantly the staff who remained agreed to a 2% pay reduction which included 3 unpaid furlough days for this school year. the district decided to try and maximize savings by shifting one of their school holidays to last friday, and then added the 3 furlogh days as next tuesday-thursday. the school ends up closed for a full week with the district saving on both salaries and operating expenses.

gotta wonder what the financial impact is on the parents whose kids need daycare

 

[Cindy B]

Have you considered moving to find work? I have found it is always easier to find a job if you are willing to relocate, especially if the new employer will pay part or all of your relocation. I am not sure if that is standard for teachers but my last two jobs both necessitated a 1,200 mile move and in one case it was fully paid for by the employer. The other was not. Even if you don't really want to relocate it never hurts to put it out there and then turn down the job offer. You never know.

Where I live now most of the cities are experiencing a population decline which makes it hard to find teaching jobs. If schools aren't expanding you have to wait for a position to open up. If you are willing to go somewhere with an expanding population it will be easier.

I am already looking in a tri state area and will travel up to 5 counties in my own state (up to 100 miles each way). I do have my own children in school and my husband has a job in this area. I can't relocate to another state.

There are just too many graduates and too little positions. I am dually certified, great GPA, fantastic credentials. I am also willing to go to urban districts.. and they aren't even hiring. You know its bad when the urban lowest ranked district isn't even hiring.

 

[Buckalew11]

My sister goes through this every year and has since she started teaching 20+ yrs. ago. Her job is always on the line--maybe because she is PE/Health? Soemtimes she does not know if she will have a job 1-2 weeks even before school starts up. This is SC btw.

 

[mum4jenn]

Our school system here is trying everything to prevent anyone losing a job. No one has received a raise in 2 years, teachers for this school year will have 6 furlough days and all other employees have 3 furlough days. Even the board of education is taking unpaid meeting days. They offered early retirement last year, and have increased class size, as well as moved people around to other positions. Many Paras are now substituting for teachers instead of bringing a Sub in. THe school year has been reduced to 178 student days this year with the possibility of 175 student day next year.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I have heard talk that the legistlature will allow us to reduce student days next year. I expect most of the cuts to come from classified staff as they did this year. I'm not overly worried, I don't see how they could eliminate my position- particularly with the para cutbacks we've had. Of course, anything is possible. I e-mailed my process coordinator to ask her for a letter of recommendation, and she was asking me if I was still interested in transferring in district. The tone definitely made to it sound like it wasn't anything I shoudl be overly worried about.

As far as the union thing- we are not required to join. I only loosely consider the NEA a union anyway. Yes, they are our representatives to the school board, but I joined it more for the liability insurance than anything. The union certainly does not seem as strong as the one when I worked at Disney! There are two major unions in our district: NEA (national education association) which is a national organization, and the MSTA (Missouri State Teachers Association) which is state wide. You do not have to join either if you don't want to, but most do so that they can have the liability coverage.