MCPS Involuntary transfer vs. resigning position

[Anonymous]

Hi! I am seeking insight from MCPS employees who seem to lurk around on here! During a staff meeting today, the principal repeatedly told staff members to come to her if we didn't want to stick around and we could be "involuntarily transferred". This is her first year at the school and she isn't popular at all. I was wondering if it looks better for her, if teachers are involuntarily transferred rather than resign their position at the school?

[Anonymous]

Is there an advantage for a staff member to be involuntarily transferred?

[Anonymous]

Sounds like she knows that the school is losing teaching positions. She might be asking for people who were planning to leave the school anyway to 'volunteer' to be 'involuntarily transferred.'. That way, they get first crack at open teaching vacancies, and people who are at the bottom of the seniority list who want to stay at the school, will be able to stay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there an advantage for a staff member to be involuntarily transferred?

I believe involuntary transfers get to interview for open positions before they’re made available to other staff, so if you want to change jobs but stay within MCPS it’s a good way to line up a new job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there an advantage for a staff member to be involuntarily transferred?

I believe involuntary transfers get to interview for open positions before they’re made available to other staff, so if you want to change jobs but stay within MCPS it’s a good way to line up a new job.

This is not true. Involuntary transfers interview at the same time as voluntary transfers. However, if you can’t find a job yourself, the county will guarantee a placement within the county if you are involuntarily transferred. This isn’t normally great for either the employee (you can’t choose location or position) or the school principal because they get ”stuck” with whomever the county places there. It is much better to voluntarily leave and find another position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there an advantage for a staff member to be involuntarily transferred?

I believe involuntary transfers get to interview for open positions before they’re made available to other staff, so if you want to change jobs but stay within MCPS it’s a good way to line up a new job.

This is not true. Involuntary transfers interview at the same time as voluntary transfers. However, if you can’t find a job yourself, the county will guarantee a placement within the county if you are involuntarily transferred. This isn’t normally great for either the employee (you can’t choose location or position) or the school principal because they get ”stuck” with whomever the county places there. It is much better to voluntarily leave and find another position.

All true. They do make a priority location list, but depending on your content, you could be SOL. The principal is probably doing this b/c she's losing staffing and some teachers will want to stay. It sucks it's up to the principal - they can add or cut whatever and some staff get screwed. MCEA wanted staffing allocations to be public info and MCPS said no. The good principals share exactly what they get from CO and the bad ones keep it all secret b/c it's about who they're getting rid of that year.è

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there an advantage for a staff member to be involuntarily transferred?

I believe involuntary transfers get to interview for open positions before they’re made available to other staff, so if you want to change jobs but stay within MCPS it’s a good way to line up a new job.

This is not true. Involuntary transfers interview at the same time as voluntary transfers. However, if you can’t find a job yourself, the county will guarantee a placement within the county if you are involuntarily transferred. This isn’t normally great for either the employee (you can’t choose location or position) or the school principal because they get ”stuck” with whomever the county places there. It is much better to voluntarily leave and find another position.

All true. They do make a priority location list, but depending on your content, you could be SOL. The principal is probably doing this b/c she's losing staffing and some teachers will want to stay. It sucks it's up to the principal - they can add or cut whatever and some staff get screwed. MCEA wanted staffing allocations to be public info and MCPS said no. The good principals share exactly what they get from CO and the bad ones keep it all secret b/c it's about who they're getting rid of that year.è

They can cut programs, like music, languages, and others.

[Anonymous]

Involuntary transferee here last year, we got to interview first for certain subjects!

[Anonymous]

There is no real benefit for being put on the involuntary transfer list. So, all you are doing is helping her out and ensuring that you will leave the school. I would only volunteer to go on the involuntary transfer list if you don't care where you will go or have an in at another school. If you don't get a job in the first round, you will be placed at a school and you may have little say in where that is.

[Anonymous]

You 100% want to be a voluntary transfer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there an advantage for a staff member to be involuntarily transferred?

I believe involuntary transfers get to interview for open positions before they’re made available to other staff, so if you want to change jobs but stay within MCPS it’s a good way to line up a new job.

This is not true. Involuntary transfers interview at the same time as voluntary transfers. However, if you can’t find a job yourself, the county will guarantee a placement within the county if you are involuntarily transferred. This isn’t normally great for either the employee (you can’t choose location or position) or the school principal because they get ”stuck” with whomever the county places there. It is much better to voluntarily leave and find another position.

Or to find a job during open season if you're an involuntary transfer. There's also an unfair stigma on involuntary transfers

[Anonymous]

I wonder if she knows people are unhappy and it’s sort of a veiled threat, like, stop complaining or you can be made an involuntary transfer. There is no upside to being an involuntary transfer. If you live in Gaithersburg, you can end up with a commute to Bethesda or wherever. Is this a new elementary principal by any chance? I know of one who is not making any friends on her staff and is badmouthing her predecessor, which is making things far worse for herself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if she knows people are unhappy and it’s sort of a veiled threat, like, stop complaining or you can be made an involuntary transfer. There is no upside to being an involuntary transfer. If you live in Gaithersburg, you can end up with a commute to Bethesda or wherever. Is this a new elementary principal by any chance? I know of one who is not making any friends on her staff and is badmouthing her predecessor, which is making things far worse for herself.

Middle school. It definitely feels like a threat. She kept saying you should be at a school you want to be at. We are losing positions but a lot of people want to leave because of her as well. I am looking at my options to leave but I’m probably going to move to another county anyways.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, don’t volunteer to be transferred. Look elsewhere proactively just in case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is no real benefit for being put on the involuntary transfer list. So, all you are doing is helping her out and ensuring that you will leave the school. I would only volunteer to go on the involuntary transfer list if you don't care where you will go or have an in at another school. If you don't get a job in the first round, you will be placed at a school and you may have little say in where that is.

No, you would be helping out another staff member who doesn’t want to leave, and helping the remaining staff with less churn. Ignore whether you think it’s helpful for the principal. Do only what is right for you. If you are determined to leave a school next year, even if it means taking a leave of absence, then volunteering for involuntary transfer at least guarantees you a position in the county. If you will only leave if you get a certain position/school, then don’t say anything until you do. Although being an involuntary transfer is usually seen as a negative while hiring, it is also a benefit if you are actually experienced and competent. Principals who have already hired one or two people from the involuntary pool can push back against HR and refuse a placement of someone who didn’t get hired. They have incentive to hire the best from the involuntary pool.

Before deciding to transfer, you need to know a couple of things - how in demand your position is, whether or not there’s a new school, and how well-liked/trusted your principal is among other principals. An in demand position plus new school at your level means there will be a lot of opportunity. Who your principal is and what they will tell interviewing principals will affect your results.