How is FCPS teacher/staff shortage?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:A teacher who picks up an additional class to teach will also get a significant salary increase. Some will want to do it, especially if the teacher is near retirement. (Retirement pay is based on the average of the last few years of teaching.)

No, retirement is based on the three highest years, which is why some teachers leave teaching and become an IA for a year or two. It is less responsibility, but their retirement is not affected.

Do IAs have VRS benefits? I need to teach a few more years and it’s getting so hard. My salary doesn’t significantly increase anymore and DH makes the primary salary. This sounds like a great idea and something for me to look into. I would rather take a pay cut with less responsibility than pick up an extra class in my final teaching years.

It is my impression there is a different retirement plan/options for IAs.

It's the same. The IA salary is so bad and burnout is so high that most don't pay much attention to the VRS benefits. I doubt most IAs nowadays stay at the job long enough for it to be a good incentive. This is obviously different for teachers who switch to IA positions in their final years.

In previous years, I'd say switching to an IA role in the final years would be a fun way to wind down. Now? Not so sure. I would talk to a couple IAs at your specific school before you decide to do this. Our school has four leaving this year, even though they're taking reduced benefits to do so.

Why is IA burnout a thing? IAs don’t have to do conferences or any planning or grading. Please explain.

Are you kidding me? Do you have any idea what an IA does?

Somewhat, but I was an FCPS teacher. So not exactly, which is why I asked. I wondered if I should come back as an IA.

How old are you? I'm not trying to be snarky; this is a serious question. Being an IA nowadays is physically demanding. You're dealing with students who need you to crouch down and be on their level, supporting students who cannot get off the bus by themselves or tie their own shoes, situations where you're running all over the school covering different classrooms, or chasing after students who elope, helping students who need postural support, and/or need helping with feeding and toileting. Most people over 50 and definitely over 55 are not cut out for that 7 hours per day, 5 days per week.

Feeding and toileting? I don’t think so. You need special training for that. I’m talking about a general IA.

Same. Our gen ed IAs don't do that.

How many gen Ed IAs do you have? Our APS school only has them in VPI/K (though they do a decent amount of toileting depending on the class)

This is the FCPS board. Wrong board.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:A teacher who picks up an additional class to teach will also get a significant salary increase. Some will want to do it, especially if the teacher is near retirement. (Retirement pay is based on the average of the last few years of teaching.)

No, retirement is based on the three highest years, which is why some teachers leave teaching and become an IA for a year or two. It is less responsibility, but their retirement is not affected.

Do IAs have VRS benefits? I need to teach a few more years and it’s getting so hard. My salary doesn’t significantly increase anymore and DH makes the primary salary. This sounds like a great idea and something for me to look into. I would rather take a pay cut with less responsibility than pick up an extra class in my final teaching years.

It is my impression there is a different retirement plan/options for IAs.

It's the same. The IA salary is so bad and burnout is so high that most don't pay much attention to the VRS benefits. I doubt most IAs nowadays stay at the job long enough for it to be a good incentive. This is obviously different for teachers who switch to IA positions in their final years.

In previous years, I'd say switching to an IA role in the final years would be a fun way to wind down. Now? Not so sure. I would talk to a couple IAs at your specific school before you decide to do this. Our school has four leaving this year, even though they're taking reduced benefits to do so.

Why is IA burnout a thing? IAs don’t have to do conferences or any planning or grading. Please explain.

Are you kidding me? Do you have any idea what an IA does?

Somewhat, but I was an FCPS teacher. So not exactly, which is why I asked. I wondered if I should come back as an IA.

How old are you? I'm not trying to be snarky; this is a serious question. Being an IA nowadays is physically demanding. You're dealing with students who need you to crouch down and be on their level, supporting students who cannot get off the bus by themselves or tie their own shoes, situations where you're running all over the school covering different classrooms, or chasing after students who elope, helping students who need postural support, and/or need helping with feeding and toileting. Most people over 50 and definitely over 55 are not cut out for that 7 hours per day, 5 days per week.

Feeding and toileting? I don’t think so. You need special training for that. I’m talking about a general IA.

Same. Our gen ed IAs don't do that.

How many gen Ed IAs do you have? Our APS school only has them in VPI/K (though they do a decent amount of toileting depending on the class)

This is the FCPS board. Wrong board.

I know, I was asking to see if FCPS does things differently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A teacher who picks up an additional class to teach will also get a significant salary increase. Some will want to do it, especially if the teacher is near retirement. (Retirement pay is based on the average of the last few years of teaching.)

No, retirement is based on the three highest years, which is why some teachers leave teaching and become an IA for a year or two. It is less responsibility, but their retirement is not affected.

Do IAs have VRS benefits? I need to teach a few more years and it’s getting so hard. My salary doesn’t significantly increase anymore and DH makes the primary salary. This sounds like a great idea and something for me to look into. I would rather take a pay cut with less responsibility than pick up an extra class in my final teaching years.

It is my impression there is a different retirement plan/options for IAs.

It's the same. The IA salary is so bad and burnout is so high that most don't pay much attention to the VRS benefits. I doubt most IAs nowadays stay at the job long enough for it to be a good incentive. This is obviously different for teachers who switch to IA positions in their final years.

In previous years, I'd say switching to an IA role in the final years would be a fun way to wind down. Now? Not so sure. I would talk to a couple IAs at your specific school before you decide to do this. Our school has four leaving this year, even though they're taking reduced benefits to do so.

Why is IA burnout a thing? IAs don’t have to do conferences or any planning or grading. Please explain.

Are you kidding me? Do you have any idea what an IA does?

Somewhat, but I was an FCPS teacher. So not exactly, which is why I asked. I wondered if I should come back as an IA.

How old are you? I'm not trying to be snarky; this is a serious question. Being an IA nowadays is physically demanding. You're dealing with students who need you to crouch down and be on their level, supporting students who cannot get off the bus by themselves or tie their own shoes, situations where you're running all over the school covering different classrooms, or chasing after students who elope, helping students who need postural support, and/or need helping with feeding and toileting. Most people over 50 and definitely over 55 are not cut out for that 7 hours per day, 5 days per week.

Feeding and toileting? I don’t think so. You need special training for that. I’m talking about a general IA.

NP, There are SPED IAs who do that. I have 4 in my school assigned to those rooms. One of them is actually a sub.

But do they make more money? I’m not sure they do.

No. Special Ed is on the SAME pay scale as general Ed.

They have to remedy this soon or the shortages in SPED will continue

This has been a problem for years. I don't see it changing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work for FCPS, and this seems accurate to me. We have 20+ vacancies at my school for next year.

OMFG! I can't imagine!

Is this middle or high school?

I posted below about our 3 vacancies this year and potential for 9 next year. I'm at an elementary school.

NP here. I work in a school district in Massachusetts and we have at least 30 positions open for next year- teachers, nurses, counselors, principals, assistant principals, etc., etc. It's terrible. Our schools are hemorrhaging staff.

[Anonymous]

We are pulling our child with an IEP and suing FCPS. They cannot staff the school and are not executing the IEP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are pulling our child with an IEP and suing FCPS. They cannot staff the school and are not executing the IEP.

You are a huge part of the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are pulling our child with an IEP and suing FCPS. They cannot staff the school and are not executing the IEP.

You are a huge part of the problem.

No kidding. Maybe the district would have more money to allocate to teachers if they could give less to lawyers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are pulling our child with an IEP and suing FCPS. They cannot staff the school and are not executing the IEP.

Very few parents win these cases. It’s a waste of money with both sides.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are pulling our child with an IEP and suing FCPS. They cannot staff the school and are not executing the IEP.

Proud of you girl! Good luck. They are major assholes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are pulling our child with an IEP and suing FCPS. They cannot staff the school and are not executing the IEP.

Proud of you girl! Good luck. They are major assholes.

Yeah, they are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are pulling our child with an IEP and suing FCPS. They cannot staff the school and are not executing the IEP.

Very few parents win these cases. It’s a waste of money with both sides.

FCPS is quietly settling with families. They know they are putting kids at risk and breaking the law. Document what services are not being provided and hire a lawyer. Our PSL flat out told us after an IEP meeting to file mediation to get what our child needed since teh IEP was being told to not acknowledge that the school was unable to meet our child’s needs.

It’s sad, but it the position that FCPS has put families in. Many special education kids are very vulnerable. FCPS’ inability to hire decent human beings who actually care about kids forces parents to file lawsuits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are pulling our child with an IEP and suing FCPS. They cannot staff the school and are not executing the IEP.

Very few parents win these cases. It’s a waste of money with both sides.

FCPS is quietly settling with families. They know they are putting kids at risk and breaking the law. Document what services are not being provided and hire a lawyer. Our PSL flat out told us after an IEP meeting to file mediation to get what our child needed since teh IEP was being told to not acknowledge that the school was unable to meet our child’s needs.

It’s sad, but it the position that FCPS has put families in. Many special education kids are very vulnerable. FCPS’ inability to hire decent human beings who actually care about kids forces parents to file lawsuits.

DP. Is this really the only way you see this issue?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are pulling our child with an IEP and suing FCPS. They cannot staff the school and are not executing the IEP.

Very few parents win these cases. It’s a waste of money with both sides.

FCPS is quietly settling with families. They know they are putting kids at risk and breaking the law. Document what services are not being provided and hire a lawyer. Our PSL flat out told us after an IEP meeting to file mediation to get what our child needed since teh IEP was being told to not acknowledge that the school was unable to meet our child’s needs.

It’s sad, but it the position that FCPS has put families in. Many special education kids are very vulnerable. FCPS’ inability to hire decent human beings who actually care about kids forces parents to file lawsuits.

When “decent human beings” have left the profession in droves it’s kinda hard to hire them.

Sounds like you need to enroll in a private school where they can just ask you to leave at any time because you’re a disruption. You’ll love it there.

[Anonymous]

FCPS breaking the law is not the fault of special ed families. Jesus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are pulling our child with an IEP and suing FCPS. They cannot staff the school and are not executing the IEP.

You are a huge part of the problem.

How are the parents the problem? And what would you suggest they do if their child isn't receiving services?