Working at a DC Charter School vs DCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you a new teacher or experience? If you are new I would say go with a charter because many of them invest in training their teachers. Find one that does this. Find out their educational philosophy and if it aligns to yours. If you don't know what yours is then you first need to sit down and figure that out. If you do wind up going with DCPS as a new teacher then go with a struggling school. They will view you less as a liability then an established DCPS school that does well on tests. Even if you don't teach a testing grade in DCPS there is a trickle down mindset where even K teachers are being forced to teach in a way that is not developmentally appropriate for young children. This is done all in the name of test scores. DCPS IMPACT is no joke and if there is not a pay difference between the DCPS school and the charter school then again, go with the charter. DCPS union is pretty weak and rarely helps anyone so no need to worry about union protections.

Thank you for the info! Would actaullly be making more at the charter vs Dcps now that everything has been finalized. Leaning towards the charter but I've always worked for a public school so I'm apprehensive

That simply cannot be so. I read DCUM and according to the DCPS shills that predominate all Charter teachers are underpaid, under-educated, and under-trained. Your remark would seem to indicate that there is some nuance and differentiation that cannot be summarized in one WTU talking point. Stop the insanity!!!!

Lol! I actually have about 5 years experience, a masters and my certification! and yes, the charter is paying more than Dcps! And in a subject where according to dcum there are never any openings . I'm breaking all of the dcum myths here

[Anonymous]

pp, are you a teacher or an admin?
Are you allowed to give your students the grade they deserve?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCPS training sucks. Much better training in most charters. I'd start with a DC charter (4 years), benefit from training, get a Master in Education or similar while on the job (they'll give you credits) if you do not have one. Then get a certification, move to Fairfax (5 years), gain from outstanding training, come back to DC apply to assistant Principal until you get the position.

Now this is food for thought

[Anonymous]

I know you can't say which school you are considering, but I would be very curious as to which charter schools are competitive with DCPS. I would make mid 80s in DCPS and I just find it hard to believe that any charter school will give me that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know you can't say which school you are considering, but I would be very curious as to which charter schools are competitive with DCPS. I would make mid 80s in DCPS and I just find it hard to believe that any charter school will give me that.

I'm in the mid 60s on the DCPS and the charter school is matching that more or less (maybe $100 difference)

[Anonymous]

I currently work at DCPS and I made just over 100k last year as a 5th year teacher including bonuses. No charter school was able to even get close to that figure this past year, and I was approached by multiple charters. However, this year a few charters have been able to offer an admin base salary that is higher than a year 1 VP in DCPS. Charters are able to offer you the money, however they need to be able to justify it to their board members, and code your position the correct way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I currently work at DCPS and I made just over 100k last year as a 5th year teacher including bonuses. No charter school was able to even get close to that figure this past year, and I was approached by multiple charters. However, this year a few charters have been able to offer an admin base salary that is higher than a year 1 VP in DCPS. Charters are able to offer you the money, however they need to be able to justify it to their board members, and code your position the correct way.

Thanks for your reply. Congrats on your success! I can see a charter school offering 60s, but I just don't see them offering me high 80s. I'm MA and ~15 years of teaching. I'm too expensive. Then again, I'm a successful special education teacher with 2 years of administration experience, so maybe I would be a good fit as a sped coordinator, and I could see a charter paying 90s for a sped coordinator. It is an important job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I currently work at DCPS and I made just over 100k last year as a 5th year teacher including bonuses. No charter school was able to even get close to that figure this past year, and I was approached by multiple charters. However, this year a few charters have been able to offer an admin base salary that is higher than a year 1 VP in DCPS. Charters are able to offer you the money, however they need to be able to justify it to their board members, and code your position the correct way.

Cry me a friggin river. 5th year making 100k?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I currently work at DCPS and I made just over 100k last year as a 5th year teacher including bonuses. No charter school was able to even get close to that figure this past year, and I was approached by multiple charters. However, this year a few charters have been able to offer an admin base salary that is higher than a year 1 VP in DCPS. Charters are able to offer you the money, however they need to be able to justify it to their board members, and code your position the correct way.

Cry me a friggin river. 5th year making 100k?

Well I have two advanced degrees and I have been highly effective 4 consecutive years at a Title I school, so 100k was easy to get too considering the 20k bonus and the higher base pay due to lift.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I currently work at DCPS and I made just over 100k last year as a 5th year teacher including bonuses. No charter school was able to even get close to that figure this past year, and I was approached by multiple charters. However, this year a few charters have been able to offer an admin base salary that is higher than a year 1 VP in DCPS. Charters are able to offer you the money, however they need to be able to justify it to their board members, and code your position the correct way.

Cry me a friggin river. 5th year making 100k?

I don't think she wanted anyone to feel bad for her. I think the point was charter pay just isn't comparable over the long term.

Signed,
Another teacher making $100k base salary

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I currently work at DCPS and I made just over 100k last year as a 5th year teacher including bonuses. No charter school was able to even get close to that figure this past year, and I was approached by multiple charters. However, this year a few charters have been able to offer an admin base salary that is higher than a year 1 VP in DCPS. Charters are able to offer you the money, however they need to be able to justify it to their board members, and code your position the correct way.

Cry me a friggin river. 5th year making 100k?

I don't think she wanted anyone to feel bad for her. I think the point was charter pay just isn't comparable over the long term.

Signed,
Another teacher making $100k base salary

Good point. I didn't look at it from that perspective.

[Anonymous]

Also a DCPS teacher who has worked in a DC charter previously. At charters that I am familiar with, the salary that you negotiate at hire doesn't go up much after that... my charter matched my DCPS salary to start with and 2 years later (with a position as a teacher "leader" and good evaluation scores) I was making less than I would have been at DCPS. I also worked much longer hours, including mandatory after school meetings on a weekly basis. I was discouraged from taking leave. If you do well in DCPS, the salary quickly grows. On the flip side, in DCPS I buy many supplies out of pocket (including copy paper... sad) and at charter we had most supplies you could want or need. I also got better feedback and opportunities to grow/take on additional responsibility at charter... but there was more micromanagement and less flexibility or room for creativity in terms of procedures and routines, classroom management approaches, and lesson plans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also a DCPS teacher who has worked in a DC charter previously. At charters that I am familiar with, the salary that you negotiate at hire doesn't go up much after that... my charter matched my DCPS salary to start with and 2 years later (with a position as a teacher "leader" and good evaluation scores) I was making less than I would have been at DCPS. I also worked much longer hours, including mandatory after school meetings on a weekly basis. I was discouraged from taking leave. If you do well in DCPS, the salary quickly grows. On the flip side, in DCPS I buy many supplies out of pocket (including copy paper... sad) and at charter we had most supplies you could want or need. I also got better feedback and opportunities to grow/take on additional responsibility at charter... but there was more micromanagement and less flexibility or room for creativity in terms of procedures and routines, classroom management approaches, and lesson plans.

This is great info, thank you! I have a question for you, at DCPS how much do you pay into your health insurance?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also a DCPS teacher who has worked in a DC charter previously. At charters that I am familiar with, the salary that you negotiate at hire doesn't go up much after that... my charter matched my DCPS salary to start with and 2 years later (with a position as a teacher "leader" and good evaluation scores) I was making less than I would have been at DCPS. I also worked much longer hours, including mandatory after school meetings on a weekly basis. I was discouraged from taking leave. If you do well in DCPS, the salary quickly grows. On the flip side, in DCPS I buy many supplies out of pocket (including copy paper... sad) and at charter we had most supplies you could want or need. I also got better feedback and opportunities to grow/take on additional responsibility at charter... but there was more micromanagement and less flexibility or room for creativity in terms of procedures and routines, classroom management approaches, and lesson plans.

This is great info, thank you! I have a question for you, at DCPS how much do you pay into your health insurance?

All the rates for that are on the DCPS website: https://dcps.dc.gov/page/dcps-health-benefits; I have Aetna and while the rates are pretty average, the coverage is pretty great. At charter my health insurance was 100% employee paid, but there was only one option for the insurance provider. DCPS teachers also have dental and vision through the union at no cost (beyond what you already pay in union dues).

[Anonymous]

Oops -- at my charter health insurance was 100% employER paid. I would have paid only for spouse and dependents.