MCPS faces Teacher shortage next year

[Anonymous]

^^ Sorry way off.

There are approximately 13,094 teachers in MCPS, so closer to a 12.5% drop of teachers and 5% collective student drop in two years.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Some MCPS schools, including my DC's, seem to have too many teachers. It's sounding like the schools with the good principals don't have as many staffing issues?

Also, many former MCPS students have gone elsewhere due to the in-person school closures.

So would be curious which schools are the ones with all these unfilled positions.

Why does it seem that way to you?

Classrooms with only about 11 or so students

That seems really low, even for a Title 1 school

I'd be curious what grade- our Focus school was very imbalanced this year. Kindergarten classes all had 20+ students but some of the 1st-3nd grade classes were <15.

I've worked in a focus school a few years and seen it happen a few times. Usually the year started out balanced but a disproportionate number of kids left or transferred and then that teacher usually is the designated person to get new students transferring in. In another case there were kids with very high behavioral needs so it made sense to make that class smaller.

In my school we needed more kindergarten students but couldn't find a qualified kindergarten teacher. In some cases the applicants had multiple offers and chose schools closer to home

Teachers picking schools close to home is a big problem. There is a lack of affordable housing for moco workers including teachers. So if teachers can make the same salary in Germantown with a shorter commute, they will.

Most Germantown schools will also have smaller class sizes, because they have a higher FARMS rate.

I think the applicant chose a job in either Ann Arundel or Howard county

I teach in Germantown and enjoy the reverse commute from Bethesda. I have wonderful co-workers but most elementary schools in Germantown are far from easy. There's a ton of poverty, trauma, etc.

I've worked in both Bethesda and Germantown (and others). The culture of the Bethesda schools is insane, really, really hard to stomach, while the culture in a place like Germantown is normal. That makes a BIG difference in someone's day, and explains why schools in upper class areas have a harder time attracting and keeping teachers and paras. They're miserable places to work.

I’ve also worked in both, though more recently in Germantown. Both areas have their issues and both are having trouble retaining teachers. In Bethesda, the parent demands can just be too much. The daily emails and constant judgement is hard to stomach (just read DCUM for examples). In Germantown, I rarely have any interaction with parents. In fact, I am often struggling just to get calls returned. However, the student behavior is out of this world. School is expected to fix all of society’s issues which is impossible. The daily disrespect from the students is horrible.

So teachers are dealing with very different issues, but both are challenging and both are driving teachers away from teaching. I believe Rockville might be ideal, but who knows? All I know is that I used to love teaching and now hate it.

Hoping next year will be better. Kids really are decompressing from being isolated during COVID.

Kids were not isolated. What are you rambling about. Kids were virtual school for a year but still did other things. Kids were in person for an entire year. If they were isolated blame parents. Mcps was fully back to normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some MCPS schools, including my DC's, seem to have too many teachers. It's sounding like the schools with the good principals don't have as many staffing issues?

Also, many former MCPS students have gone elsewhere due to the in-person school closures.

So would be curious which schools are the ones with all these unfilled positions.

Why does it seem that way to you?

Classrooms with only about 11 or so students

That seems really low, even for a Title 1 school

I'd be curious what grade- our Focus school was very imbalanced this year. Kindergarten classes all had 20+ students but some of the 1st-3nd grade classes were <15.

I've worked in a focus school a few years and seen it happen a few times. Usually the year started out balanced but a disproportionate number of kids left or transferred and then that teacher usually is the designated person to get new students transferring in. In another case there were kids with very high behavioral needs so it made sense to make that class smaller.

In my school we needed more kindergarten students but couldn't find a qualified kindergarten teacher. In some cases the applicants had multiple offers and chose schools closer to home

Teachers picking schools close to home is a big problem. There is a lack of affordable housing for moco workers including teachers. So if teachers can make the same salary in Germantown with a shorter commute, they will.

Most Germantown schools will also have smaller class sizes, because they have a higher FARMS rate.

I think the applicant chose a job in either Ann Arundel or Howard county

I teach in Germantown and enjoy the reverse commute from Bethesda. I have wonderful co-workers but most elementary schools in Germantown are far from easy. There's a ton of poverty, trauma, etc.

I've worked in both Bethesda and Germantown (and others). The culture of the Bethesda schools is insane, really, really hard to stomach, while the culture in a place like Germantown is normal. That makes a BIG difference in someone's day, and explains why schools in upper class areas have a harder time attracting and keeping teachers and paras. They're miserable places to work.

I’ve also worked in both, though more recently in Germantown. Both areas have their issues and both are having trouble retaining teachers. In Bethesda, the parent demands can just be too much. The daily emails and constant judgement is hard to stomach (just read DCUM for examples). In Germantown, I rarely have any interaction with parents. In fact, I am often struggling just to get calls returned. However, the student behavior is out of this world. School is expected to fix all of society’s issues which is impossible. The daily disrespect from the students is horrible.

So teachers are dealing with very different issues, but both are challenging and both are driving teachers away from teaching. I believe Rockville might be ideal, but who knows? All I know is that I used to love teaching and now hate it.

NP here. I began my career at an elementary school in Potomac and am in Germantown twenty years later. The difference between the two are night and day, and you are correct, the behavior is off the chain. I agree that one of the hardest parts is trying to meet all the needs of our students when the root cause of the challenges are societal issues that bleed into schools. I will love on my kids as much as possible while still holding firm boundaries but I can't help with all the crap that they deal with when they leave school each day. Part of me wonders if I would rather go back to snowplow parents over my current situation when Johnny tears my room apart daily but mom refuses to answer the phone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Gallup weighs in.

https://news.gallup.com/poll/393500/workers-highest-burnout-rate.aspx

This is quite interesting. But people need a scapegoat for America’s failed education system and teachers are the easiest to blame

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some MCPS schools, including my DC's, seem to have too many teachers. It's sounding like the schools with the good principals don't have as many staffing issues?

Also, many former MCPS students have gone elsewhere due to the in-person school closures.

So would be curious which schools are the ones with all these unfilled positions.

Why does it seem that way to you?

Classrooms with only about 11 or so students

That seems really low, even for a Title 1 school

I'd be curious what grade- our Focus school was very imbalanced this year. Kindergarten classes all had 20+ students but some of the 1st-3nd grade classes were <15.

I've worked in a focus school a few years and seen it happen a few times. Usually the year started out balanced but a disproportionate number of kids left or transferred and then that teacher usually is the designated person to get new students transferring in. In another case there were kids with very high behavioral needs so it made sense to make that class smaller.

In my school we needed more kindergarten students but couldn't find a qualified kindergarten teacher. In some cases the applicants had multiple offers and chose schools closer to home

Teachers picking schools close to home is a big problem. There is a lack of affordable housing for moco workers including teachers. So if teachers can make the same salary in Germantown with a shorter commute, they will.

Most Germantown schools will also have smaller class sizes, because they have a higher FARMS rate.

I think the applicant chose a job in either Ann Arundel or Howard county

I teach in Germantown and enjoy the reverse commute from Bethesda. I have wonderful co-workers but most elementary schools in Germantown are far from easy. There's a ton of poverty, trauma, etc.

I've worked in both Bethesda and Germantown (and others). The culture of the Bethesda schools is insane, really, really hard to stomach, while the culture in a place like Germantown is normal. That makes a BIG difference in someone's day, and explains why schools in upper class areas have a harder time attracting and keeping teachers and paras. They're miserable places to work.

I’ve also worked in both, though more recently in Germantown. Both areas have their issues and both are having trouble retaining teachers. In Bethesda, the parent demands can just be too much. The daily emails and constant judgement is hard to stomach (just read DCUM for examples). In Germantown, I rarely have any interaction with parents. In fact, I am often struggling just to get calls returned. However, the student behavior is out of this world. School is expected to fix all of society’s issues which is impossible. The daily disrespect from the students is horrible.

So teachers are dealing with very different issues, but both are challenging and both are driving teachers away from teaching. I believe Rockville might be ideal, but who knows? All I know is that I used to love teaching and now hate it.

NP here. I began my career at an elementary school in Potomac and am in Germantown twenty years later. The difference between the two are night and day, and you are correct, the behavior is off the chain. I agree that one of the hardest parts is trying to meet all the needs of our students when the root cause of the challenges are societal issues that bleed into schools. I will love on my kids as much as possible while still holding firm boundaries but I can't help with all the crap that they deal with when they leave school each day. Part of me wonders if I would rather go back to snowplow parents over my current situation when Johnny tears my room apart daily but mom refuses to answer the phone.

These kids are under intense stress night and day. I almost think public boarding school M-F might be a good option.

[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:Some MCPS schools, including my DC's, seem to have too many teachers. It's sounding like the schools with the good principals don't have as many staffing issues?

Also, many former MCPS students have gone elsewhere due to the in-person school closures.

So would be curious which schools are the ones with all these unfilled positions.

Why does it seem that way to you?

Classrooms with only about 11 or so students

That seems really low, even for a Title 1 school

I'd be curious what grade- our Focus school was very imbalanced this year. Kindergarten classes all had 20+ students but some of the 1st-3nd grade classes were <15.

That's strange. Principals can move teachers within their school to a different grade level to prevent these imbalances. Unless a a high number of the 1st and 2nd graders withdrew after the school year began?

There's been a surplus at a lot of schools since enrollment went down.

If you say so. Not my experience.

Anecdotally, this has only been true in wealthy single family neighborhoods where people are retiring in place and young families that do move in are having fewer children. The rest of the county has been growing.

Strange, the thread here a week or so ago claimed enrollment was way DOWN and people were leaving droves for private. I don't so how both of these things can be true.

Enrollment plummeted in 2020 due to virtual. It increased last year.

There was just a thread last month that claimed MCPS was overstaffed because enrollment was plumetting. I just don't see how all these things can be true.

Between this and the fact that apparently they're turning away great applicants in droves leads me to believe this isn't much of a shortage.

[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:Some MCPS schools, including my DC's, seem to have too many teachers. It's sounding like the schools with the good principals don't have as many staffing issues?

Also, many former MCPS students have gone elsewhere due to the in-person school closures.

So would be curious which schools are the ones with all these unfilled positions.

Why does it seem that way to you?

Classrooms with only about 11 or so students

That seems really low, even for a Title 1 school

I'd be curious what grade- our Focus school was very imbalanced this year. Kindergarten classes all had 20+ students but some of the 1st-3nd grade classes were <15.

That's strange. Principals can move teachers within their school to a different grade level to prevent these imbalances. Unless a a high number of the 1st and 2nd graders withdrew after the school year began?

There's been a surplus at a lot of schools since enrollment went down.

If you say so. Not my experience.

Anecdotally, this has only been true in wealthy single family neighborhoods where people are retiring in place and young families that do move in are having fewer children. The rest of the county has been growing.

Strange, the thread here a week or so ago claimed enrollment was way DOWN and people were leaving droves for private. I don't so how both of these things can be true.

Enrollment plummeted in 2020 due to virtual. It increased last year.

There was just a thread last month that claimed MCPS was overstaffed because enrollment was plumetting. I just don't see how all these things can be true.

Between this and the fact that apparently they're turning away great applicants in droves leads me to believe this isn't much of a shortage.

If they're not hiring, then there probably isn't a shortage.

[Anonymous]

What droves? I see one mention of one person's acquaintance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since McKnight isn't taking ownership of her leadership failures, does anyone want to make a bet that McKnight's self-made teacher vacancy crisis will be "solved" by her asking for an emergency MCPS budget, full of candy for everyone?

McKnight hater at it again.

The one who thinks she can do no wrong while our school system is failing.

News flash: It was already in decline.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since McKnight isn't taking ownership of her leadership failures, does anyone want to make a bet that McKnight's self-made teacher vacancy crisis will be "solved" by her asking for an emergency MCPS budget, full of candy for everyone?

McKnight hater at it again.

The one who thinks she can do no wrong while our school system is failing.

News flash: It was already in decline.

DCUM! We never stop catastrophizing!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since McKnight isn't taking ownership of her leadership failures, does anyone want to make a bet that McKnight's self-made teacher vacancy crisis will be "solved" by her asking for an emergency MCPS budget, full of candy for everyone?

McKnight hater at it again.

The one who thinks she can do no wrong while our school system is failing.

News flash: It was already in decline.

DCUM! We never stop catastrophizing!

A popular theme in right-wing circles for the past few centuries. That things are in perpetual decline. Of course, it isn't true but it does sew fear which seems to bolster their agenda.

[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:Some MCPS schools, including my DC's, seem to have too many teachers. It's sounding like the schools with the good principals don't have as many staffing issues?

Also, many former MCPS students have gone elsewhere due to the in-person school closures.

So would be curious which schools are the ones with all these unfilled positions.

Why does it seem that way to you?

Classrooms with only about 11 or so students

That seems really low, even for a Title 1 school

I'd be curious what grade- our Focus school was very imbalanced this year. Kindergarten classes all had 20+ students but some of the 1st-3nd grade classes were <15.

That's strange. Principals can move teachers within their school to a different grade level to prevent these imbalances. Unless a a high number of the 1st and 2nd graders withdrew after the school year began?

There's been a surplus at a lot of schools since enrollment went down.

If you say so. Not my experience.

Anecdotally, this has only been true in wealthy single family neighborhoods where people are retiring in place and young families that do move in are having fewer children. The rest of the county has been growing.

Strange, the thread here a week or so ago claimed enrollment was way DOWN and people were leaving droves for private. I don't so how both of these things can be true.

Enrollment plummeted in 2020 due to virtual. It increased last year.

There was just a thread last month that claimed MCPS was overstaffed because enrollment was plumetting. I just don't see how all these things can be true.

Between this and the fact that apparently they're turning away great applicants in droves leads me to believe this isn't much of a shortage.

If they're not hiring, then there probably isn't a shortage.

MCPS leadership is incompetent. MCPS pay and compensation for positions are not attractive enough to attract high quality candidates.

[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:Some MCPS schools, including my DC's, seem to have too many teachers. It's sounding like the schools with the good principals don't have as many staffing issues?

Also, many former MCPS students have gone elsewhere due to the in-person school closures.

So would be curious which schools are the ones with all these unfilled positions.

Why does it seem that way to you?

Classrooms with only about 11 or so students

That seems really low, even for a Title 1 school

I'd be curious what grade- our Focus school was very imbalanced this year. Kindergarten classes all had 20+ students but some of the 1st-3nd grade classes were <15.

That's strange. Principals can move teachers within their school to a different grade level to prevent these imbalances. Unless a a high number of the 1st and 2nd graders withdrew after the school year began?

There's been a surplus at a lot of schools since enrollment went down.

If you say so. Not my experience.

Anecdotally, this has only been true in wealthy single family neighborhoods where people are retiring in place and young families that do move in are having fewer children. The rest of the county has been growing.

Strange, the thread here a week or so ago claimed enrollment was way DOWN and people were leaving droves for private. I don't so how both of these things can be true.

Enrollment plummeted in 2020 due to virtual. It increased last year.

There was just a thread last month that claimed MCPS was overstaffed because enrollment was plumetting. I just don't see how all these things can be true.

Between this and the fact that apparently they're turning away great applicants in droves leads me to believe this isn't much of a shortage.

If they're not hiring, then there probably isn't a shortage.

The problem with your premise is that you expect them to be reasonable and logical. Education departments at the state or county level are set up to follow rigid rules rather than a common sense flexible approach. I have seen them fire strong teachers who are missing a small portion of their certification requirements and then fill the position with a warm-body sub for 6months because no qualified person was available or interested in the position. They ended up hurting students rather than helping. They could have given the teacher a one-time extension to take care of the missing requirement but nope. Rules must be followed

[Anonymous]

Not a teacher, but I have a number of friends who are or have taught in MCPS. Across my entire small subset of about 6 teachers, they all hated working in the privileged schools (BCC, Whitman and two in Bethesda area ES). The entitled parents were the #1 complaint. 4 are still teaching in other schools (2 in MCPS outside of that part of the county, one in HCPSS and one in AAPS). All say that teaching is much easier away from the over entitled parents. Two left the career and are working elsewhere outside of schools and are very glad to be away from those parents.

The county and school administration need to help provide policies that will provide more of a buffer between entitled parents and the staff. And they need to back up teachers when there are parental complaints. The number of stories where the administration allowed entitled parents to browbeat and bully teachers was ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Who would want to teach parents are awful now prayer back in schools nope

How does a teacher deal with every religion in the US praying in school

Oh wait I guess catholic prayers are only going to be acceptable bec the court is going to decide that next Friday you see they are all Catholic later Evangelists hahahaha you lose