Treatment of New Special Ed teachers hired by MCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why Philippines and not other countries?

1) Many middle class Filipinos already speak English and are somewhat familiar with American culture.

2) Filipinos have a long history of working abroad and sending remittances home. They understand they will be homesick, miss children’s milestones, and lose parents while away.

3) They actually have a good education system there. Two of my kids had Filipino immigrant teachers for advanced math classes. They were amazing.

I could say the same for Indians too. They know English, have a good Math background, many go to the Middle East for nursing jobs and also daily way laborer jobs so going to a foreign country is not unheard of.

[Anonymous]

Both countries have call centers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"The cohort of 42 educators, assigned to schools throughout the district, is part of a cultural exchange program that allows J-1 visa holders to teach in the U.S.

In partnership with Foreign Cultural Exchange Consultants, Inc., these distinguished educators from the Philippines are provided with comprehensive support, including assistance in arranging housing accommodations and essential needs such as food, household goods, transportation, and security. This support is aimed at ensuring a stress-free transition, allowing them to focus on preparing to teach our students on the first day of school. Foreign Cultural Exchange Consultants, Inc. also offers financial and informational support to the exchange teachers, further ensuring a positive experience while living in the U.S.

Cultural exchange teachers are compensated using the same pay table as Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) teachers, based on education and years of experience. They also receive the same benefits afforded to MCPS teachers.

Good to hear that they will be paid the same as regular teachers. But then is MCPS paying extra to the contracting company? I guess so

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"The cohort of 42 educators, assigned to schools throughout the district, is part of a cultural exchange program that allows J-1 visa holders to teach in the U.S.

In partnership with Foreign Cultural Exchange Consultants, Inc., these distinguished educators from the Philippines are provided with comprehensive support, including assistance in arranging housing accommodations and essential needs such as food, household goods, transportation, and security. This support is aimed at ensuring a stress-free transition, allowing them to focus on preparing to teach our students on the first day of school. Foreign Cultural Exchange Consultants, Inc. also offers financial and informational support to the exchange teachers, further ensuring a positive experience while living in the U.S.

Cultural exchange teachers are compensated using the same pay table as Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) teachers, based on education and years of experience. They also receive the same benefits afforded to MCPS teachers.

Good to hear that they will be paid the same as regular teachers. But then is MCPS paying extra to the contracting company? I guess so

I'm curious where they are starting on the salary scale? I'd hope that they would start based on their years of experience but I have a feeling that they're starting out as a year one teacher. I'm also curious how these teachers are expected to get from their apartments in Silver Spring to schools much further north like Gaithersburg and Germantown via public transportation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"The cohort of 42 educators, assigned to schools throughout the district, is part of a cultural exchange program that allows J-1 visa holders to teach in the U.S.

In partnership with Foreign Cultural Exchange Consultants, Inc., these distinguished educators from the Philippines are provided with comprehensive support, including assistance in arranging housing accommodations and essential needs such as food, household goods, transportation, and security. This support is aimed at ensuring a stress-free transition, allowing them to focus on preparing to teach our students on the first day of school. Foreign Cultural Exchange Consultants, Inc. also offers financial and informational support to the exchange teachers, further ensuring a positive experience while living in the U.S.

Cultural exchange teachers are compensated using the same pay table as Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) teachers, based on education and years of experience. They also receive the same benefits afforded to MCPS teachers.

Good to hear that they will be paid the same as regular teachers. But then is MCPS paying extra to the contracting company? I guess so

I'm curious where they are starting on the salary scale? I'd hope that they would start based on their years of experience but I have a feeling that they're starting out as a year one teacher. I'm also curious how these teachers are expected to get from their apartments in Silver Spring to schools much further north like Gaithersburg and Germantown via public transportation?

MCPS does not honor experience outside of MCPS. New employees are capped at level 10, 11, or 12 depending on their degrees in addition to experience outside of MCPS.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/departments/ersc/employees/pay/schedules/salary_placement_for_new_mcea_employees_7.1.24.pdf

[Anonymous]

Let’s not forget all of the fees as part of this program. The agency charges participants $2,500 for a consultancy fee, a fee to check their credentials, visa fee, international flights to get here, plus thousands of dollars of their personal money to cover living expenses until their first paycheck.

http://www.fcec-inc.com/

[Anonymous]

According to MCPS “ In partnership with Foreign Cultural Exchange Consultants, Inc., these distinguished educators from the Philippines are provided with comprehensive support, including assistance in arranging housing accommodations and essential needs such as food, household goods, transportation, and security.” so why the hysteria on social media to get these teachers furniture and other household items? Why is MCEA not crying to the media about this agency and MCPS yet again lying about services? This isn’t much different than the electric bus fiasco. If this agency isn’t doing what McPS paid them to do, it needs to be dealt with ASAP. Stop eating tax payer money!

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/news/mcps-news/2024/06/philippines-cultural-exchange-program-welcome/#:~:text=The%20cohort%20of%2042%20educators,to%20teach%20in%20the%20U.S.

[Anonymous]

I'm an administrator who was assigned one of these teachers to work at my elementary school this year as a SPED teacher. I finally met them this past week and it took them two hours to get to our school from their apartment in Silver Spring. While the teacher is experienced in the Philipines, they don't have much experience with technology which is now a huge component of the job. On a personal note, I'm appalled that MCPS has four grown adults sharing one bedroom apartments with no concrete plans for transportation. These individuals are expected to utilize public transportation to travel all over the county? It's utterly ridiculous. We provided our teacher with Giant gift cards after we were told they had been relying on canned food donations since their arrival.
This is going to be next disaster MCPS has to clear up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let’s not forget all of the fees as part of this program. The agency charges participants $2,500 for a consultancy fee, a fee to check their credentials, visa fee, international flights to get here, plus thousands of dollars of their personal money to cover living expenses until their first paycheck.

http://www.fcec-inc.com/

Do you want SPED teachers, or not?

[Anonymous]

Mcps has burned out so many americans there are none willing to teach in this unsupportive abusive district. This is called chickens coming home to roost or reaping what the sow etc. I hope the filipeno ladies know about this site and what they have gotten themselves into.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mcps has burned out so many americans there are none willing to teach in this unsupportive abusive district. This is called chickens coming home to roost or reaping what the sow etc. I hope the filipeno ladies know about this site and what they have gotten themselves into.

You are ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Administrators covering up rape cases and firing hard working teachers who challenge the pathetic staus quo is ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Administrators covering up rape cases and firing hard working teachers who challenge the pathetic staus quo is ridiculous.

And so is obnoxious, ill-informed one-size-fits all attacks on the school district.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm an administrator who was assigned one of these teachers to work at my elementary school this year as a SPED teacher. I finally met them this past week and it took them two hours to get to our school from their apartment in Silver Spring. While the teacher is experienced in the Philipines, they don't have much experience with technology which is now a huge component of the job. On a personal note, I'm appalled that MCPS has four grown adults sharing one bedroom apartments with no concrete plans for transportation. These individuals are expected to utilize public transportation to travel all over the county? It's utterly ridiculous. We provided our teacher with Giant gift cards after we were told they had been relying on canned food donations since their arrival.
This is going to be next disaster MCPS has to clear up.

I will reinforce what I said in an earlier post. This is the worst I have ever seen an international teacher be treated. Way below what is expected in this situation. Teaching in a foreign country is an extremely stressful thing to do. Schools know this and typically treat international teachers well or else no one will come and replace them later. MCPS is professionally responsible even if it is not required in the contract.

[Anonymous]

https://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2024/08/mcps-hires-consulting-firm-to-bring-in.html