MCPS teacher shortages continue..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its a sad messy situation for everyone..

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2022/11/02/parents-say-mcps-teacher-shortages-are-hurting-students-academic-progress/

We are in a neighborhood zoned for Einstein and know a family with a student in the references algebra class. These are well-educated parents so I think they were first like, ok we will try to help at home. But they soon hired a tutor, which not everyone can afford to do. It's different to try to supplement at home in ES vs. HS. MCPS doesn't even have books anymore. I remember my dad helping me with math in high school but he would literally sit down with the book to teach himself.

MCPS is offering FREE tutoring so stop commenting about those who cannot afford it.

Have your tried this free tutoring? For algebra specifically?

In any event, it’s meant to provide supplementation for struggling students, not replace having an actual teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And then you have the issue of widening gaps between "good schools" and "mediocre/bad schools."

From the article:

Stacy Ganz Kahn, president of the Winston Churchill High School PTSA, says special education programs are dealing with the brunt of the teacher shortage in MCPS. Offering bonuses in high-need areas and pathways to teacher certification for paraprofessionals could help remedy the situation, she said.

Still, Ganz Kahn says the Potomac school is pretty well-staffed, unlike other schools in the county, because people want to teach there.

I read that quote in the article and thought it was in poor taste. And then just now I looked at the available jobs on the MCPS Careers site, and it turns out it's not true at all. Churchill actually has 6 open teacher positions posted, more than any other HS!

6: Churchill
5: Whitman
4: Blair, Blake, Einstein, Springbrook
3: Gaithersburg, Magruder, Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Sherwood
2: BCC, Kennedy, Northwood, Paint Branch, Watkins Mill
1: Damascus, Northwest, Walter Johnson
0: Clarksburg, Poolesville, Quince Orchard, Seneca Valley, Wheaton, Wootton

The openings at Churchill include mainly special ed positions and long term substitutes. There is only one full time teaching position open. Special ed staffing is an issue country wide.

Lack of special ed staffingis a HUGE issue that isn't going away.

[Anonymous]

We have to make teaching a more desirable profession. Adjusted for inflation teacher pay is down 15% since 2002. That's just one component.

Teacher demands are much higher due to testing requirements, IEP paperwork, and student behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And then you have the issue of widening gaps between "good schools" and "mediocre/bad schools."

From the article:

Stacy Ganz Kahn, president of the Winston Churchill High School PTSA, says special education programs are dealing with the brunt of the teacher shortage in MCPS. Offering bonuses in high-need areas and pathways to teacher certification for paraprofessionals could help remedy the situation, she said.

Still, Ganz Kahn says the Potomac school is pretty well-staffed, unlike other schools in the county, because people want to teach there.

I read that quote in the article and thought it was in poor taste. And then just now I looked at the available jobs on the MCPS Careers site, and it turns out it's not true at all. Churchill actually has 6 open teacher positions posted, more than any other HS!

6: Churchill
5: Whitman
4: Blair, Blake, Einstein, Springbrook
3: Gaithersburg, Magruder, Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Sherwood
2: BCC, Kennedy, Northwood, Paint Branch, Watkins Mill
1: Damascus, Northwest, Walter Johnson
0: Clarksburg, Poolesville, Quince Orchard, Seneca Valley, Wheaton, Wootton

The openings at Churchill include mainly special ed positions and long term substitutes. There is only one full time teaching position open. Special ed staffing is an issue country wide.

Lack of special ed staffingis a HUGE issue that isn't going away.

Right- and given that it’s a nationwide issue, MCPS needs to be increasing SPED teacher/para pay stat in order to compete.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And then you have the issue of widening gaps between "good schools" and "mediocre/bad schools."

From the article:

Stacy Ganz Kahn, president of the Winston Churchill High School PTSA, says special education programs are dealing with the brunt of the teacher shortage in MCPS. Offering bonuses in high-need areas and pathways to teacher certification for paraprofessionals could help remedy the situation, she said.

Still, Ganz Kahn says the Potomac school is pretty well-staffed, unlike other schools in the county, because people want to teach there.

I read that quote in the article and thought it was in poor taste. And then just now I looked at the available jobs on the MCPS Careers site, and it turns out it's not true at all. Churchill actually has 6 open teacher positions posted, more than any other HS!

6: Churchill
5: Whitman
4: Blair, Blake, Einstein, Springbrook
3: Gaithersburg, Magruder, Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Sherwood
2: BCC, Kennedy, Northwood, Paint Branch, Watkins Mill
1: Damascus, Northwest, Walter Johnson
0: Clarksburg, Poolesville, Quince Orchard, Seneca Valley, Wheaton, Wootton

The openings at Churchill include mainly special ed positions and long term substitutes. There is only one full time teaching position open. Special ed staffing is an issue country wide.

Lack of special ed staffingis a HUGE issue that isn't going away.

Right- and given that it’s a nationwide issue, MCPS needs to be increasing SPED teacher/para pay stat in order to compete.

They can’t afford to raise the pay relative to the high case load. They need to raise pay AND improve working conditions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And then you have the issue of widening gaps between "good schools" and "mediocre/bad schools."

From the article:

Stacy Ganz Kahn, president of the Winston Churchill High School PTSA, says special education programs are dealing with the brunt of the teacher shortage in MCPS. Offering bonuses in high-need areas and pathways to teacher certification for paraprofessionals could help remedy the situation, she said.

Still, Ganz Kahn says the Potomac school is pretty well-staffed, unlike other schools in the county, because people want to teach there.

I read that quote in the article and thought it was in poor taste. And then just now I looked at the available jobs on the MCPS Careers site, and it turns out it's not true at all. Churchill actually has 6 open teacher positions posted, more than any other HS!

6: Churchill
5: Whitman
4: Blair, Blake, Einstein, Springbrook
3: Gaithersburg, Magruder, Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Sherwood
2: BCC, Kennedy, Northwood, Paint Branch, Watkins Mill
1: Damascus, Northwest, Walter Johnson
0: Clarksburg, Poolesville, Quince Orchard, Seneca Valley, Wheaton, Wootton

The openings at Churchill include mainly special ed positions and long term substitutes. There is only one full time teaching position open. Special ed staffing is an issue country wide.

It’s not a priority at Churchill to teach Special Education students. The school is a prime example of discrimination against students with disabilities given that students have not received their required services.

[Anonymous]

I’d be happy with my current pay if they get rid of all of the BS trainings and nonsense paperwork that has zero impact on students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And then you have the issue of widening gaps between "good schools" and "mediocre/bad schools."

From the article:

Stacy Ganz Kahn, president of the Winston Churchill High School PTSA, says special education programs are dealing with the brunt of the teacher shortage in MCPS. Offering bonuses in high-need areas and pathways to teacher certification for paraprofessionals could help remedy the situation, she said.

Still, Ganz Kahn says the Potomac school is pretty well-staffed, unlike other schools in the county, because people want to teach there.

I read that quote in the article and thought it was in poor taste. And then just now I looked at the available jobs on the MCPS Careers site, and it turns out it's not true at all. Churchill actually has 6 open teacher positions posted, more than any other HS!

6: Churchill
5: Whitman
4: Blair, Blake, Einstein, Springbrook
3: Gaithersburg, Magruder, Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Sherwood
2: BCC, Kennedy, Northwood, Paint Branch, Watkins Mill
1: Damascus, Northwest, Walter Johnson
0: Clarksburg, Poolesville, Quince Orchard, Seneca Valley, Wheaton, Wootton

Couple potential takeaways:

Working in W schools might be much less attractive than DCUM wants to believe. Possibly because teachers don’t want to deal with DCUM parents.

Working in non-W schools might be much more attractive than DCUM wants to believe. Possibly because there’s better work life balance there. Or because working with those students is more rewarding to teachers who see their career as a vocation.

I think some of the up county schools are attractive because teachers can afford to live in decent neighborhoods within a reasonable commuting distance. Some are getting cheaper real estate outside MoCo but working in MoCo for the better benefits. A teacher can’t really live near Churchill unless they have a rich spouse or another source of money.

Churchill parents could attract quality teachers by offering to rent a house or in-law suite at below market for as long as the teacher remained employed at the school. However, they see teachers as beneath them and undeserving of being a full member of the community.

An in-law suite???? You think living in an in-law suite would make a teacher a part of the community? Unreal. THIS is why no one wants to be a teacher. You think living in some student's family home is perfectly fine for a teacher. Like a governess with a straw suitcase and a note of introduction or a maid you're sponsoring. What adult wants to live like that? What if they have a family of their own, are they all supposed to pile into the in-law suite?

YOU are the one who thinks teachers are beneath them. I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN AN IN-LAW SUITE. BECAUSE I AM AN ADULT, WORKING A FULL TIME JOB AND DESERVE A REAL PLACE TO LIVE.

From a practical perspective - You cannot deny someone a rental dwelling based on their source of income. It’s a violation of Fair Housing laws. Also, from an optics standpoint, if the landlord’s child is at the school where the teacher teaches and they are living at the same address, there could be a conflict of interest for the teacher if the student has that teacher.

Several school districts some how figured out how to do this. For example:

From an old convent to rooms for rent, schools are desperate to find affordable housing for struggling staff
https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/11/us/teachers-affordable-housing/index.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d be happy with my current pay if they get rid of all of the BS trainings and nonsense paperwork that has zero impact on students.

No one believes you are actually a teacher.

[Anonymous]

I'm a teacher and I am also happy with my pay. Although if I worked in another state I probably wouldn't be. But I think retention would be much better if the meetings and additional demands were cut down.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d be happy with my current pay if they get rid of all of the BS trainings and nonsense paperwork that has zero impact on students.

No one believes you are actually a teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its a sad messy situation for everyone..

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2022/11/02/parents-say-mcps-teacher-shortages-are-hurting-students-academic-progress/

We are in a neighborhood zoned for Einstein and know a family with a student in the references algebra class. These are well-educated parents so I think they were first like, ok we will try to help at home. But they soon hired a tutor, which not everyone can afford to do. It's different to try to supplement at home in ES vs. HS. MCPS doesn't even have books anymore. I remember my dad helping me with math in high school but he would literally sit down with the book to teach himself.

MCPS is offering FREE tutoring so stop commenting about those who cannot afford it.

Have your tried this free tutoring? For algebra specifically?

In any event, it’s meant to provide supplementation for struggling students, not replace having an actual teacher.

Yes, we used it for Algebra and Geometry. No, its meant for all students, not just those struggling or failing grades. We use it for two different subjects. So, stop complain and use it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its a sad messy situation for everyone..

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2022/11/02/parents-say-mcps-teacher-shortages-are-hurting-students-academic-progress/

We are in a neighborhood zoned for Einstein and know a family with a student in the references algebra class. These are well-educated parents so I think they were first like, ok we will try to help at home. But they soon hired a tutor, which not everyone can afford to do. It's different to try to supplement at home in ES vs. HS. MCPS doesn't even have books anymore. I remember my dad helping me with math in high school but he would literally sit down with the book to teach himself.

MCPS is offering FREE tutoring so stop commenting about those who cannot afford it.

Isn't the free tutoring virtual? Isn't that what got us in this mess to begin with.

Stop complaining already. Your kid can do virtual for everything else and virtual is fine for 1-1 tutoring. Maybe your kid or you are the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And then you have the issue of widening gaps between "good schools" and "mediocre/bad schools."

From the article:

Stacy Ganz Kahn, president of the Winston Churchill High School PTSA, says special education programs are dealing with the brunt of the teacher shortage in MCPS. Offering bonuses in high-need areas and pathways to teacher certification for paraprofessionals could help remedy the situation, she said.

Still, Ganz Kahn says the Potomac school is pretty well-staffed, unlike other schools in the county, because people want to teach there.

I read that quote in the article and thought it was in poor taste. And then just now I looked at the available jobs on the MCPS Careers site, and it turns out it's not true at all. Churchill actually has 6 open teacher positions posted, more than any other HS!

6: Churchill
5: Whitman
4: Blair, Blake, Einstein, Springbrook
3: Gaithersburg, Magruder, Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Sherwood
2: BCC, Kennedy, Northwood, Paint Branch, Watkins Mill
1: Damascus, Northwest, Walter Johnson
0: Clarksburg, Poolesville, Quince Orchard, Seneca Valley, Wheaton, Wootton

The openings at Churchill include mainly special ed positions and long term substitutes. There is only one full time teaching position open. Special ed staffing is an issue country wide.

It’s not a priority at Churchill to teach Special Education students. The school is a prime example of discrimination against students with disabilities given that students have not received their required services.

It's not that special ed students aren't a priority at Churchill, it's that special ed teachers are burnt out all over the county, and have quit. Its a nation-wode problem as well. Between covid, not to mention all the extra paperwork required, no planning time and parents who regularly attend meetings with lawyers ready to pounce and prove their worth, there are not lines of people waiting to fill those jobs. I am at a school that has had a special ed opening posted since before school started and no one has applied.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And then you have the issue of widening gaps between "good schools" and "mediocre/bad schools."

From the article:

Stacy Ganz Kahn, president of the Winston Churchill High School PTSA, says special education programs are dealing with the brunt of the teacher shortage in MCPS. Offering bonuses in high-need areas and pathways to teacher certification for paraprofessionals could help remedy the situation, she said.

Still, Ganz Kahn says the Potomac school is pretty well-staffed, unlike other schools in the county, because people want to teach there.

I read that quote in the article and thought it was in poor taste. And then just now I looked at the available jobs on the MCPS Careers site, and it turns out it's not true at all. Churchill actually has 6 open teacher positions posted, more than any other HS!

6: Churchill
5: Whitman
4: Blair, Blake, Einstein, Springbrook
3: Gaithersburg, Magruder, Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Sherwood
2: BCC, Kennedy, Northwood, Paint Branch, Watkins Mill
1: Damascus, Northwest, Walter Johnson
0: Clarksburg, Poolesville, Quince Orchard, Seneca Valley, Wheaton, Wootton

The openings at Churchill include mainly special ed positions and long term substitutes. There is only one full time teaching position open. Special ed staffing is an issue country wide.

It’s not a priority at Churchill to teach Special Education students. The school is a prime example of discrimination against students with disabilities given that students have not received their required services.

It's not that special ed students aren't a priority at Churchill, it's that special ed teachers are burnt out all over the county, and have quit. Its a nation-wode problem as well. Between covid, not to mention all the extra paperwork required, no planning time and parents who regularly attend meetings with lawyers ready to pounce and prove their worth, there are not lines of people waiting to fill those jobs. I am at a school that has had a special ed opening posted since before school started and no one has applied.

We had an opening at the start of year. Then, a teacher went on medical leave that turned into maternity leave. And then, a teacher quit. Plus a para is out sick for the foreseeable future. Plus, this year, we have more kids with codes than ever. The entire SPED Dept seems minutes away from a breakdown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And then you have the issue of widening gaps between "good schools" and "mediocre/bad schools."

From the article:

Stacy Ganz Kahn, president of the Winston Churchill High School PTSA, says special education programs are dealing with the brunt of the teacher shortage in MCPS. Offering bonuses in high-need areas and pathways to teacher certification for paraprofessionals could help remedy the situation, she said.

Still, Ganz Kahn says the Potomac school is pretty well-staffed, unlike other schools in the county, because people want to teach there.

I read that quote in the article and thought it was in poor taste. And then just now I looked at the available jobs on the MCPS Careers site, and it turns out it's not true at all. Churchill actually has 6 open teacher positions posted, more than any other HS!

6: Churchill
5: Whitman
4: Blair, Blake, Einstein, Springbrook
3: Gaithersburg, Magruder, Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Sherwood
2: BCC, Kennedy, Northwood, Paint Branch, Watkins Mill
1: Damascus, Northwest, Walter Johnson
0: Clarksburg, Poolesville, Quince Orchard, Seneca Valley, Wheaton, Wootton

Couple potential takeaways:

Working in W schools might be much less attractive than DCUM wants to believe. Possibly because teachers don’t want to deal with DCUM parents.

Working in non-W schools might be much more attractive than DCUM wants to believe. Possibly because there’s better work life balance there. Or because working with those students is more rewarding to teachers who see their career as a vocation.

I think some of the up county schools are attractive because teachers can afford to live in decent neighborhoods within a reasonable commuting distance. Some are getting cheaper real estate outside MoCo but working in MoCo for the better benefits. A teacher can’t really live near Churchill unless they have a rich spouse or another source of money.

Churchill parents could attract quality teachers by offering to rent a house or in-law suite at below market for as long as the teacher remained employed at the school. However, they see teachers as beneath them and undeserving of being a full member of the community.

An in-law suite???? You think living in an in-law suite would make a teacher a part of the community? Unreal. THIS is why no one wants to be a teacher. You think living in some student's family home is perfectly fine for a teacher. Like a governess with a straw suitcase and a note of introduction or a maid you're sponsoring. What adult wants to live like that? What if they have a family of their own, are they all supposed to pile into the in-law suite?

YOU are the one who thinks teachers are beneath them. I DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN AN IN-LAW SUITE. BECAUSE I AM AN ADULT, WORKING A FULL TIME JOB AND DESERVE A REAL PLACE TO LIVE.

From a practical perspective - You cannot deny someone a rental dwelling based on their source of income. It’s a violation of Fair Housing laws. Also, from an optics standpoint, if the landlord’s child is at the school where the teacher teaches and they are living at the same address, there could be a conflict of interest for the teacher if the student has that teacher.

Several school districts some how figured out how to do this. For example:

From an old convent to rooms for rent, schools are desperate to find affordable housing for struggling staff
https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/11/us/teachers-affordable-housing/index.html

A government housing program is one thing. Montgomery County has the MPDU program that first responders and teachers qualify for. The only problem is scarcity. Expanding on affordable housing programs for teachers would be beneficial.

What PP proposed was people renting out a room or an apartment to exclusively teachers at a Potomac school.