How is FCPS teacher/staff shortage?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So here’s my question:

What is the plan? There are 588 missing teachers. That’s roughly 18,000 kids (30 per class) without a teacher.

What are the levers?
- Do they just make the classes bigger?
- move teachers around to share the pain between schools? Seems unfair to have some schools fully staffed while others are at 50%
- Put kids into the cafeteria all day?

Seriously, what is the PLAN?

Yes to the first. Combine classes so that there may be grades combined. Also resource teachers will be placed in classrooms to start the year. And central office staff. It will be done on a school by school basis.

Yep- I’ve heard central office resource teachers will be assigned to schools (which, good- it’s about time) and possibly folks who were classroom teachers last year but took other jobs this year May be put back in the classroom (ICs are the position I specifically keep hearing, which, again, good!)

And they will be paid their regular salary.

Most of the people coded as resource teachers/specialists that aren’t coordinators are actually not making significantly more than teachers. They are just 11 or 12 months employees, so they make more because they are working more days. I don’t really care—just glad to see them covering classrooms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wonder why she got the percentage wrong?

She might have updated information. The staffed numbers go quite a bit each day at this time of year.

Why do they change each day? Which teachers are looking for positions this late in the summer?

There are always de-staffs. Not sure if that will happen this summer or not. But every year, teachers are de staffed right before school starts.

What is a de-staff? Is it people who got fired or people schools don't need because they miscalculated the number of enrolled students or both?

At this point in the summer it's not a fired employee, it's a displaced employee that they will say needs to go to a school in need. A horrible feeling for that teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wonder why she got the percentage wrong?

She might have updated information. The staffed numbers go quite a bit each day at this time of year.

Why do they change each day? Which teachers are looking for positions this late in the summer?

There are always de-staffs. Not sure if that will happen this summer or not. But every year, teachers are de staffed right before school starts.

What is a de-staff? Is it people who got fired or people schools don't need because they miscalculated the number of enrolled students or both?

Not needed. I was de staffed because they thought they’d have the #s for 4 classes but did not. So I got transferred to another school.

Can you get out of your contract without penalty if you're destaffed? I thought about leaving last year but decided to stick it out at least one more year to see if things improve post-pandemic. If I got transferred to a worse school that's a much longer commute, that might just be the last straw for me.

If I get moved to a school that is far out.... I will not stay. This will be a delicate process for HR. If you apply to a school it's for a reason. Many teachers have their own kids in county schools and can't be an hour commute away. I hope someone balanced and intelligent is overseeing this process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wonder why she got the percentage wrong?

She might have updated information. The staffed numbers go quite a bit each day at this time of year.

Why do they change each day? Which teachers are looking for positions this late in the summer?

There are always de-staffs. Not sure if that will happen this summer or not. But every year, teachers are de staffed right before school starts.

What is a de-staff? Is it people who got fired or people schools don't need because they miscalculated the number of enrolled students or both?

Not needed. I was de staffed because they thought they’d have the #s for 4 classes but did not. So I got transferred to another school.

Can you get out of your contract without penalty if you're destaffed? I thought about leaving last year but decided to stick it out at least one more year to see if things improve post-pandemic. If I got transferred to a worse school that's a much longer commute, that might just be the last straw for me.

If I get moved to a school that is far out.... I will not stay. This will be a delicate process for HR. If you apply to a school it's for a reason. Many teachers have their own kids in county schools and can't be an hour commute away. I hope someone balanced and intelligent is overseeing this process.

Yes it’s really unfair to interview and be hired at desired school and they try to ship you off somewhere else.

I cried the whole weekend last year when it happened on a Friday. In the end it worked out OK. Not a great school environment but wasn’t a bad commute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wonder why she got the percentage wrong?

She might have updated information. The staffed numbers go quite a bit each day at this time of year.

Why do they change each day? Which teachers are looking for positions this late in the summer?

There are always de-staffs. Not sure if that will happen this summer or not. But every year, teachers are de staffed right before school starts.

What is a de-staff? Is it people who got fired or people schools don't need because they miscalculated the number of enrolled students or both?

Not needed. I was de staffed because they thought they’d have the #s for 4 classes but did not. So I got transferred to another school.

Can you get out of your contract without penalty if you're destaffed? I thought about leaving last year but decided to stick it out at least one more year to see if things improve post-pandemic. If I got transferred to a worse school that's a much longer commute, that might just be the last straw for me.

If I get moved to a school that is far out.... I will not stay. This will be a delicate process for HR. If you apply to a school it's for a reason. Many teachers have their own kids in county schools and can't be an hour commute away. I hope someone balanced and intelligent is overseeing this process.

Yes it’s really unfair to interview and be hired at desired school and they try to ship you off somewhere else.

I cried the whole weekend last year when it happened on a Friday. In the end it worked out OK. Not a great school environment but wasn’t a bad commute.

Been there and it's not ok when it happens. I'm glad you stayed strong and they put you in a location that works for you!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wonder why she got the percentage wrong?

She might have updated information. The staffed numbers go quite a bit each day at this time of year.

Why do they change each day? Which teachers are looking for positions this late in the summer?

There are always de-staffs. Not sure if that will happen this summer or not. But every year, teachers are de staffed right before school starts.

What is a de-staff? Is it people who got fired or people schools don't need because they miscalculated the number of enrolled students or both?

Not needed. I was de staffed because they thought they’d have the #s for 4 classes but did not. So I got transferred to another school.

Can you get out of your contract without penalty if you're destaffed? I thought about leaving last year but decided to stick it out at least one more year to see if things improve post-pandemic. If I got transferred to a worse school that's a much longer commute, that might just be the last straw for me.

Anyone can leave at the end of year without penalty. It is a 1-year contract for just that school year, “Blackballing” happens when people leave mid year.

I think they are talking about a de staff that happens in august before school starts.

Yes, what happens if you signed your contract and then are told you're destaffed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wonder why she got the percentage wrong?

She might have updated information. The staffed numbers go quite a bit each day at this time of year.

Why do they change each day? Which teachers are looking for positions this late in the summer?

There are always de-staffs. Not sure if that will happen this summer or not. But every year, teachers are de staffed right before school starts.

What is a de-staff? Is it people who got fired or people schools don't need because they miscalculated the number of enrolled students or both?

Not needed. I was de staffed because they thought they’d have the #s for 4 classes but did not. So I got transferred to another school.

Can you get out of your contract without penalty if you're destaffed? I thought about leaving last year but decided to stick it out at least one more year to see if things improve post-pandemic. If I got transferred to a worse school that's a much longer commute, that might just be the last straw for me.

Anyone can leave at the end of year without penalty. It is a 1-year contract for just that school year, “Blackballing” happens when people leave mid year.

I think they are talking about a de staff that happens in august before school starts.

Yes, what happens if you signed your contract and then are told you're destaffed?

yes good question

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So here’s my question:

What is the plan? There are 588 missing teachers. That’s roughly 18,000 kids (30 per class) without a teacher.

What are the levers?
- Do they just make the classes bigger?
- move teachers around to share the pain between schools? Seems unfair to have some schools fully staffed while others are at 50%
- Put kids into the cafeteria all day?

Seriously, what is the PLAN?

Yes to the first. Combine classes so that there may be grades combined. Also resource teachers will be placed in classrooms to start the year. And central office staff. It will be done on a school by school basis.

Yep- I’ve heard central office resource teachers will be assigned to schools (which, good- it’s about time) and possibly folks who were classroom teachers last year but took other jobs this year May be put back in the classroom (ICs are the position I specifically keep hearing, which, again, good!)

What are IC positions??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So here’s my question:

What is the plan? There are 588 missing teachers. That’s roughly 18,000 kids (30 per class) without a teacher.

What are the levers?
- Do they just make the classes bigger?
- move teachers around to share the pain between schools? Seems unfair to have some schools fully staffed while others are at 50%
- Put kids into the cafeteria all day?

Seriously, what is the PLAN?

Yes to the first. Combine classes so that there may be grades combined. Also resource teachers will be placed in classrooms to start the year. And central office staff. It will be done on a school by school basis.

Yep- I’ve heard central office resource teachers will be assigned to schools (which, good- it’s about time) and possibly folks who were classroom teachers last year but took other jobs this year May be put back in the classroom (ICs are the position I specifically keep hearing, which, again, good!)

What are IC positions??

instructional coaches

[Anonymous]

ICs are so unnecessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So here’s my question:

What is the plan? There are 588 missing teachers. That’s roughly 18,000 kids (30 per class) without a teacher.

What are the levers?
- Do they just make the classes bigger?
- move teachers around to share the pain between schools? Seems unfair to have some schools fully staffed while others are at 50%
- Put kids into the cafeteria all day?

Seriously, what is the PLAN?

Yes to the first. Combine classes so that there may be grades combined. Also resource teachers will be placed in classrooms to start the year. And central office staff. It will be done on a school by school basis.

Yep- I’ve heard central office resource teachers will be assigned to schools (which, good- it’s about time) and possibly folks who were classroom teachers last year but took other jobs this year May be put back in the classroom (ICs are the position I specifically keep hearing, which, again, good!)

What are IC positions??

instructional coaches

This would make me happy, so they can see that some of their ideas are t always practical in reality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So here’s my question:

What is the plan? There are 588 missing teachers. That’s roughly 18,000 kids (30 per class) without a teacher.

What are the levers?
- Do they just make the classes bigger?
- move teachers around to share the pain between schools? Seems unfair to have some schools fully staffed while others are at 50%
- Put kids into the cafeteria all day?

Seriously, what is the PLAN?

Yes to the first. Combine classes so that there may be grades combined. Also resource teachers will be placed in classrooms to start the year. And central office staff. It will be done on a school by school basis.

Yep- I’ve heard central office resource teachers will be assigned to schools (which, good- it’s about time) and possibly folks who were classroom teachers last year but took other jobs this year May be put back in the classroom (ICs are the position I specifically keep hearing, which, again, good!)

What are IC positions??

instructional coaches

This would make me happy, so they can see that some of their ideas are t always practical in reality.

I guess that I am troubled by the fact that these solutions are just a band-aid and that they do not address the systemic problem in K-12 education. What is going to happen next year when more people leave again because these solutions are short-term? At some point, FCPS will run out of people. FCPS has failed to respond to a crisis that people in the trenches saw coming a long time ago. I remember even back in my 2010 grad classes the professors were talking about a significant decrease in the people coming into teacher prep programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wonder why she got the percentage wrong?

She might have updated information. The staffed numbers go quite a bit each day at this time of year.

Why do they change each day? Which teachers are looking for positions this late in the summer?

There are always de-staffs. Not sure if that will happen this summer or not. But every year, teachers are de staffed right before school starts.

What is a de-staff? Is it people who got fired or people schools don't need because they miscalculated the number of enrolled students or both?

Not needed. I was de staffed because they thought they’d have the #s for 4 classes but did not. So I got transferred to another school.

Can you get out of your contract without penalty if you're destaffed? I thought about leaving last year but decided to stick it out at least one more year to see if things improve post-pandemic. If I got transferred to a worse school that's a much longer commute, that might just be the last straw for me.

Anyone can leave at the end of year without penalty. It is a 1-year contract for just that school year, “Blackballing” happens when people leave mid year.

I think they are talking about a de staff that happens in august before school starts.

Yes, what happens if you signed your contract and then are told you're destaffed?

yes good question

See above

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wonder why she got the percentage wrong?

She might have updated information. The staffed numbers go quite a bit each day at this time of year.

Why do they change each day? Which teachers are looking for positions this late in the summer?

There are always de-staffs. Not sure if that will happen this summer or not. But every year, teachers are de staffed right before school starts.

What is a de-staff? Is it people who got fired or people schools don't need because they miscalculated the number of enrolled students or both?

Not needed. I was de staffed because they thought they’d have the #s for 4 classes but did not. So I got transferred to another school.

Can you get out of your contract without penalty if you're destaffed? I thought about leaving last year but decided to stick it out at least one more year to see if things improve post-pandemic. If I got transferred to a worse school that's a much longer commute, that might just be the last straw for me.

Anyone can leave at the end of year without penalty. It is a 1-year contract for just that school year, “Blackballing” happens when people leave mid year.

I think they are talking about a de staff that happens in august before school starts.

Yes, what happens if you signed your contract and then are told you're destaffed?

You are placed in another school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So here’s my question:

What is the plan? There are 588 missing teachers. That’s roughly 18,000 kids (30 per class) without a teacher.

What are the levers?
- Do they just make the classes bigger?
- move teachers around to share the pain between schools? Seems unfair to have some schools fully staffed while others are at 50%
- Put kids into the cafeteria all day?

Seriously, what is the PLAN?

Yes to the first. Combine classes so that there may be grades combined. Also resource teachers will be placed in classrooms to start the year. And central office staff. It will be done on a school by school basis.

Yep- I’ve heard central office resource teachers will be assigned to schools (which, good- it’s about time) and possibly folks who were classroom teachers last year but took other jobs this year May be put back in the classroom (ICs are the position I specifically keep hearing, which, again, good!)

What are IC positions??

instructional coaches

This would make me happy, so they can see that some of their ideas are t always practical in reality.

I guess that I am troubled by the fact that these solutions are just a band-aid and that they do not address the systemic problem in K-12 education. What is going to happen next year when more people leave again because these solutions are short-term? At some point, FCPS will run out of people. FCPS has failed to respond to a crisis that people in the trenches saw coming a long time ago. I remember even back in my 2010 grad classes the professors were talking about a significant decrease in the people coming into teacher prep programs.

If things do reach that level, we'll see public policy adapt. I can foresee class size limits legally increasing except for Title I schools. After all, I'd rather have my child with a real teacher and 40 kids instead of a substitute with 25 kids. I can also see seniors being offered hybrid or alternating in-person type of virtual learning. Not perfect solutions but enough to alleviate some of the issue.