DC needs excellent, experienced teachers and has highly competitive pay. Research the good schools and contact the principals directly.

I was in a big system in Virginia (very similar to MCPS) and had the same situation. I called weekly and asked hte status of my application and nothing happened. I finally got an interview with a principal because of a family friend. I found out from the HR person, that you need to call and ask to speak to a staffing specialist, (not a secretary). Ask them what you need to do differently.

Not in MCPS but I was in HR today in my county and watched someone come in in the same situation as your wife, PP. He said he had applied online and called/emailed about scheduling a screening interview but had gotten no response. The HR person pulled up his application and scheduled him for a screening interview. So if your wife gets no response from HR by calling and emailing, she should show up in person and ask what her next step should be. I found a teaching job this year after 2 years of looking. I applied online to 6 counties and had interviews in 3 of them. I subbed for those 2 years and finally got a job. I will spend the next few (or more) years paying back the debt I racked up by living on sub pay (as well as paying back my student loans). Best of luck to her!

My wife has been applying on the MCPS website for open positions, but she hasn't heard anything back from HR. I know that she has to have an interview with them. Is it hard to get an interview? Can she just call and schedule an interview? Or is it difficult to even get an interview? She's been teaching for years in CA and just received PEC (Professional Eligibility Certification) for MD. Thank you for your replies.

Subbing is the best foot in the door with MCPS. The Principal's get to know you and you will see individual school vacancies in the online system before the general public see's them (and can email Principal's to express interest). Having a connection or a friend in a school is also a great option. MCPS is an extremely large school district and Im willing to bet nearly every elementary school had vacancies this year due to retirements, turn-over, inter-school transfers, etc.......

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS teachers, your pay freeze has been lifted correct?

MCPS teacher here. We received a step increase effective July 1. That still puts us 2 steps behind. We have not received a COLA since July 2009. We will receive another step increase this coming May, which will put us 1 step behind. Noone knows if we will receive a step increase or a COLA in July 2013. If no step increase then, we will fall back to 2 steps behind.

Good luck finding a job in MCPS. Other posters are correct. It helps a LOT if you know people in the system already.

Tom Israel came to us preservice week and told us they were working on restoring that second step we lost - still behind a bit but better than nothing.

Anonymous wrote:MCPS teachers, your pay freeze has been lifted correct?

MCPS teacher here. We received a step increase effective July 1. That still puts us 2 steps behind. We have not received a COLA since July 2009. We will receive another step increase this coming May, which will put us 1 step behind. Noone knows if we will receive a step increase or a COLA in July 2013. If no step increase then, we will fall back to 2 steps behind.

Good luck finding a job in MCPS. Other posters are correct. It helps a LOT if you know people in the system already.

Op

Darn typo

any inside info . . .