Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would anyone do that? Do you have any clue about FCPS compensation, OP? FCPS teachers FLOCK to surrounding counties to get OUT of this bureaucratic nightmare and non-competitive pay scale wasteland that is FCPS.

Not OP but I’m seriously considering switching to FCPS to be on the same schedule as my children. It’s stressful finding care for snow days. Winter breaks don’t always match up either. We are a 2 income household and DH is not a teacher so my pay cut would t affect us that much. The stress of childcare affects us a lot.

Being in the same district is so helpful. I went back to work when my son started Kindergarten and decided to go in as an instructional assistant in APS (where we live.)The schedule aligns plus I get all workdays and conferences off. The best part is that I'm done by 3:30 and don't have tons of meetings or paperwork. I think I will continue on this path as long as we can afford it.

How are the pay and benefits as an instructional assistant? Do you get a pension?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would anyone do that? Do you have any clue about FCPS compensation, OP? FCPS teachers FLOCK to surrounding counties to get OUT of this bureaucratic nightmare and non-competitive pay scale wasteland that is FCPS.

The board just approved the FY19 budget on Thursday. I’m getting a $5K bump in my salary for next year. That and not having to deal with the dysfunction of ACPS makes me want to stay in FCPS.

If a 5k pay raise is that exciting you should checkout APS, also I think they also do some of your pension contribution for you

APS students get iPads in 2nd grade so you really don't have to teach anything at all.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would anyone do that? Do you have any clue about FCPS compensation, OP? FCPS teachers FLOCK to surrounding counties to get OUT of this bureaucratic nightmare and non-competitive pay scale wasteland that is FCPS.

Not OP but I’m seriously considering switching to FCPS to be on the same schedule as my children. It’s stressful finding care for snow days. Winter breaks don’t always match up either. We are a 2 income household and DH is not a teacher so my pay cut would t affect us that much. The stress of childcare affects us a lot.

Being in the same district is so helpful. I went back to work when my son started Kindergarten and decided to go in as an instructional assistant in APS (where we live.)The schedule aligns plus I get all workdays and conferences off. The best part is that I'm done by 3:30 and don't have tons of meetings or paperwork. I think I will continue on this path as long as we can afford it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would anyone do that? Do you have any clue about FCPS compensation, OP? FCPS teachers FLOCK to surrounding counties to get OUT of this bureaucratic nightmare and non-competitive pay scale wasteland that is FCPS.

Not OP but I’m seriously considering switching to FCPS to be on the same schedule as my children. It’s stressful finding care for snow days. Winter breaks don’t always match up either. We are a 2 income household and DH is not a teacher so my pay cut would t affect us that much. The stress of childcare affects us a lot.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It could be worth it depending on the school. I was so much happier and less stressed teaching in FCPS. I moved to APS, and it has been tough. Perhaps it’s just the school.

Any specifics? There does seem to be an awful lot of parental stress over boundaries and capacity in APS now, but does that really affect teachers?

A big part of any work environment is created by the supervisor. Perhaps the OP has a difficult principal. I hear ya, sister.

— APS teacher

Some teachers shouldn't be teachers and need to be managed out.

Anonymous wrote:ACPS employee premium costs are shown on this chart (24 pays): https://www.acps.k12.va.us/cms/lib/VA01918616/Centricity/Domain/804/benefits/open-enrollment/active-rates-fy2019.pdf
FCPS employee premium costs are shown on the chart (10 pays): https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/2018%20Employee%20Premiums_0.pdf

Based on the charts, an ACPS teacher pays $150.80 each pay for a family using Kaiser Permanente. That's $3,619/year. A FCPS teacher pays $464.75 each pay for KP family plan. That's $4,647/year. For an individual it looks like the teacher working for FCPS pays a little bit less each year.

ACPS retiree healthcare is slightly less than FCPS:
https://www.acps.k12.va.us/cms/lib/VA01918616/Centricity/Domain/804/Retirees/retiree-rates-jan-1-2018.pdf

https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/2018%20Retiree%20Premiums_0.pdf

As far as salary scales, the maximum amount of experience credited in ACPS is 12 years:
https://www.acps.k12.va.us/cms/lib/VA01918616/Centricity/Domain/804/compensation/salary-teacher-2018.pdf

The maximum amount of experience credited in FCPS is 15:
https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/pdf/FY18-teacher-194-day.pdf

12 years with a MA in ACPS: $79,674
12 years with a MA in FCPS: $73,952

15 years with a MA in ACPS: $87,484
15 years with a MA in FCPS: $80,353

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It could be worth it depending on the school. I was so much happier and less stressed teaching in FCPS. I moved to APS, and it has been tough. Perhaps it’s just the school.

Any specifics? There does seem to be an awful lot of parental stress over boundaries and capacity in APS now, but does that really affect teachers?

A big part of any work environment is created by the supervisor. Perhaps the OP has a difficult principal. I hear ya, sister.

— APS teacher

Some teachers shouldn't be teachers and need to be managed out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It could be worth it depending on the school. I was so much happier and less stressed teaching in FCPS. I moved to APS, and it has been tough. Perhaps it’s just the school.

Any specifics? There does seem to be an awful lot of parental stress over boundaries and capacity in APS now, but does that really affect teachers?

A big part of any work environment is created by the supervisor. Perhaps the OP has a difficult principal. I hear ya, sister.

— APS teacher

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It could be worth it depending on the school. I was so much happier and less stressed teaching in FCPS. I moved to APS, and it has been tough. Perhaps it’s just the school.

Any specifics? There does seem to be an awful lot of parental stress over boundaries and capacity in APS now, but does that really affect teachers?

Anonymous wrote:Op here—-I should have known my inquiry would be forgotten as random people insert info to support various unrelated agendas.

I am considering a move from Alexandria City Public Schools to FCPS. The only folks I want to hear from are folks who have first-hand anecdotes because they’re already done what I’m considering.