Schools pass over laid-off teachers when jobs open up
It's not a good time to be a new teacher in Florida.
A lot of principals, under a new accountability program, can only hire teachers with a proven record of boosting student achievement, a school official says
It's not a good time to be a new teacher in Florida.
Scores of instructors with three years of experience or less were laid off a few months ago because of budget cuts.
But some school districts, transfused with millions in new federal funding, are now passing up the teachers they let go and instead are hiring educators from other parts of the state and nation as they prepare for the new school year.
Teachers unions say that's unfair — and one union, in Broward County, has sued to stop the practice.
The union president in Lake County criticized its School Board at a meeting last week.
"It might be legal, but it's wrong," said B. Grassel of the Lake County Education Association.
School officials argue they need the best educators they can find. They are under increasing pressure to boost student performance as the state enforces ever tougher standards that subject schools to a variety of sanctions if children don't improve their reading, writing and math skills.
In Orange County, about 860 teachers were let go in the spring. An estimated half were asked to come back. Meanwhile, most of the teachers the district hired for the new school year were brought in from outside the district.
Lakisha Cooley, 29, a first-grade teacher, has applied for positions with 30 schools in Orange County after being laid off this year. So far, she hasn't found a job.
Scores of instructors with three years of experience or less were laid off a few months ago because of budget cuts.
But some school districts, transfused with millions in new federal funding, are now passing up the teachers they let go and instead are hiring educators from other parts of the state and nation as they prepare for the new school year.
Teachers unions say that's unfair — and one union, in Broward County, has sued to stop the practice.
The union president in Lake County criticized its School Board at a meeting last week.
"It might be legal, but it's wrong," said B. Grassel of the Lake County Education Association.
School officials argue they need the best educators they can find. They are under increasing pressure to boost student performance as the state enforces ever tougher standards that subject schools to a variety of sanctions if children don't improve their reading, writing and math skills.
In Orange County, about 860 teachers were let go in the spring. An estimated half were asked to come back. Meanwhile, most of the teachers the district hired for the new school year were brought in from outside the district.
Lakisha Cooley, 29, a first-grade teacher, has applied for positions with 30 schools in Orange County after being laid off this year. So far, she hasn't found a job.
Hurt, disappointed
Cooley, who was working on an annual contract when she was let go, said her principal called her a strong teacher. She was even the team leader for first-grade teachers at her school in Orlando last year.
Cooley is hurt and disappointed.
"I was good enough to be the team leader," she said. "I'm going to have to move away. I have to pay my bills. I have to have a job, and I can't hope the bills will magically get paid."
Carol Kindt, Orange schools' senior executive director for human resources, said there could be several reasons the district didn't rehire about 420 teachers who worked on an annual-contract basis.
Most had not yet been granted tenure because they have three years of experience or less. Some may have left the area or changed careers, Kindt said.
Also, she said, some likely weren't reinstated because a lot of principals, under a new accountability program passed by the Legislature, can only hire teachers with a proven record of boosting student achievement who have completed specific training programs.
Many times, it's the more-experienced educators who have those credentials.
"The needs of schools may have changed [since last year], and that will drive who can be hired," Kindt wrote in an e-mail interview.
Statewide, districts slashed jobs months ago to chop spending for the coming school year. Thanks to an infusion of federal stimulus money, however, many teachers were reinstated.
Most vulnerable were the instructors on a year-to-year contract. Districts can let them go without a reason at any time. And districts have no legal obligation to bring them back.
Virtually all of the hundreds of teachers statewide who were not rehired are those with one to three years of experience, according to the state's teachers union, the Florida Education Association. And even though many of them have good performance evaluations, they are having trouble even landing interviews, said union leaders throughout the state.
Cooley is hurt and disappointed.
"I was good enough to be the team leader," she said. "I'm going to have to move away. I have to pay my bills. I have to have a job, and I can't hope the bills will magically get paid."
Carol Kindt, Orange schools' senior executive director for human resources, said there could be several reasons the district didn't rehire about 420 teachers who worked on an annual-contract basis.
Most had not yet been granted tenure because they have three years of experience or less. Some may have left the area or changed careers, Kindt said.
Also, she said, some likely weren't reinstated because a lot of principals, under a new accountability program passed by the Legislature, can only hire teachers with a proven record of boosting student achievement who have completed specific training programs.
Many times, it's the more-experienced educators who have those credentials.
"The needs of schools may have changed [since last year], and that will drive who can be hired," Kindt wrote in an e-mail interview.
Statewide, districts slashed jobs months ago to chop spending for the coming school year. Thanks to an infusion of federal stimulus money, however, many teachers were reinstated.
Most vulnerable were the instructors on a year-to-year contract. Districts can let them go without a reason at any time. And districts have no legal obligation to bring them back.
Virtually all of the hundreds of teachers statewide who were not rehired are those with one to three years of experience, according to the state's teachers union, the Florida Education Association. And even though many of them have good performance evaluations, they are having trouble even landing interviews, said union leaders throughout the state.
About 40 teachers were let go in Highlands County in Sebring. As of late last week, the district had hired 43 new people.
"I just question why they do it, and I can't get a straight answer," said Steve Picklesimer, a high-school chemistry teacher who heads the local teachers union. "It's kind of heartless and kind of, in my opinion, a process that doesn't seem to have any justification."
"Interestingly, because of the job market, we have had up to 900 applicants for certain jobs," Joyner said.
Jim Warford, who heads the Florida Association of School Administrators, said principals need to be picky.
The majority of public schools face significant sanctions if their students don't perform well. In addition to earning a grade from the state this academic year, the state will also rate all schools based on whether their students make "adequate yearly progress" — a rigorous standard developed by the federal government.
Previously, only high-poverty schools, because they received extra federal funding, had to meet that higher standard. And most have failed and been hit with sanctions such as replacing teachers and administrators.
"I can tell you that when principals are hiring new teachers in today's highly accountable environment, they are looking for the very best they can find," said Warford, a former chancellor at the Florida Department of Education. "They can't afford to do otherwise."
"We've had two years of a really, really tough job market in Central Florida," Hewit said "Three years ago, we were telling our student teachers to not take the first offer because they want to have a job they like, and sometimes they're so anxious to be wanted. Right now, we're telling students that you are likely to have to leave the area and maybe leave the state if you want to get a teaching job."
Cooley hopes she lands a spot before the end of the month.
She had two interviews but had not heard back from one school as of Friday.
"From what I'm hearing, at least I've gotten some interviews. Some people haven't had any," she said.
Denise-Marie Balona can be reached at 352-742-5928 or dbalona@orlandosentinel.com.
"I just question why they do it, and I can't get a straight answer," said Steve Picklesimer, a high-school chemistry teacher who heads the local teachers union. "It's kind of heartless and kind of, in my opinion, a process that doesn't seem to have any justification."
900 applicants
In St. Johns County, school officials can be "very, very selective," said Superintendent Joe Joyner. That district laid off very few teachers, but it had to open new positions because it's one of the few Florida districts where enrollment is still growing."Interestingly, because of the job market, we have had up to 900 applicants for certain jobs," Joyner said.
Jim Warford, who heads the Florida Association of School Administrators, said principals need to be picky.
The majority of public schools face significant sanctions if their students don't perform well. In addition to earning a grade from the state this academic year, the state will also rate all schools based on whether their students make "adequate yearly progress" — a rigorous standard developed by the federal government.
Previously, only high-poverty schools, because they received extra federal funding, had to meet that higher standard. And most have failed and been hit with sanctions such as replacing teachers and administrators.
"I can tell you that when principals are hiring new teachers in today's highly accountable environment, they are looking for the very best they can find," said Warford, a former chancellor at the Florida Department of Education. "They can't afford to do otherwise."
'Tough job market'
Education students at Rollins College in Winter Park have been frustrated by the waning job possibilities. And the college has seen a dip in the number of people entering the field, said Director of Teacher Education Programs J. Scott Hewit."We've had two years of a really, really tough job market in Central Florida," Hewit said "Three years ago, we were telling our student teachers to not take the first offer because they want to have a job they like, and sometimes they're so anxious to be wanted. Right now, we're telling students that you are likely to have to leave the area and maybe leave the state if you want to get a teaching job."
Cooley hopes she lands a spot before the end of the month.
She had two interviews but had not heard back from one school as of Friday.
"From what I'm hearing, at least I've gotten some interviews. Some people haven't had any," she said.
Denise-Marie Balona can be reached at 352-742-5928 or dbalona@orlandosentinel.com.
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