r/CaliforniaTeachers

I’m 17 and from LA county. For a while now, I’ve wanted to become an elementary school teacher. With college around the corner, I’ve been doing some research on this career. What I realized is that the pathway to education is not as simple as I assumed. There’s tons of conflicting information online (get an alternative certification! No absolutely do not get an alternative certification!..) and varies drastically state by state. It’s hard to find information specific to California elementary school teachers. Heck, now I’m wondering if I can even teach elementary because apparently elem teacher enrollment in California is abysmal. It’s all so overwhelming! If there are any Californian elementary school teachers here, what worked for you? If anyone else has advice, it would be greatly appreciated!

Hi! Does anyone work (or recently worked) in special education for Bellflower USD? Does anyone know what their speech department is like? They only have 1 direct hire at this time.

Hey everyone,

I like many others am struggling to find work as a history teacher living in the Inland Empire. I’ve applied from Perris to Torrance to Burbank to Newport and still no luck. I got my credential through UC Riverside last year, and I spent this last school year as a sub in mostly high school social studies classes and have some great references, but I feel like once it comes down to interviewing I get too in my head and get nervous and the interviewers notice. Do you all have any tips for doing well in interviews, or even the job hunting process in general? Not sure if it matters, but I do prefer to work for a non-charter school, although I did apply to Alliance as an exception. Thanks!

California teachers, I’d love your advice.
I accepted and signed a contract in May to teach 3rd grade at a charter school. My contract doesn’t specifically list a grade level, and I’m genuinely grateful for the opportunity.
When I interviewed, it was for K–2, and Kindergarten has always been my dream grade. I recently noticed the same school posted new K–2 openings on EdJoin, so it made me wonder if it would be okay to ask my principal if a Kindergarten position is available.
I’d make it clear that if it’s not possible, I’m more than happy to stay in 3rd grade. I don’t want to come across as ungrateful or unprofessional so I just figured it couldn’t hurt to ask.
Would you ask, or should I leave it alone?

I'm looking for some insight from certified special education teachers in the Los Angeles area, especially those working in public schools.
I'm considering relocating from Texas to Los Angeles and would love to hear about your experience.
A little about me: I'm a certified K–12 Special Education teacher in Texas and currently work as an inclusion teacher. I make about $65,000 per year plus a $3,000 annual stipend for my Special Education certification.
I'm curious about a few things:
What does the pay look like for certified special education teachers in the Los Angeles area?

Are there additional stipends, bonuses, or incentives for SPED teachers?

What does your typical day look like? (Caseload, inclusion vs. resource, paperwork, IEP meetings, behavior support, etc.)

Do you feel supported by your administration?

Is the workload manageable, or is burnout common?

With the higher cost of living in Los Angeles, do you feel your salary allows you to live comfortably?

If you've moved from another state—especially Texas—how was the transition?

I'm trying to figure out whether relocating would be worth it both financially and professionally. I'd really appreciate honest feedback, both the good and the bad.
Thank you in advance!

See Title. I’m planning to apply to be a substitute teacher for the beginning of next school year and see that many schools require the emergency permit to be submitted with the application. However, I heard from someone outside Orange County that schools will still hire without it and will just require it before starting. In order not to forfeit $130, it’d be great to do it later but if any of you substitute teach in this area any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

I have a first-round interview next week with a district I’ve been really interested in, and I’m starting to get nervous.

The interview is only 5 minutes long over Zoom, which honestly makes me more anxious because it feels like every answer has to count.

I’ve been teaching for 10 years (9 years in Texas and 1 year in California), so it’s been a very long time since I’ve gone through a traditional interview process.

The California position was a private school and came through a connection, so while I did interview, it didn’t feel like the typical competitive interview experience.

For those of you who have interviewed recently, especially in California, what are some things you wish you had prepared for beforehand?

What kinds of questions are districts asking in these short screening interviews?

And if you’ve ever had a 5-minute first-round interview, what made the biggest difference in helping you move on to the next round?

Any advice is appreciated. I think I’m overthinking it because it’s been so long since I’ve had to really sell myself as a teacher.

This may be a long post but I’d really appreciate some insight.

So I’ve secured a job with District A
Literally the only Pro is it’s a Job and I’m super grateful to this opportunity but the commute is going to be ROUGH just by shear distance. It’s the opposite way of everything I enjoy doing and would require me to move to the other side of the city I live in so my wife can continue working with a more comfortable commute.

Now I have an interview with District B that’s in a better space for what I’d like to do outside of school. The commute is with SO CAL traffic so still rough.

And I’m still applying to other districts as they pop up that would be better suited for where I’d like to live.

So my questions
They’ve sent me on boarding paper work
And I’ve accepted the offer verbally.
If I fill out paper work but get the job from District B or anyone else can I still accept IF I HAVEN’T SIGNED A CONTRACT.

I’m out of the country till next week (7/1) and they want me to come in before the holiday weekend. I’ll
Be on another vacation for a week (7/3-7/10)after the holiday weekend. Should I try to make an excuse to miss this week and push my actual signing until after the 12th.
My 2nd interview is the 8th of July. I’m also in a tough subject area that normally doesn’t get a lot of hiring.

Hello everyone,

I wanted to share my story. I am a native CA but I moved to Boston after college to get my masters to teach and I worked in Boston and AZ for 10 years. I recently came back home and I got my CA credential but ofc no CLAD. I still applied and went on like 20 interviews. Towards the end, I started requesting zoom interviews bc I picked a part time job at a store. After 2 1/2 months of interviewing, I finally got an offer. You really have to say the right things. I suggest practicing with Ai. Alot of questions on how to deal with parents. Anyway, good luck.

Has anyone gone from California to Nevada for teaching?

If so, was the reciprocity of credential a long process?
Is there another test you have to take once you’re in Nevada to fully clear there?
Was the pay okay?

I guess I’m more so interested in Reno, NV.

Please advice.

Hello all! I am going to be teaching California History to 4th graders next year. I grew up out of state and know next to nothing! Any tips for books to read on the topic? Thanks!

Edit: I’m not sure which curriculum I’ll be using. I was more asking about adult books that I can use for my own knowledge building.

I’m a third-year teacher and have only worked for one district before this. I accepted a temporary middle school ELA position with a large district, signed an offer letter, and started onboarding. At the time, I honestly did not understand the difference between a temporary position and a probationary/permanent-track position. Had I understood that distinction, I likely would have made a different decision.

The position also was not the assignment I originally applied for. It’s a middle school English Language Arts position, which is where the district ultimately placed me.
Part of what makes this difficult is that the district is considered highly desirable by virtually every teacher I know. That’s one reason I accepted the position in the first place.

Since then, I’ve been offered another position that appears to be a better fit for my family and long-term career goals.

I met with the district and requested a release. They told me they would only consider releasing me if they identify a suitable replacement and that I remain obligated to the position unless that happens.

The district pays well, but it is also a longer commute, which is another factor in my decision. I also know the district is currently advertising and hiring for other positions through EdJoin.

My questions:
Realistically, how difficult is it to fill a middle school ELA position at this point in the summer?

Given that this is a large, highly desirable district with competitive pay, am I overestimating the likelihood that they can find a replacement?

How often do districts grant releases after a teacher has signed an offer letter, and started onboarding?

If you’ve sat on hiring committees, would reopening a search for a middle school ELA position in late June be considered a major problem?

Does the fact that the district is still actively hiring for other positions suggest they could reasonably continue recruiting for this one if necessary?

Just looking for real-world perspectives from administrators, HR staff, hiring committee members, and teachers.

I know they’re still hiring for other spots at that district. I just don’t see the ELA spot available.

Today is the first day I’m officially “unemployed” as a teacher in California, LA. Never been in this position so now I’m in the market to look for a new teaching position in OC. I want to work in Public schools but idk if I should also give charter schools a shot and maybe give private another shot. 😭 I did have my credentials transferred from Texas, I just need to get the CTEL but will be doing it by taking a couple courses. Any advice?

California teachers, I could really use some perspective.
I am currently teaching in District C, and my original plan was simply to continue commuting. My current commute is over a nearly an hour and a half each way, which has been difficult but pays the bills. Relocation there was not a good idea for my children and I’ll leave it at that.

About a month ago, I accepted a teaching position with District A. The opportunity became attractive because it is approximately 10 minutes from my house. For the first time, I had the chance to work close to home, spend less time commuting, and have more time available for my children.

I am a single mother with three children, all 13 and under. I do not have family nearby who can help any longer or a support system to help with transportation, school drop-offs, sports, childcare, or emergencies. I am also disabled technically due to an orthopedic history, so relocating my family is not a simple process.

When I accepted the position, HR told me they would bring me in sometime over the summer to sign my contract. Since then, I have completed fingerprints, background clearance, a pre-employment physical, and all onboarding paperwork. Due to delays in receiving the onboarding packet, I was all completed early last week. I followed up and have not received a response.

To complicate matters further, District A recently informed me they may not be granting all of my postgraduate units for salary placement, reducing the salary from what I originally expected.

One thing adding to my anxiety is the pre-employment physical. It is extensively documented so I didn’t feel that it was in my best interest to lie about it. They were aware when they hired me. I disclosed a my orthopedic history, including multiple surgeries and prior injuries. I am fully ambulatory, currently teaching, and capable of performing my job, but I do have documented physical limitations. I have not been told there is any issue, but the lack of communication has me second-guessing everything.

For those familiar with California district hiring:
Is 5-6 days of silence after completing onboarding normal this time of year?
Would you be concerned?
Have you had a district go quiet after onboarding and then continue the hiring process later?
At what point would you start pushing for answers?
I have emailed and left voicemails. No response
At this point, I am less worried about which district is “better” and more worried about making sure I actually have a job while making a decision that is realistic for my family.
It is a very small district and I believe was only hired 3 of us so it’s not like a large district that’s processing a huge amount of on boarding.
Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

(On a sidenote: District B offered me a position. District B pays approximately $12,000 more per year, but it is much farther away (nearly an hour commute each way) and would likely require relocating. I no longer have Help in the mornings with my kids to get them to school so they would need to come with me to make it work. I interviewed with both at the same time and they just now got back to me. The schools in District A generally regarded as better than District B and the kids currently attend. But I almost wonder if I should snatch that one up since the other one isn’t being responsive. I’m afraid not to be employed. I was renewed at my current district, but I just issued my resignation.)

I have a 5 minute zoom interview next week and honestly I’m not sure what they’ll ask in 5 minutes. What should I prepare for?

I have accepted a position with a school district and have my Certificate of Eligibility for the CA Admin credential. This means, I previously submitted all of the needed forms.

It seems to upgrade to the preliminary credential, I only need the document “CL-777” to prove I was hired in a role. Then, answer the questions, submit the application, and pay the fee.

Has anyone gone through this? Am I understanding this correctly? Bonus points if you can recall the timeline for its approval (I’m seeing up to 50 days, but what’s actually typical?).

Hello fellow teachers,

I have been completing the University Credits through CTA/Chico state.

What other ways can I add more? I know I can pay for 3 extra units through the union, but I was looking for other alternatives too.

Do you have other sources? Did you just enroll into classes at the local college? Attend workshops? I really like this video format that CTA provides.

Thank you!

I'm interested in getting my Reading and Literacy Added Authorization. There are so many CTC approved programs. Does anyone have any recommendations or ones to stay away from? It needs to be online. I'm looking for a good learning experience, but cost is a factor.

Hello! I figured I’d ask for advice considering it also might be beneficial for others that are not in my same position(who might need more units). I only need 1 more unit(pending district approval) to max out on my pay scale. I am a high school history teacher but am open to any opportunities. I need something that will show up on an official transcript that is my only real requirement. I’d prefer not to pay, but realize that is a hard ask. Cheapest I have found online is $119 for 1 unit. Anybody have any suggestions or personal experiences finding units? I appreciate and thank you in advance 🙂