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Success after IF
JillRock96
member
So upset about DH's job (NSAIFR)
JillRock96
member
I can't even believe this -- the state department of education is beyond messed up. I am so freaking upset right now.
DH got his bachelor's degree in Illinios (history major, education minor -- exactly what you need to teach HS history). He graduated in 2004 and got his Illinois teacher certification, but we moved right after graduation, so he never worked in IL. He got his MA teaching license right away and has obviously kept it current. It doesn't expire for 4 more years.
We moved back this summer. Since I got my degree and license out of state, all I had to do to transfer it to IL was pay $30, provide my transcripts and a copy of my license, and take the IL school psych test. Done.
DH thought that he would have to do the same. He contacted the IL dept. of education, and they told him that the regulations were changing and they weren't sure *quite* what to do with him, since he got his initial certification in IL, but it is not current. Said they would find out what he needs to do and contact him. After several months of going around about this (and being told, "Oh, we have a meeting next week, hopefully we'll have some answers for you"), he got a call 2 weeks ago that they finally figured it out. Because his IL certification lapsed, they are treating him as if he is starting from scratch. And the new regulations stipulate that he has to take 3 more UNDERGRADUATE courses (9 credits), in any area of social studies. And, here's the kicker -- he had to apply for a substitute teaching license, which expires in 90 days. So, he has to complete 9 credits in 90 days. He found three online classes running at the same time -- there goes $4000.
So, we figure ok, whatever, at least we figured out what he has to do. The money SUCKS (especially since he is only 2 classes from his Masters degree, and the undergrad courses will count for nothing), but it's ok, we have savings. At least the school isn't going to pay him substitute pay.
Fast forward to today -- he gets a call from the district. They have decided that they have to pay him substitute pay until he has all the courses completed (in late February). This is about HALF of his current salary.
This man completed a state-approved teacher education program in IL, has taught since then in another state with a full teaching license in that state, has kept up with professional development credits every year, has obtained Highly Qualified teacher status, and is 2 courses away from completing his Masters in educational technology (which he had to put on hold right now to take these 3 undergrad courses), and they are going to cut his pay in HALF.
Thank GOD we have savings. But we have been saving towards a down payment on a house, and between the classes and the temporary pay cut, we are looking at losing about $8K. If we had moved in MAY (before the regulations changed), he would have paid $30 for his license to be transferred to IL.
I'm just sick over it. I really don't get it. I'm so thankful that he has a job, but this was so unexpected. Thanks for listening if you got this far.
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Re: So upset about DH's job (NSAIFR)
That is just crapcrapcrappy.
(((Hugs)))
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i am so angry for you right now! that is some serious bullish!t. lots of people whose a$$es i need to kick this week . . .
i'm glad he at least has found a job and you have savings to keep you afloat.
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Umm seems like there is some kind of disconnect. He was a full time teacher in MA right? And he has a masters degree? I don't quite get why they are making him do undergrad work?
I know for me, I have a Mass teachers license (masters degree) also but live now in Fla. My license is up this summer and I called L.esley Uni.veristy where I got my master from and asked them what I needed to do to keep it cu.rrent. I don't want it to expire but I have no real interest right now to go back to teaching. Anyway, I was told that i needed to just take a 3/4 courses online and then keep upe any with my professional/classroom credits as well..20 hours in the classroom.
I would ,maybe call MA board of Ed/Les.ley U..they are really great with this kind of stuff and know all about different states and requirements...
Honestly, I don't get it either. He has called everyone, and no one has a clue why he has to do this -- even the people he's dealing with at the dept. of ed are super apologetic, just stating that it is what it is.
He was a full-time teacher in MA the entire time we lived there, licensed the whole time, too. The problem is that he did not keep up his IL certification (why would he???) -- apparently he was supposed to have been paying dues on it and taking professional development courses through the IL dept of ed to keep it current (he was taking prof. dev. in MA). So, because it is "lapsed," they are making him follow the current IL regulations to get an initial license (even though he is WAY past that), which state that a teacher needs 9 more undergrad credits than they did 7 years ago, when he was first licensed. Doesn't matter that he holds a comparable license in another state.
Now, if he had completed his education in MA and had nothing to do with IL, his current MA license would be just fine, and they would have him take the IL tests and pay $30.
UGh! That really really blows..and is just another reason why they need to make these things universal and NOT a state by state thing...It just gets so confusing and really 9 credits is just so silly and a waste of your DH's valuable time and money..
I know when I moved to Fla and they saw that I had a Masters Degree from MA where it;s required to have one to teach, many of the schools here wouldn't even look at me cause it they would have to pay me more..it's just so crazy!
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As my father Wee Jimmy says: "That really chaps my as s. "
Because teachers are so overpaid and underworked? WTF.
Did you guys go directly to someone at the State level at the Department of Ed??
This seems really messed up. There has to be some type of reciprocity.
From what I know, MI, IL and VA (I think....) have some of the highest standards for Ed programs. I was always told that these 3 states were the best to get a teaching degree in because of the reciprocity. I know here we have to keep up with credits and teaching experience, etc., but they will grant credit towards the teaching part from other states. I would fight this one.
GL! I am so sorry. This is just dumb. Like he is going to get anything out of an undergrad course!
Hang in there!
That is so ridiculous! My sister went through something similar here in Canada. She had been teaching for years and when she moved to another province she had to transfer her certification...along with that she had to get a criminal record check. They wouldn't use the one from Ontario (even though it's a national check) and they wouldn't issue one from her new province until she lived there for 6 months? She ended up having to take another non-teaching job until she got it straightened out.
I am so sorry....That seems like a case of paperwork bullshiiiiiit to me. It's not even like it's a tax grab for the dept. since they aren't getting his tuition for his courses...but man, his employers sure decided to stick it to him! I am pissed at them too.
That is beyond frustrating.
Would the certification office do any kind of transcript analysis of his master's classes to see if any of them meet the requirements of the undergrad courses that he needs? I know that's an option in my state if an applicant hasn't taken a state-approved course, but has taken a comparable course (usually at an out-of-state or private college).
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Thanks, everyone. He is going to call the state office (not the regional office that he's been dealing with) to find out what he can do to appeal.
I didn't even think about contacting the union rep -- great suggestion!