Teaching Positions

Teaching: Contract Renewal

The reality of being a public school teacher is that you will have to face an annual deadline called the contract renewal.

• If you are doing a good job, this yearly rite should not present any problems.
• The district will notify you that it is renewing your contract, and that will be that.

Canva generated this picture of a teacher seated at her desk.

But what if things are not going well?

• You're unhappy. You sense that things are not going well.
• Perhaps you have even received a written communication indicating that things are not going well.
• What to do? If issues remain unresolved, it's best to complete the year and part ways amicably.
• After all, you will need the district to give you as good a reference as possible.
• In any case, let's look at the renewal process from the district's point of view. Why, then, should we renew your contract?

This video looks at the pros and cons of signing a new teaching contract.

Give me lots of reasons why we should do so.

We hired you in good faith. You interviewed well and seemed enthusiastic about teaching here. Your transcripts and references were sound, and everything checked out. Consequently, we had great expectations.

• For the most part, you have not let us down.

Is Your Public School Understaffed? Why Schools Are Instituting Hiring Freezes

Amidst nationwide budget cuts, nearly all public schools have been forced to readjust their operations.

• Subsequently, many schools have been forced to implement hiring freezes, reducing the number of teachers on each campus.
• In fact, experts found that 72% of polled public schools anticipate more job cuts.

What does this mean for your child?

• The hiring freezes translate into a larger number of students per classroom, which means less one-on-one attention for every student.
• Schools are feeling the ramifications of the economy from the East Coast to the West Coast, and so are students.

This video explains the pros and cons of becoming a teacher.

Thousands of Teaching Positions Left Vacant

According to the New York Times, New York area schools are a prime example of the nationwide budget struggles facing public school leaders.

• For example, just two weeks before the start of the 2009-2010 school year, approximately 1,800 teaching jobs in various New York City public schools remained vacant.
• While school leaders desperately wanted to fill the teaching job openings, reduced operating funds left leaders with limited options.
• In fact, the Education Department enforced a mandatory hiring freeze in the spring of 2009, prohibiting hiring new and/or returning teachers until further notice.

Fewer Funds Equals Fewer Teachers

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