short article on retaining Hawaii teachers

[Bullwinkle]

http://news.yahoo.com/hawaii-schools-str...11664.html

stumbled across this article on retaining Hawaii teachers - with entry salaries of 33k - amazing hey have any to retain.....

http://news.yahoo.com/hawaii-schools-str...11664.html

[dragon2k]

Who can live on 33k in Hawaii?

[kalakoa]

It's easy to survive on $33K/year.

All you need is an unpermitted off-grid shack....

[malolo]

Pretty crazy ...and abundantly clear that the state doesn't value teachers in the least,
which is why you saw teachers & parents, students & community-members taking to
the streets from November to April:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqb43NKdkrM

Public school teachers finally did get a contract (after years of working for 5%-less-than-2009-wages),
but they still make diddly. Every single year, the state has 1000+ vacancies to fill ...and when they're
unable to fill those positions with highly-qualified teachers? ...pretty much any warm body will do.

Thanks for calling attention to the issue, Bullwinkle... I've got a number of close friends in the field,
and I know for a fact that they'll find it heartening that attention is being called to their plight (..and
the plight of students cross the state).

[terracore]

my daughter goes to Keaau High school and the new school year just started. One of her teachers started the first school day by explaining that he used to work for a "CIA TYPE SPY AGENCY" and had his head into all the secret running of the world affairs. He also stated that he has survived SIX administrative suspensions and bragged that he "won them all". He also went on to say that he is an "in your face type teacher". I googled his name and some of the suspensions did come up. Even if he was a great teacher, lying about a fictitious 007 background and bragging about being suspended is not the way to teach students.

33K to employ a nutcase to work for 8 months seems overkill to me. Though if this guy has survived six administrative suspensions, he's been around awhile. and probably makes a lot more than 33k. I'm sure he survives because of the teacher's union. Students be damned.

[Rourk]

It is my understanding that if you come from the mainland, your years of experience do not count in the salary schedule, do you start back at the mid 30's. Does anyone know if this is true?

[malolo]

Rourk? This link should help answer your question, I believe.

Depends on degree(s) and one's ability to leap through some hoops.
Check the sections on Maximum Entry Class and Experience Credit:

http://www.hawaiipublicschools.org/DOE%2...ry2013.pdf

[Rourk]

Thank you so much Malolo, for the new contract language. I have been teaching High School Art for 17 years, 13 years of A.P. (and have been an A.P. reader for 6 years) mostly in private and before in an arts magnet here in Los Angeles. I have my MFA (a PHD is not offered in Art). I'm debating on trying for my national certification (since I teach private I have never needed a credential) and seeing if that would work in lieu of a state credential. We have a home in Puna Makai and look forward to moving there full time. I'm debating if I should stay in teaching, so your info really helps. I will call the DOE for some more specifics.

[rainyjim]

You should probably write a book, and get some media coverage - mainly on how you managed fiscally to own a house in hawaii. This in itself could encourage many young and aspiring teachers.

[Rourk]

Not a bad idea. Like most teachers I know I have a couple of extra gigs.
On another note to the original post. Most teachers leave in their 3rd and 5th year. With the demonization of teachers these past years many are looking into other fields.