New teachers can expect tough job search

The Valley’s colleges and universities will produce a new crop of teachers this spring. But with local school districts announcing teacher cutbacks, upcoming graduates are wondering where they’ll find jobs.

Amber Dvorak is one of them. The current student teacher at Chandler’s Galveston Elementary School will graduate in May from Arizona State University with a degree in special education.

“One of our instructors told us we were recession-proof,” Dvorak said. “We’re finding that’s not true.”

ASU, Ottawa University, Grand Canyon University and the community colleges have always been major suppliers of new teachers to East Valley school districts.

But this year, all school districts in Arizona are awaiting news from state lawmakers about how they plan to balance the 2009-10 state budget, which could have a $3 billion deficit.

With K-12 education composing a large portion of the state budget, district are bracing for significant cuts.

Some, like Chandler Unified, already know they’ll be hiring far fewer teachers this year than last.

District spokesman Terry Locke said about 75 new teachers could be hired, with more positions possible as staff retire, move or leave their jobs. Last year, 350 teachers were hired.

“We don’t know what that total will be this year because we don’t know the state’s decision on full-day kindergarten and early kindergarten. If either or both of these programs are cut, it will involve reassigning staff to other grades, meaning fewer hires,” Locke said. “But the total will be much lower than 350 no matter what.”

Chandler opened two elementary schools this school year in the southern portion of its attendance area. Both schools opened with about 400 students.

The district plans to open Chandler Traditional Junior High at the current Pathways campus off Arizona Avenue in July.

Dvorak, 29, was among 350 people who took part in a recent teacher recruitment fair in the Chandler district.

“I just love the whole process. I love every class I’ve taken and the excitement of when the children learn something,” she said.

Alisa Johnson, 50, was also at the Chandler job fair. She has spent much of her adult life raising four children, who range in age from 9 to 23. Inspired by one of her son’s teachers, she went back to school to pursue a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction. She already holds a bachelor’s degree in music.

Johnson is scheduled to graduate in December. She is doing her student teaching at Chandler’s Jacobson Elementary School. But she’s not new to teaching. She home-schooled her children for 15 years prior to moving to Arizona.

While awaiting an interview at the job fair, Johnson said she and her ASU classmates have shared their common concerns about the future.

“Many fear that we won’t have a job,” she said. “When you started, you thought there would be a position for you. This is different than we thought it would end up.”

She’s remaining optimistic, though, hoping to stay in the Chandler district or get hired in neighboring Gilbert Unified.

She’s also open to teaching in a private school or charter school.

While Gilbert Unified is planning to open Campo Verde High School in the fall, other East Valley school districts are expecting stagnant or declining enrollment.

Thursday, the Apache Junction Unified School District’s governing board approved a reduction in force of 49 teachers, eliminating 13 percent of its teaching staff. Scottsdale Unified School District informed more than 200 teachers they could be out of work.

And Mesa Unified School District already announced as many as 440 certified positions could be cut in light of an expected 2,000-student drop in enrollment and potential budget cuts from the state.

Until that happens, districts such as Mesa have no idea what their staffing needs will be next year, said Janice Ramirez, assistant superintendent for human resources. Depending on how the state funding and federal stimulus package play out, Mesa may be able to hire teachers in hard-to-fill areas such as special education, she said.

Martha Braly , associate dean of education for Ottawa University, said she’s seen the many cycles of job availability at schools during her 30 years as a public educator. Ottawa recently opened a campus in Chandler.

“What I see, through different Web sites and people who call me, is there is still a critical shortage for special education teachers as well as math and science. They’re still desperate for those,” Braly said.

And while some local districts may not have an opening, “there are still teaching jobs, but a lot of them have moved into the rural areas.”

Braly said educators who lose their jobs or new teachers who struggle to find a position should use this time as an opportunity to branch out.

“I would say to them, 'Don’t limit themselves.’ People come to me who say, 'I only want to teach (kindergarten through third grade).’ Well, if there are no jobs in K-3, you’ve eliminated a lot of possibilities,” Braly said. “If you have any kind of feeling for English, for math or science, get some additional credits and pursue different options.”

Salary schedules in schools reward a person’s education and experience, so it’s beneficial to seek a master’s degree or more college credits, Braly said.

Those passionate about working in a school could also consider other jobs. For instance, there is a need for school psychologists and speech pathologists, she said.

“Some of these jobs are extremely secure and in demand and will continue to be in demand until at least, from what I’m seeing ... 2016,” Braly said.