School the System: Managing Teacher Layoffs

By Jennifer Wegerer

Tough economic times inevitably translate to budget cuts. And when states tighten their belts, it often means public schools—and teachers—bear a large share of the burden. The New York Daily News reported in February 2009 that the city's "fiscal mess" would inherently result in massive teacher layoffs. Mayor Bloomberg indicated as many as 15,000 teachers could lose their jobs.

In places like Sonoma County, California, over 500 teachers received pink slips in March of 2009 on what many educators dubbed "Pink Friday." Those teachers had to go back to school the following Monday morning to face their classrooms, not knowing whether their jobs would exist in the fall.

Needless to say, news about teacher layoffs plagues communities across the country, causing significant stress for experienced and prospective teachers alike. With all of the pessimism, learning how to differentiate fact from fiction can help you make a plan to keep yourself ahead of the curve.

How School Layoffs Play Out for Teachers

Teacher layoffs come in many different forms, from pink slips that warn you of an impending job loss to straightforward news that your job is gone. As a current or new teacher, you need to know whether the regulations in your state or your school district put you more at risk in a teacher layoff and what avenues become available if you lose your job.

For example, in New York, teachers with the least experience are the first teachers laid off, regardless of their job performance. And USA Today reports some districts backfill lost teaching positions with transferred senior teachers and administrators, so if you are an experienced teacher, your chances of a quick rehire may be pretty good.

Other school districts manage to avoid teacher layoffs through natural attrition. According to Eugene's The Register-Guard, some school districts in Oregon avoided layoffs by not rehiring the teacher positions that were left open after retirements and resignations brought staff numbers down by nearly 30. In fact, some districts offer teachers an early retirement option to avoid a layoff. Contact your local Department of Public Instruction to see how your state structures its school layoffs.

Make Teacher Layoffs Work For You

If you are a current teacher concerned about being laid off, you have a number of options that can help you take a school layoff and use it to build your career. And if you are currently a teaching student, concerned about entering the field at such a difficult time, continuing your education for an extra leg up can only help your chances—not to mention enrich your teaching—both now and in the future.

Specialize in a High-Demand Subject

It may seem counterintuitive that the same districts implementing school layoffs are also hiring. But since certain subject areas are understaffed across the country, some teachers find their talents in demand, even in today's job market. Generally, school districts place the highest demand on teachers of science, foreign languages, math and special education. For a better idea of what subject areas are in need of good teachers, see our teacher shortage article.

If your passion lies with a low-demand subject, earning an additional teacher certification, or even an advanced degree, in one of the high-demand subjects can help you—as a new or current teacher—increase your job prospects and your job security.

If you are concerned about taking on a tuition bill after losing your job, do some research, and you will find an extensive number of resources to help you secure financial aid for your advanced teacher education. These include scholarships and grants that you do not have to repay as well as money available under the federal stimulus plan.

Relocate, if It Makes Sense for You

While the job market for teachers in general is bleak, the clouds over some cities carry a significant silver lining. In spite of teacher layoffs, many districts throughout the country are actually hiring for a number of teaching positions!

According to Boston.com, the school district in Medford, Massachusetts, just north of Boston, hired two school nurses, and posted job openings for 15 to 20 other school positions for the 2009 school year. And according to the Rocky Mount Telegram, Nash-Rocky Mount public schools, just northeast of Raleigh, North Carolina, had job openings for elementary school teachers, as well as math, science, social studies and music teachers in their middle schools.

Other towns across the country may offer job openings that meet your career goals. (See our Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania teaching articles for ideas on finding teacher shortages in those states.) If you can relocate to another school district, especially within your own state or a state with a reciprocal certification agreement, you may find a better job market.

Work as a Substitute

If teacher layoffs claim your job and you can't relocate, substitute teaching remains a viable option. School districts still need substitutes: teachers get sick, take vacations and require family leave during recessions, too. As a substitute, you will gain versatile experience teaching a wide range of students, from teaching third graders multiplication tables to leading a high school computer class.

Each time you substitute, you have the chance to demonstrate your creativity and excitement as a teacher—and make some money. Most important, subbing allows you to stay in touch with your profession. If a long-term job opportunity should arise, your name will be fresh on the minds of administrators who make hiring decisions.

Create an Action Plan for Your Future

As a teacher, you have dedicated yourself to more than a job. You play a role in the lives of the kids you teach. Relying on the passion that brought you to teaching in the first place can help motivate you to move on to the next phase of your career.

Discover how you can turn a school layoff into a positive situation. Learn about the teacher shortages in your area, and learn how to navigate the teacher job market and education options that can enhance your teaching credentials. Then search our comprehensive school database and get started on your future.

Source: San Francisco Chronicle, "State Teachers to Rally Against Cuts, Layoffs" March 13, 2009