Thoughts on Austin ISD??? (employment, elementary school, move to)

[mohnstad]

Hi everyone! I am considering a move to Austin. I am very interested in working in a public elementary school in Austin with a high Latino population. So, my question is: how hard is it to get a job with the Austin ISD? I have good refs, but an out-of-state teaching certification. I speak Spanish and would like to work with ESL populations. Can anyone tell me how competitive it is to get a job with this district? Also, I would love to hear some thoughts and opinions of the repuation of Austin ISD. Thanks so much!

[stephr]

I work for AISD. I teach special education. I came here an out of state license. It took less than a month to complete the paperwork to receive my license. I was awarded a one year certificate, with 3 tests to complete within the year. One of those tests was for teaching ESL. If you look on the job postings page for AISD, the majority of the teaching positions are for bilingual teachers. There are many schools in AISD with Spanish speaking populations. There are some very good schools, and others with a lower reputation. After working in other states, I have found that AISD is very supportive if you are proactive. I started after the year started this year, and had to be an advocate for myself and tell my administrator what I needed. There are a lot of staff development opportunities, and the district is working hard to improve the school ratings. A big benefit I found when job searching with AISD is that if you complete the application for employment and have your license in Texas, you can directly call the administrator at the school where the teaching position is available. I called my principal, set up the interview for a week later, and was hired and started work within a two week time frame! Good luck, let me know if you have any questions.

[mohnstad]

Thanks Stephr, your info really, really helps!! I´m sure I will have lots more Qs.... I was leaning before toward applying with AISD, but after reading your post, I´m definitely going to apply to AISD now, it sounds like it could be a great opportunity. I am really searching for a nice, more laidback big city to relocate to, with great ESL teaching opportunities and a fun, 30ish singles scene and Austin seems to fit the bill!!