Texas teacher wants to move and become Oregon teacher. What to know?
June 16, 2023 12:04 PM Subscribe
I am currently an art teacher in Texas who plans on moving to Oregon in the next year or so, where I would also like to teach. I'm trying to gather up the information I need now so I can get whatever certifications I may need out of the way sooner than later.
I am a teacher in Texas by dint of an alternative certification (a bachelor degree plus short pedagogical training plus testing in pedagogy and specific subjects) and I'm hoping that this plus my six years of teaching will carry over into Oregon. From the reading I've done, it sounds like Oregon has a similar system for alternative certification, but I found the education agency's explanation a little vague and I have no idea if my Texas certifications are transferable or not.
I would love to get some guidance from teachers in Oregon, and any advice or thoughts about being a teacher in Oregon. More specifically, it'd be helpful to get some insight about what it's like getting a job and teaching in the Portland area, and being an art teacher there.
Any help would be appreciated!
I am a teacher in Texas by dint of an alternative certification (a bachelor degree plus short pedagogical training plus testing in pedagogy and specific subjects) and I'm hoping that this plus my six years of teaching will carry over into Oregon. From the reading I've done, it sounds like Oregon has a similar system for alternative certification, but I found the education agency's explanation a little vague and I have no idea if my Texas certifications are transferable or not.
I would love to get some guidance from teachers in Oregon, and any advice or thoughts about being a teacher in Oregon. More specifically, it'd be helpful to get some insight about what it's like getting a job and teaching in the Portland area, and being an art teacher there.
Any help would be appreciated!
I will just warn you, as a Portland Public Schools parent who moved here when my kids were already school-age, that Portland schools are not what you might hope from a very blue town in a blue (in the cities) state. It's not just that we have the same challenges and problems as most places; it's that Oregon really doesn't fund education very well at all. We do have some excellent educators, though. But, the other big challenge is that a lot of families with young kids are leaving Portland because it's just so expensive, so some districts right outside of town are growing while PPS shrinks. That also means that it can be pretty hard to afford Portland on a teacher's salary.
We have an arts tax that partially funds art education in K-5 schools. Sounds great, right? The net effect of this is that many K-5 and K-8 schools have a .5 art teacher. I don't know if you can combine two .5 art teacher jobs or not.
The teachers' union, PAT, seems good (I haven't heard complaints from my teacher friends).
You might also look at other school districts in and near Portland: Parkrose, David Douglas, Reynolds, and Clackamas. If you need more credentials or certification requirements, then take a look at the Portland State University College of Education. They graduate a lot of Oregon's teachers.
posted by bluedaisy at 12:48 PM on June 16, 2023 [2 favorites]
We have an arts tax that partially funds art education in K-5 schools. Sounds great, right? The net effect of this is that many K-5 and K-8 schools have a .5 art teacher. I don't know if you can combine two .5 art teacher jobs or not.
The teachers' union, PAT, seems good (I haven't heard complaints from my teacher friends).
You might also look at other school districts in and near Portland: Parkrose, David Douglas, Reynolds, and Clackamas. If you need more credentials or certification requirements, then take a look at the Portland State University College of Education. They graduate a lot of Oregon's teachers.
posted by bluedaisy at 12:48 PM on June 16, 2023 [2 favorites]
If you are specifically seeking to be an art teacher in the Metro area, I would advise on securing a job before you move. I know several individuals who were art teachers in the metro area, but are currently unemployed (and unable to move for other reasons) or have had to find employment elsewhere because of how scarce that specific type of job is.
PPS specifically is hemorrhaging students and jobs (this was a pre-covid trend, accelerated by those years), and they're actively looking to cut staff. Other districts are a little bit better, but you do not have to travel too far from Portland to start running into right-wing activist school boards. My wife works in an adjacent county and the school board's actions there are becoming increasingly radicalized.
This is not to dissuade you, Portland metro area is still lovely and better than many cities (I love it dearly), but the picture is not as rosy as it was a decade ago.
posted by furnace.heart at 1:05 PM on June 16, 2023 [4 favorites]
PPS specifically is hemorrhaging students and jobs (this was a pre-covid trend, accelerated by those years), and they're actively looking to cut staff. Other districts are a little bit better, but you do not have to travel too far from Portland to start running into right-wing activist school boards. My wife works in an adjacent county and the school board's actions there are becoming increasingly radicalized.
This is not to dissuade you, Portland metro area is still lovely and better than many cities (I love it dearly), but the picture is not as rosy as it was a decade ago.
posted by furnace.heart at 1:05 PM on June 16, 2023 [4 favorites]
Would you consider another area than Portland? I know all school districts in Oregon have struggled to fill positions. Here’s a music teacher posting in Eugene-we live here and love this town and have had good experiences with public schools. The posting gives you an idea of salary.
I’m not a teacher but many of my friends are-if you have specific questions about this part of the state I’d be happy to chat.
posted by purenitrous at 3:53 PM on June 16, 2023 [1 favorite]
I’m not a teacher but many of my friends are-if you have specific questions about this part of the state I’d be happy to chat.
posted by purenitrous at 3:53 PM on June 16, 2023 [1 favorite]
Both Texas and Oregon participate in the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) Interstate Agreement for Educator Licensure. Oregon SOS Teacher Standards and Practices Commission; Chapter 584 TEACHING LICENSES, Division 210 Reciprocal Teaching License, (3) Out-of-State License Holders:
An applicant must hold a valid and active out-of-state license from a NASDTEC jurisdiction prior to qualifying for an Oregon non-provisional teaching license.
Per NASDTEC, as of 2021, information for Oregon's participation in the Agreement:
Does this jurisdiction consider itself having full reciprocity with regard to the following credentials? Teaching certification/licensure: YES
Notes
Teachers: Must demonstrate content knowledge mastery with evidence of:
Passing score(s) on content tests to match the license from another state;
or
Five years of teaching the content as verified by previous employer(s) and corresponding valid licensure;
or
Complete Oregon's content testing.
What are the Jurisdiction Specific Requirements which you must consider when granting a credential to the following: EXPERIENCED out-of-state TEACHER?
1. Bachelor's degree; 2. An active, valid License from the state where teacher preparation was completed; 3. Fingerprint based background check; 4. Content Area Assessment; 5. Official transcripts.
(If "content area assessment" comes up somehow short for reciprocal licensing, perhaps you can teach under any emergency teaching license then in effect for your first year.)
Does Texas require the National Evaluation Series test for Art for certification? Oregon Educator Licensure Assessments (ORELA) main page; ORELA for Art: "Art is a National Evaluation Series™ (NES®) test. The NES educator licensure tests provide Oregon with comprehensive exams aligned to professionally accepted national learning standards." This is a "computer-based test (CBT)" or "online-proctored test" with "150 multiple-choice questions" and costs $95. NES prep materials with practice exams; this test-prep company's material has practice exams, but others offer pure strategy. If this test was part of your current credentialing, make sure Oregon accepts results from that year. Also, on the main ORELA page, check 2022's "ORELA Protecting Student and Civil Rights in the Educational Environment assessment" note.
I think you could contact Portland Association of Teachers for insight. (FYI, 2022-2023 union contract; PAT's 2021-2024 Substitute Educators agreement with the county). This got entirely too long, but I think you're well-equipped for your next career step, and wish you the best. Art teachers are amazing.
posted by Iris Gambol at 3:54 PM on June 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
An applicant must hold a valid and active out-of-state license from a NASDTEC jurisdiction prior to qualifying for an Oregon non-provisional teaching license.
Per NASDTEC, as of 2021, information for Oregon's participation in the Agreement:
Does this jurisdiction consider itself having full reciprocity with regard to the following credentials? Teaching certification/licensure: YES
Notes
Teachers: Must demonstrate content knowledge mastery with evidence of:
Passing score(s) on content tests to match the license from another state;
or
Five years of teaching the content as verified by previous employer(s) and corresponding valid licensure;
or
Complete Oregon's content testing.
What are the Jurisdiction Specific Requirements which you must consider when granting a credential to the following: EXPERIENCED out-of-state TEACHER?
1. Bachelor's degree; 2. An active, valid License from the state where teacher preparation was completed; 3. Fingerprint based background check; 4. Content Area Assessment; 5. Official transcripts.
(If "content area assessment" comes up somehow short for reciprocal licensing, perhaps you can teach under any emergency teaching license then in effect for your first year.)
Does Texas require the National Evaluation Series test for Art for certification? Oregon Educator Licensure Assessments (ORELA) main page; ORELA for Art: "Art is a National Evaluation Series™ (NES®) test. The NES educator licensure tests provide Oregon with comprehensive exams aligned to professionally accepted national learning standards." This is a "computer-based test (CBT)" or "online-proctored test" with "150 multiple-choice questions" and costs $95. NES prep materials with practice exams; this test-prep company's material has practice exams, but others offer pure strategy. If this test was part of your current credentialing, make sure Oregon accepts results from that year. Also, on the main ORELA page, check 2022's "ORELA Protecting Student and Civil Rights in the Educational Environment assessment" note.
I think you could contact Portland Association of Teachers for insight. (FYI, 2022-2023 union contract; PAT's 2021-2024 Substitute Educators agreement with the county). This got entirely too long, but I think you're well-equipped for your next career step, and wish you the best. Art teachers are amazing.
posted by Iris Gambol at 3:54 PM on June 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
(I'm not currently a teacher but I was once, and I randomly spent 2 years working in a tiny niche of teacher licensure reciprocity. But that was a while ago so let's see what other people say too.)
posted by BlahLaLa at 12:16 PM on June 16, 2023 [2 favorites]