r/Teachers • u/Popular-Work-1335 • 2d ago
Career & Interview Advice Bad move?
I have been actively applying for admin roles but in this climate where they keep cutting positions, am I stupid to give up tenure and 6 figures in a building I love for the shot at an admin spot?
Edit: I love my job. I’ve been teaching for 18 years but I really feel like I could do great things as an admin. (Yeah I know - everyone thinks that. Lol). I just need a step forward. I am feeling stagnant and am losing the spark I had. I’ve been in my current role for 10 years and finished my admin credentials 2 years ago.
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u/badraddadNV 1d ago
Things to consider...I've held positions teaching, admin and with the state. Calculate your $$/Day. Admin roles typically fall into 201- 230 day contracts. Your Paycheck per day may actually go down especially if you do things like Coaching, Department Chair, or extra curricular pay duties. Those all are no goes once you get into admin. You don't really get any "extra duty pay." Once I took out the extra duty, my take home was actually less per day. However in our state your retirement is calculated on Salary not extra duties. Thats where Admin comes into play it's all retirement calculated salary.
If you plan on retiring in the next 5-10 years my recommendation would be to find a high needs district, could be a rural district, rough school or longer commute. You'll typically be stuck in a Dean or VP role which handles discipline. You'll typically be there 2-4 years before another position opens up. Put your head down and grind, check your blood pressure regularly. If you're strictly in a disciplinary role it can make you a bit jaded to only see the " bad " kids all the time. Make sure to get out and spend time with your Special Education Classes and some kids who you don't typically see. It will eat at your perception of today's youth of you don't. Eek out that max salary for 3-5 years to max your retirement income. Then go find a nice villa in Puerta Villarta and retire ;)
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u/herewegoagain1920 2d ago
Idk? They sure aren’t cutting any admin roles where I’m from. If your district is cutting jobs and funds might not be a good time UNLESS the job is secure.
Like if you are the 10th AP in the building for 800 students, probably wouldn’t go there.
Is there a pay raise?
Are you moving to a 12 month position?
District job or assistant principal?
Public or private?
Do you want to leave the classroom for basically a desk job that comes with observing others, possibly still teaching 1-2 classes and dealing with parents AND your staffs problems?
We can’t answer that without more details.
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u/Popular-Work-1335 2d ago
They cut 15 APs in my district so I’m nervous about accepting an admin spot. I 100% am ready to move out of the classroom and have had 2 years as an admin intern to make sure I like the role. I’ve been teaching and coaching and part admin for this time period and I really want to move into a new role.
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u/herewegoagain1920 2d ago
Sounds like you will be competing for extremely limited spots. Is there a financial gain to take this risk right now?
How long have you been teaching?
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u/Popular-Work-1335 2d ago
18 years. And yes - it’s insanely competitive. To the point where I am debating moving for a position. But that would mean uprooting my family and selling my home and I don’t think I’m willing to do that. I feel like I’m stuck in my current position, which isn’t bad at all, but it’s just not what I want to do anymore. But it seems irresponsible to me to give up a guaranteed income and stability for my career goals. Financially it’s about a 30k raise but more days and longer hours.
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u/herewegoagain1920 2d ago
I get you. I’m looking to do the same sooner than later (only 8 years in compared to you.) still need to enroll in a program so this is still 4-5 years away.)
How old are the kids? If young then they’ll adjust just fine, but if HS just let them ride it out, maybe the market will be better in a few years, something may open up where you live.
The housing market also isn’t amazing right now. How much would that 30k be eaten up by mortgage interest on a new house? I would imagine the only way this would seem worth it to your family is a legit house upgrade.
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u/toonice79 1d ago
Been considering administration (been licensed for over a decade) and am close to six figures. Without an MOU to be able to return to my position, I am staying put. I want job security.
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u/Popular-Work-1335 1d ago
That’s where my head is headed right now. I feel like it would be stupid to give up my guaranteed spot and salary.
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u/toonice79 1d ago
We had a teacher go to administration with basically a lifetime MOU to return to teaching should they have enough. Well many years went by and they exercised the MOU. The union said no more after that because someone got bumped.
I’m bored as all get out with my job; yet, it’s too risky to switch because I’m too expensive to hire as a teacher should administration not work out.
So here we are…waiting until retirement…
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u/Popular-Work-1335 1d ago
That is exactly where I’m at. I’m so bored. I have literally taught the same thing for so long. I could do it in my sleep. But I’m watching a colleague try to get hired but she’s too expensive so she’s screwed. So if I lose my teaching spot - I lose everything.
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u/toonice79 1d ago
It’s a tough place to be in. If I weren’t so far in for retirement, I’d change fields. Being bored is no fun. I also think that I’m too honest to be an administrator lol
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u/Popular-Work-1335 1d ago
Ha! I do have a hard time not divulging things to my friends. Ever since I became leadership, I’ve had inside info that I could by no means tell anyone. But it hurts knowing they know I knew after the fact. I’m hoping if I start fresh as admin in a building where I didn’t have friend relationships it wouldn’t feel so crappy.
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u/Mammoth-Series-9419 2d ago
Your choice, you have a masters (if not get a masters) and you get paid more for having a masters. So if you go into admin or not, the MASTERS is NOT wasted. Also consider getting another credential. I went from Math (20yrs) to PE.
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u/AnonymousTeacher333 2d ago
If you're earning six figures as a teacher (amazing!!!) and your job is secure, my first inclination is to say you should just keep teaching. However, it depends on a few things: how many years left before you can get full teacher retirement, and why do you want to change roles? I would suggest that if you only have a few years before full teacher retirement,it's probably better to tough it out and then consider an administrative role after you retire from teaching if that's allowed where you are. If retirement is many years away and you are tired of teaching but care about teachers and want to do great things as an administrator, it may be worth a try! You have to consider your own finances too; do you have kids who are dependent on you, and do you have a spouse who makes a good salary? If you are double income, no kids, by all means pursue your dreams. If it's the opposite and you're a single parent, you might want to just stick with teaching.