My Experience of Working in Both Public Schools and Charter Schools in Florida and Why I Chose to Walk Away from a High Paying Job in Administration to go back into the Classroom in Public Education.
Disclaimer – here is info on the book I’m working on
My first day in Kindergarten solidified my desire to be a teacher when I grew up. I had been playing “teacher” with my dolls for years at this point, so of course it was logical path. What I didn’t know about back then was that I would spend most of my years working in charter schools and not district run public schools. How could I even know this? Charter schools weren’t even a thing when I was in school. The first one was opened in 1992 in Minnesota. Charter schools were definitely not on my radar as I graduated from high school in 1990 in Washington State. From there I took the path less traveled and eventually ended up in Florida teaching at a charter school.
Throughout my school career, I knew I was going to be a teacher. I was even accepted into Western Washington University right out of high school, one of the premier colleges for teachers in Washington, and I was not waitlisted like some of my friends, but I chose to pass on my future and delayed pursuing my dream of teaching. Fast forward seven years post graduation from high school and I found myself a single mom in Florida ready to embrace my future. Thankfully, I had moved to Orlando, home of the University of Central Florida, which has its very own premier College of Education. I took this as a sign that I should pursue my dream career.
After college I started teaching in a public school about 30 miles from home. I could have easily chosen to work in the same district in which I live, but back then the program my son was in at the assigned public school needed a lot of work. My choice to go to the neighboring district allowed for me to enroll my son into the same middle school I was teaching at and therefore he was able to receive a better education. I was not expecting the middle school to have almost 2,000 students. I had no idea what it meant to be a student in a large school, much less a teacher.
I spent 2 years at that middle school while my son flourished in his academics. Of course, when he was ready to go to high school, I had to move to a high school, too. My son had his eyes on an IT Magnet close to the middle school, so I applied to transfer. Luckily I was able to transfer and he was thrilled to be going to school at his first choice.
Transferring from a large middle school to this specific high school, though, was a challenge, as it was much, much smaller – only 500 students allowed each year. Smaller schools bring greater responsibilities for their teachers. I was initially tasked with 3 different classes throughout my day: English 3, Reading Double block class periods, and 2 classes of Reading during a single class period. Due to the number of students in English 3, I also did not have a planning period that year. Additionally I found out that I was pregnant with my daughter the week after school started. With 2 club sponsorships (student government and National Honor Society) added to the mix, I was on the fast track to burning out. The Florida Education Association reports that 40% of teachers leave the profession within the first 5 years in Florida. I was part of the 40%. I chose to walk away in the middle of my 5th year. I didn’t even make it through the year that year. I left in February.
After a year of trying to find myself, watching my marriage crumbling around me, and wanting to have daily purpose, I chose to go back to teaching, but not in a district school. I wanted to feel valued and wanted, so I looked into jobs at charter schools. I was even hired at a charter school 60 miles from my house in the middle of year where I could teach Reading. Even though the drive was terrible, they wanted me so badly they made me feel wanted. However, because the drive was terrible, I sought out positions at closer charter schools for the following school year. Not only did I get a job offer to teach English to high school students at a closer school, but the program had a niche that was near and dear to my heart – the at-risk youth.
The Next Decade
Technically, I had a childhood that would make most people wonder how I even managed to finish high school on time and with a good GPA, but perseverance and my own dedication to my future possibilities meant I had no choice. Of course, many people take time off of school and go back later or not at all, but that was not going to be me. I was not going to be the statistic. As a person who was considered “at-risk” myself, I felt right at home working with students who were dealing with challenges similar to my own experiences. I finally felt like I had purpose.
Working in a charter school can mean a lot of things and a pay cut was the first thing that I had to endure. I was going to make less than the teachers in the district schools, and my benefits would be coming out of my pocket. I also was no longer protected by any type of union. Florida is an “at-will” state and teachers usually get contracts, unless you are hired by a charter school. Contracts are not a thing. I was ok with that since I know I am a good teacher, but I know that it meant that the safeguards I had in my previous public school positions were no longer there.
I really loved my time working in the niche high schools. I loved my students. I even had opportunities to move up and grow professionally that were not discussed or even presented in a public school setting. Within 4 years I found myself elevated to the position of Principal. It was in that position that my eyes were opened about charter schools.
For Profit or Not for Profit
Florida is a weird state for education. I always thought that schools, except for private schools, were not for profit, meaning all of the money they made had to go into the schools. However, there is something called “For Profit” public schools – and not just at the college level. For Profit Charter Schools are a thing, too.
As a Principal, I was exposed to the money aspect of schools: budgets, spending, and the rules for each. I also learned about something called a Charter Management Organization (CMO) who collects all of the money for the school, then takes a percentage of the money for management fees, then they manage all of the money for the school. As a Principal, it was my job to be the glorified salesperson – the more students I can enroll, the more money the company makes. This began the spiral of my career with this company. I could not work with an organization that saw students as moneybags and not people. The students we worked with were vulnerable enough without their predatory practices.
At a Crossroads
My work with the at-risk youth tugs at my heart. I spent a lot of time working with them and I felt truly fulfilled when I was able to work with my students, but the work is hard. Eventually I left the niche high school in an attempt to broaden my horizon. In Florida, the opposite of high school is a K-8 school. I knew I was moving from one charter school organization to another, but I did not know that the second one was also For Profit. It felt more traditional, and there were more resources available at the school level, making their profit motive less obvious. It wasn’t until the Governor signed a bill increasing the minimum pay for teachers that I was again exposed to the reality of For Profit.
I watched teachers ask over and over why they were not getting the full pay promised to them by the Governor and watched the response be that charter schools receive less money per pupil and since salaries are so expensive, they would not be able to reach that minimum without cutting some jobs, which they did not want to do. They would walk away from the bookkeeper’s office saddened, but happy they still have a job. Workers should not be made to feel that way, but it was a theme that I had heard all too often at my previous charter school network. I watched teachers be taken advantage of and often mistreated with the expectation to work longer hours for less pay with no recognition for their hard work. Teachers were not coached or supported, and without a union the company was getting away with it. As I began to stand up for the treatment of the teachers, I found myself bullied and stymied into menial tasks and hours of cafeteria duty to keep my busy rather than in the classrooms supporting my teachers and their growth.
No matter what I did, it was never enough, so I walked away. After 15 years in charter schools, with over 10 years as an Assistant Principal or Principal, I walked away. I took a teaching job at the local high school just 8 miles from my house, joined the union, and I have finally found my home.
wrightteacherforum.com 