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Advice needed: Leaving a Teaching Job mid-year

6,365 Views | 17 Replies | Last: 1 yr ago by Snake Jazz
Detective Jake Peralta
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12:47p, 9/7/23
AG
Looking for some advice/direction here...

I just began my third year of teaching, all at the same school. The first two years had their ups and downs but were solid overall. Without giving too much detail, this year, several changes have been implemented that have negatively impacted me both personally and professionally to the point that I just dread showing up.

There are so many things I love about teaching, so I would love to give it a go in another situation before making a long-term decision on my future in the education field. I know this is tricky (if not impossible?) to pull off mid-year, however.

So, a few questions:
Has anyone left a teaching position mid-year?

Has anyone successfully found a new position at a different school/district in the same school year?

What legal ramifications or hold ups am I looking at if I attempt this? I know I would be breaking contract, is there a risk of my certification being held? Are there any loopholes around this?

Does anyone know of any openings in the Metroplex?


Thank you in advance for your responses!
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zooguy96
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In reply to Detective Jake Peralta • 4:29p, 9/7/23
AG
Detective Jake Peralta said:
Looking for some advice/direction here...

I just began my third year of teaching, all at the same school. The first two years had their ups and downs but were solid overall. Without giving too much detail, this year, several changes have been implemented that have negatively impacted me both personally and professionally to the point that I just dread showing up.

There are so many things I love about teaching, so I would love to give it a go in another situation before making a long-term decision on my future in the education field. I know this is tricky (if not impossible?) to pull off mid-year, however.

So, a few questions:
Has anyone left a teaching position mid-year?

Has anyone successfully found a new position at a different school/district in the same school year?

What legal ramifications or hold ups am I looking at if I attempt this? I know I would be breaking contract, is there a risk of my certification being held? Are there any loopholes around this?

Does anyone know of any openings in the Metroplex?


Thank you in advance for your responses!
I don't know how it is in Texas. In TN, they can hold your license for that year - but only if you are moving to another teaching position. They generally don't do it, but they have the authority to.

I left teaching last year in the middle of the year for a job I was recruited for. It ended up being a bad fit; I am back at the school I was at (MS instead of HS); they gladly welcomed me back (I teach Math and Science and those don't grow on trees here).

If you are interested in another school - ask them.

If you are moving to a total new field - not too much they can do to you *as far as I know*. Texas may be different in their laws. Good luck with your search.
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Gyles Marrett
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1:59p, 9/8/23
You can't leave mid year under contract for another teaching job. At least this is the case if you're going from public school to public school. Not sure if that would apply to taking a private school job.

If you are leaving for a job outside of teaching you can leave whenever you want. There's nothing they can do to stop you.
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tlh3842
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4:32p, 9/9/23
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As others have touched on, you can't leave a public school mid year to goto another public school. The school you're leaving will more likely than not (and honestly, justifiably so) report you to the state so the new school won't hire you as your certification will be (don't know the correct term; whether it's held back, etc). My wife is a public school teacher in year 5 and the thought has crossed her mind to leave mid year before, but only way to leave before the end of a contract is to know you basically won't get hired again as a public teacher in the state probably ever.
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zooguy96
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In reply to tlh3842 • 4:33p, 9/9/23
AG
tlh3842 said:
As others have touched on, you can't leave a public school mid year to goto another public school. The school you're leaving will more likely than not (and honestly, justifiably so) report you to the state so the new school won't hire you as your certification will be (don't know the correct term; whether it's held back, etc). My wife is a public school teacher in year 5 and the thought has crossed her mind to leave mid year before, but only way to leave before the end of a contract is to know you basically won't get hired again as a public teacher in the state probably ever.


With the shortage of teachers - you'd probably get hired again. I left mid-year - got hired again easily at my old school.
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Detective Jake Peralta
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In reply to Gyles Marrett • 9:17a, 9/11/23
AG
Thanks for the response!

What if I have not actually signed my contract for this year? I anticipated something like this might happen when changes were announced over the summer, so I have not actually signed a commitment.
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Detective Jake Peralta
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In reply to tlh3842 • 9:17a, 9/11/23
AG
tlh3842 said:
As others have touched on, you can't leave a public school mid year to goto another public school. The school you're leaving will more likely than not (and honestly, justifiably so) report you to the state so the new school won't hire you as your certification will be (don't know the correct term; whether it's held back, etc). My wife is a public school teacher in year 5 and the thought has crossed her mind to leave mid year before, but only way to leave before the end of a contract is to know you basically won't get hired again as a public teacher in the state probably ever.
Any thoughts on if this still applies if I have not signed my contract for this school year?
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zooguy96
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10:39a, 9/11/23
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I would think if no contract signed, no legal means for the school to keep your license.
I know a lot about a little, and a little about a lot.
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Detective Jake Peralta
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In reply to zooguy96 • 11:34a, 9/11/23
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That's what I was thinking, but trying to dot every i and cross every t before doing something I regret. Much appreciated.
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BadMoonRisin
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2:26p, 9/12/23
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I believe it's up to the super or school board whether they take your certificate or not. If you have good rapport with either, explaining your situation might help.
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_lefraud_
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11:10a, 9/15/23
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Are you 100% sure you didn't sign a contract, returning teachers typically sign these back in the Spring.

Where are you located, what do you teach, what are you willing to teach? The Metroplex is HUGE.

I knew a teacher that quit her teaching job in October, and then was hired by another district in December, so it happens. School districts are desperate for teachers.

How do you know a new school, or district will be any better?
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I Am A Critic
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In reply to Detective Jake Peralta • 4:16p, 9/15/23
Detective Jake Peralta said:
Thanks for the response!

What if I have not actually signed my contract for this year? I anticipated something like this might happen when changes were announced over the summer, so I have not actually signed a commitment.
If you've been collecting a paycheck, you have a contract.
Username checks out.
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AggieTFA06
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2:13p, 9/30/23
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Former teacher here who left teaching and now works in higher education. If you are wanting to leave for another job mid year, I could suggest working in higher education. The skills I have as a teacher carried over into higher education and there are job openings year round.
To 1,000,000 touchdowns ...and beyond
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Raptor
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12:21a, 10/2/23
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I am an administrator with a DFW public school district just north of Dallas. This is what we ask every time we see a teacher who is switching schools mid-year.


  • What certifications do you have?
  • Does your current school admin know you want out?
  • Has your current school board approved your resignation?
  • How will you sell the new school/district on you not being a "flight risk" if things aren't awesome?


    • Texas has a few "rules", but it is mainly up to your campus building principal and the school board.

    What if you need to resign mid-year?

    Since you are in year 3, you most likely have a Probationary Contract...
    Quote:
    Educ. Code Section 21.105
    Resignations Under Probationary Contract

    (b)
    A teacher employed under a probationary contract may resign, with the consent of the board of trustees or the board's designee, at any other time.
    Texas Education Law
    This post is for Cretaceous Level Subscribers only.

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    torrid
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    12:01p, 10/2/23
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    I know someone who did this once, having severe emotion problems related to the environment she was teaching in. They threatened to yank her credentials, though I don't think they did. Moot point as I don't think she ever taught again.
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    Krazykat
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    9:30p, 10/2/23
    AG
    The district my wife was at, they let some break their contracts mid-year, and others they would not. It depended on who you were. The ones they did not, they made their lives miserable the rest of the year. My wife is glad to be out of that district.
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    washburn321
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    11:28p, 10/11/23
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    Five or six years ago this would've been tough to come back from. In this environment, you could find a job at another school district, but is it in a district you want to be in? Is it the subject area you'd like to teach? Your options are not going to be as plentiful like they would be in the Spring.

    I would say it's still a red-flag on your record, and still very frowned upon in the education community. There will be some administrators who will not hire because of this. All that said, you'll be able to find another job in this climate if your teaching certification is not suspended. Region 10 has a solid job board for school districts in the DFW area. As of this evening, there are 307 open teaching positions, and that's not even all the districts in the area.

    The district CAN have your teaching license suspended by SBEC if you do abandon your contract. Read this if you haven't.

    If you can stick it out for the rest of the year, I'd push you to do that unless you're encountering some things that you have really strong feelings about that aren't being done right. As others have said, you have options to teach for private schools, possibly charter schools (they are much more relaxed on teaching certificates), and even tutoring services for the time.
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    Snake Jazz
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    3:56p, 10/17/23
    AG
    If you plan on staying in education, I strongly recommend sticking it out all year. Quitting mid-year is not looked highly upon at all. As somebody said above, there is enough of a teacher shortage that you might still get hired somewhere, but that is a pretty bad thing to have on your resume.

    The good thing about teaching is that it is year to year, so if you're having a bad year (and it can happen for a variety of reasons beyond your control), you just have to tough it out and then you're a free agent.
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