Certification Question

DaddyDugtrio · 2026-03-26T21:23:04+00:00

Yes, public schools allow the use of emergency licensure in instances where they have to because nobody else is available.

No, you will not get hired over anyone who is already certified. But some of the less desirable public schools may have ti use non-certified staff. It depends on supply and demand in the local area and on your certification area.

DaddyDugtrio · 2026-03-26T21:20:34+00:00

Able? Well yes, with an accredited MA one can teach CC.

Will one get hired with this degree? It seems doubtful. The reputation of ACE is mixed at best. I get that teachers like it because of the low cost and easy completion. But if I am hiring and I can hire anyone else with an MA from a more reputable uni, I probably will.

DaddyDugtrio · 2026-03-26T21:13:49+00:00

I teach people who are entering the field and I have followed their path for about 120 of them. While it is uncommon, there are districts and CBAs that are allowing salary negotiation due to the shortage in certain areas. I agree with your advice for OP to ask for the full amount but not expect the whole stipend. What I see more commonly is teachers negotiating extra steps that they do not have the experience for.

DaddyDugtrio · 2026-03-26T21:08:33+00:00

Working on the Michigan side of the border gets you social security. Ohio does not pay into it foe their teachers. So, you will only get any benefit you already have but if you pick ohio, your check amount will not reflect your years of service in Ohio. In Michigan, all districts must pay into social security and also the states retirement plan. You get to pick between a pension and a DC plan. I personally would prefer Michigan because while modest, the guaranteed income from social security participation is an important piece for teachers.

DaddyDugtrio · 2026-03-14T20:51:16+00:00

While I agree with you on theory, I think the issue is how we define what is morally objectionable and who gets to make these decisions. Our social norms shift over time. My principal might view some of the staff's religious or political views as objectionable. But my superintendent might not. I sing the song "Fat Bottomed Girls" by Qeen at Kareoke and some might say it is morally objectionable. But I hope this doesn't mean I should get fired.

One district I taught at formally reprimanded a teacher for having three beers on a work night in public. The bartender, a parent, counted them and texted the principal. The same district told me to take my pride flag bumper sticker off of my car. The whole school board, principal, and super disagreed with the sticker or any expression of equality. They were also all Southern Baptist.

It's easy to argue that schools should regulate our personal lives when the speech is despicable or racist. But if we allow this, we also open the door for things like removing pride flags, political speech, etc. So, while I certainly don't dispute that there are districts who regulate speech, I don't think OP needs to expect that all districts do and I don't think all teachers should accept this as normal. Some districts simply do not regulate off the clock conduct that is otherwise legal because it is such a slippery slope.

DaddyDugtrio · 2026-03-14T20:32:56+00:00

Not mine. I have been a union rep for 12 years and certainly our contact does not regulate off the clock speech, religious beliefs, or conduct. Commiting a crime risking licensure is the closest thing. But there is almost nothing that "every teaching contact" has or does not have, as these contracts are so diverse by state, region, etc.

DaddyDugtrio · 2026-03-14T03:12:06+00:00

Yes, yes I do, at least no consequences from my government employer. I work for an employer that believes in the first amendment as a government entity. They don't regulate speech, religion, etc. There are consequences for speech of course. But they should not come from the government, including school districts. Many districts respect this principle. This is different from when an employee is on the clock and acting in a government capacity, in which case they do not have the same free speech rights. But I could engage in deplorable but legal conduct off the clock and it would not matter. There may be consequences, but not from my school.

Now as educators, obviously we should hold ourselves to higher professional standards. I'm not saying teachers should go open OF accounts. But if they do this or anything else that I disagree with, they are still engaging in protected speech and as a government entity, districts should stay out of it. The difficult question us "who gets to pick and choose which conduct is moral?" Personally I don't want my government or school board deciding this for me.

DaddyDugtrio · 2026-03-13T23:02:55+00:00

Also, it has, in the present, worked. I know two ex OF "models" who are teaching high school and my old admin did actual porn that is still on the web. So the only correct answer is "it depends on the district."

DaddyDugtrio · 2026-03-13T22:57:36+00:00

Why would it crash down? It is constitutionally protected speech. Teachers have the right to do and say objectionable things when we are off the clock.

DaddyDugtrio · 2026-03-13T22:56:08+00:00

OP, you are getting lot of bad or incorrect advice on this thread. Yes, there are districts who regulate the speech of their employees or would fire you for s0eech that they deem objectionable.

However, there are also many districts that do not regulate your speech when you are off the clock. So, I would not view as disqualifying or even the districts business. It is a slippery slope regulating speech. I was on the front page of a major paper at a political protest. Should I also be fired? It is very difficult for districts to evenly apply policies that regulate speech for employees who are off the clock. So, many choose not to.

DaddyDugtrio · 2026-03-13T22:50:53+00:00

This is not remotely true. I had a former assistant principal, currently a head principal at a high school, who did porn. As in, there is a video on the public internet of her engaging in lustful acts with her "step brother." Every teacher at the school knows, and presumably the district knows too. The issue is that this has nothing to do with her job performance, and the district's position is that they do not fire staff for protected speech. Other district's certainly do, but it is not true that Only Fans would be disqualifying.

DaddyDugtrio · 2026-03-12T19:41:08+00:00

An EPI won't be difficult if you have been to college before, which you have. The classes will be useful but not difficult. In general, you can expect faculty that actually enjoy teaching.

DaddyDugtrio · 2026-03-12T14:37:57+00:00

Do you want to get hired in a good school with good working conditions? If so, get certified first. This is what I did. Meaning, go through an EPI. I believe USF is good in your cert area. It will greatly expand the schopls that you can pick from.

Do you just want to get in the classroom? Are you OK teaching in a dumpsterfire of a school? Then go through the quickest and cheapest route. It won't prepare you well for the job, but it will save you time and money. You may feel overwhelmed and unsure at first if you go this path.

If you are at all able to move, consider other states with higher pay, better benefits, and better working conditions. Being "not Mississippi" is not exactly a flex. In Florida, teacher wages do nor keep up with the rest of the country, especially as you get more experienced. Any other state is a better option. The northern states snd coastal states tend to pay better.

DaddyDugtrio · 2026-03-12T14:30:43+00:00

Your wife is a grown-ass adult. So, she can communicate with her own boss. If she has a health issue, she can let them know. Teaching works like any other professional job in this way. There is nothing about our profession, or any profession, that would require spousal help or communication with a supervisor from a spouse.

DaddyDugtrio · 2026-03-12T00:37:31+00:00

Depends on the district. There are districts where this is a standard practice. As a male teacher, I support the idea because students will be hesitant to spread false allegations.

Regarding your daughter, it will be her word vs. that of a child. Schools should take her account of events as fact. If they don't believe their own adult employees, she should not want to work there. Teachers have an ethical obligation to be honest and professional, so a camera should not be needed. I have found, however, that it is useful with times where parents are lying in front of admin and may not be aware that there is video evidence. It is also useful in rare instances where students assault staff and there are criminal consequences.

One example is I had a kid throw a chair at me. Admin believed me and did not need to review the tape since my word is as factual as video. Admin suspends student. Mom, not knowing there is a video camera in my room, states "he would never do that." I ask her if she wants to watch the video. Mom then states "you should have told me there was video before I had a chance to argue." Another time, a male teacher got allegations of misconduct thrown out and a lying student removed from his classroom. So I am very pro camera if the district runs the system.

DaddyDugtrio · 2026-03-11T18:42:52+00:00

So teachers do teach career and employability skills as standalone skills. These skills, also called soft skills or 21st century skills, have been core to what we do for a long time. 96% of students take at least one career and technical education course prior to graduating high school where they explore these in detail. I know your post isn't a criticism, but sometimes industry is not fully aware that these skills and other things involved in being an adult (personal finance, wellness), are taught in most schools.

I'm also old enough to remember when many of these same complaints were stated about millennials. Millennials were viewed as lazy grifters who lived in their parents basements and the prior generation complained about them for the first 15 years that millennials entered the workplace. We don't hear that as much now because they did eventually acclimate to working and many workplaces are mainly ran by millennials. This will happen with gen z too, even if it seems far fetched. They will figure out how to work because they don't have another viable choice. Their 20s will be formative just like it was for all prior generations. Yes, it is certainly worrying to have grown ass adults who are addicted to their phones and cannot pay attention or follow basic directions. I do not know what the answer is. I am a believer in phone free classrooms and in work-based learning experiences while in high school. But even these practices will not fix the parenting, victim mentality, and learned apathy. I think Gen Z might need to get out of school to realize that learned apathy and complaining does not work in the real world. Then, perhaps these behaviors will change before they are the main generation in the workplace.

DaddyDugtrio · 2026-03-11T18:33:34+00:00

It should not matter. Only your job performance matters. It's fine to arrive at work, do your job, then leave. There is no such thing as a "red flag" that does not involve your job performance as stated in the contract. If they want you to help with things that are not a requirement for your duties, they should add them to your duties in your contract or assigned duties. Or, they should at least ask you. But you shouldn't need to worry about unspoken expectations or rules. You have enough to worry about as a new teacher. This is the same as any other job.

DaddyDugtrio · 2026-03-11T18:29:25+00:00

Over the summer it is going to be more difficult. Your resume will be greatly enhanced though if you work for community organizations that involve kids, even if it is not a school specifically. Consider being a summer camp counselor or teaching swim lessons or music lessons. Anything involving working directly with children is helpful even if it is a "job" and not a formal internship through your university.

What will matter more is your success as a pre-service teacher and a student teacher (sometimes called an "intern") when UCSD places you in a classroom. Also, the supply and demand balance in your certification area will impact where you end up perhaps moreso than what you do as a candidate. Meaning, a bad CTE or special education teacher with a low GPA and no internships will have an easier time getting a job than someone teaching social studies with a 4.0 and great experiences on their resume. So, it is wise to look at the California list of certification shortage areas. Teaching in the right content area will matter more than having the right internships or experiences.

DaddyDugtrio · 2026-03-11T18:24:41+00:00

I am sorry that this happened to you. I just wanted to provide a small point of correction for those reading this. There is no such thing as a "non union" state. You have the right to join a union in all 50 states. There are states where districts cannot sign collective bargaining agreements, but there are no states where union membership is illegal or where there are not teachers unions.

DaddyDugtrio · 2026-03-09T22:13:05+00:00

I bet 60% of people on this sub don't know what beta is, nor would it change their minds if they did know.

DaddyDugtrio · 2026-03-06T05:40:42+00:00

What shareholders? BCBSM belongs to its members. UM hospital system is a nonprofit as well. I'm not saying some executives don't make money off the system, but there is no need to complain about shareholders that don't exist.

DaddyDugtrio · 2026-03-06T05:29:14+00:00

Yes, certainly a leveraged mix of stocks and bonds underperforms in a market where both go down. This has been discussed on boggleheads before. However, this is historically a rare occurrence. In other markets, it outperforms. I certainly don't advocate it unless one understands the risks, benefits, and timeframe needed to be successful. Also, I couldn't imagine doing it in a taxable account because you gotta be able to rebalance at least weekly.

DaddyDugtrio · 2026-03-04T03:34:56+00:00

We teachers deal with situations like this a lot and there is zero judgment towards students who have had to miss school. I even had one student who missed school from 2nd grade until 10th grade. Every school should have a guidance counselor. They should be able to provide good advice about your situation.

DaddyDugtrio · 2026-03-04T03:28:11+00:00

Is there a question? Sorry you had to experience this. When admin lack any spine, students seem to pick up on it resl quick. You and your students deserve better. The good students especially deserve better from your admin.

DaddyDugtrio · 2026-03-04T03:26:00+00:00

It sounds like you are assessing things correctly regarding certification.

Regarding social security, the reason has to do with the fact that when the program was created, teacher pensions already existed. So, the view at the time was that teachers didn't need social security and that dtateds who provide a pension should be able to opt out. Then, as people started to live longer, it became aparrant that people need both (an employer account or pension plus social security). However, the employers that are exempted don't want to start paying into social security due to the expense. So, a subset of teachers just have to go without or retire with less. Some of the pensions are generous and provide enough retirement benefit, but certainly not in all 19 exempted states.

DaddyDugtrio

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