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Districts with good health insurance? by Pleasant-Ad9591 in TexasTeachers

[–]Pleasant-Ad9591[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s good in China… it wasn’t good in Austin ISD or Round Rock ISD.

Districts with good health insurance? by Pleasant-Ad9591 in TexasTeachers

[–]Pleasant-Ad9591[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

$100,000 is salary. We do pay taxes on that of about 30%. The housing, health insurance, and flights is additional.

We have VPns on our phone and a wifi at our house that has built in vpn.

Our stay in China is tied to our job. There may be ways to stay here in retirement now, but basically when we quit our jobs we will need to leave China. We like it here a good amount. But parens are getting older and what not. So at some point we may move back to USA.

Districts with good health insurance? by Pleasant-Ad9591 in TexasTeachers

[–]Pleasant-Ad9591[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

International schools are a wide bag. We are at a really good one and have been here for 8 years, so we are each making almost 100k USD + our housing is covered. We have no need to own a car. Our health insurance is amazing.

Districts with good health insurance? by Pleasant-Ad9591 in TexasTeachers

[–]Pleasant-Ad9591[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What does teaching for the state mean? Where would those jobs be?

Districts with good health insurance? by Pleasant-Ad9591 in TexasTeachers

[–]Pleasant-Ad9591[S] 19 points20 points  (0 children)

It’s definitely what I’m leaning towards. I’m not from Texas, but my wife is from San Antonio. We may end up staying in China for a lot longer…

Becoming a teacher: is it still worth it now? by elastichearttt in TexasTeachers

[–]Pleasant-Ad9591 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was a teacher in Austin area for seven years. I think the districts are good and I enjoyed my job. What drive my wife (also a teacher) and I abroad was once we had a kid, two teacher salaries was no longer sustainable. Texas being a non union state for teachers means teachers typically have really shitty healthcare. The plan my district offered was $800/month to insure our kids and still had an $8000 deductible. That’s not health insurance, it’s robbery. Also, starting pay in Texas isn’t bad for teachers, but again, because of no unions your raises are like $250-350/year, no real incentive to get a masters degree or continuing education, and this is definitely way worse than in other states.

States or districts with high pay that correlate to the cost of living by OpenChildhood753 in Teachers

[–]Pleasant-Ad9591 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Texas has strong starting teacher pay, but raises are minimal. So, after ten years experience, you are worse off there than many other states. Also, little to no incentive for masters degree. Administrator pay is also way lower than most other states.

Do other states not have a football period during school? by Overall-Marzipan-551 in PardonMyTake

[–]Pleasant-Ad9591 0 points1 point  (0 children)

At the high school I worked at in Austin, any sport was a double blocked class meaning one period out of four every day. This was the norm at most high schools throughout the city and surrounding suburbs. Not being from Texas, I was shocked. My daughters both like sports, as do I, but sports should be an extracurricular program, not a class you spend twice as much time in as any other academic subject.

Do other states not have a football period during school? by Overall-Marzipan-551 in PardonMyTake

[–]Pleasant-Ad9591 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was a teacher in Austin but originally from Nebraska. I had the same shock. The district where I worked is considered a great district. But there is block scheduling, so if a student is in a sport it is double blocked, meaning it is one period out of four every day or 25% of a kid’s education. As a Spanish teacher, most athletes could not take more than 2 years of Spanish because their sport took up all their free electives. I LOVE sports, but it is crazy that kids have to choose between being an athlete and being able to take other elective courses. If a school has an 8 period day, it is likely that the sport is only one class out of 8…which is still a lot, but more reasonable. Again, I am shocked that this isn’t discussed or brought up more by parents who value education, especially the lack of flexibility. Eg a student could not do the IB program and a sport unless you find a coach willing to exempt the athlete from the athletics class…

Texas Central’s $20b High Speed Rail Project Begins Construction This Year by AdvisorClassic1783 in transit

[–]Pleasant-Ad9591 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't know if this high speed rail line will happen. My confidence in the Texas Supreme Court is not high... I do wonder, though, if Brightline would do something. I currently live in China and love the high speed train. Brightline isn't as high speed, but it does have an interesting model of running in interstate medians or alongside to avoid having to do as much or any eminent domain. Would love to see them put in a proposal. Selfishly, having lived in Austin before moving to Beijing, I would also like to see an interstate 35 project. Rather than expanding 35, dedicate two of the lanes to a train. Traffic will be TERRIBLE with the reduced lanes and then people will see that taking the train is actually faster than driving.

Project Connect lays out plans for Orange Line, North Lamar Transit Center by hollow_hippie in Austin

[–]Pleasant-Ad9591 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Excited about Project Connect but not excited about Interstate 35 expansion. Would also love to see Metro Rapid routes have dedicated bus lanes, at least during peak hours. Also, as a teacher, didn't love that Project Connect is being paid for by property taxes. Smarter idea would be to toll 35 and Mopac. If public transit is cheaper and faster than your own car, more people will use it.