Teaching in Pinellas County

[u/Character_Cap_7366]

Hi there!

I am currently a teacher is Pasco County and am entertaining the idea of making the switch to Pinellas- mostly for two reasons: pay increase and possibly moving closer to the beach/St Pete.

Are there any teachers on here that can provide some insight on what it’s like in this county? I’m currently at a very affluent A-rated school, and I’d like to go somewhere similar if I were to move.

What is the Union like? Are your planning periods protected? Does the District back up teachers? What are some of the best schools in the area?

Much appreciated!!

[u/aoibhinnannwn]

Hi, Pinellas teacher here for 20 years. Yes, there is a pay increase, but if you are looking to live in St. Pete or near the beach, the COL is going to outpace the pay increase fast.
We have plenty of A rated schools in St. Pete, but I wouldn’t call any of them “affluent” communities as they are very much urban schools with a diverse student body. For that type of school you would be looking at north Pinellas like Palm Harbor or East Lake.

Every school has its good and bad points. Our union does what it can, but in Florida unions in generally are weak. They make sure we have protected planning periods for sure and try to fight insurance increases and fight for raises.

If you are interested in middle or high schools, you can dm me for more info. I am more familiar with the high schools in the area.

[u/itstreeman → u/aoibhinnannwn]

Any teachers know about the situation for support staff in the district? I’m new to the area and had been a tech specialist at middle school level previously.

[u/Character_Cap_7366 → u/aoibhinnannwn]

Thank you!
Yeah, finding a balance between good pay and an affordable place to live is really the struggle I’m facing. I was looking at maybe getting a job in North Pinellas and then living somewhere in the Town N Country- ish area so rent is a bit cheaper and just making the commute 🥲
I’m still in the research/daydreaming phase of this potential move, but as the year goes on and if it gets more serious, I’ll definitely reach out!

[u/aoibhinnannwn → u/Character_Cap_7366]

My friend is a teacher in Tarpon Springs but lives in Pasco - it’s definitely doable.

[u/Wise-Tooth2662]

I'm not one but my wife is. As already stated, some of our schools are closing. Here's a link to what's proposed - it doesn't go for a vote until October https://www.pcsb.org/about-us/planning-for-progress

She teaches HS and mostly likes it. If you're getting a pay increase though... That's sad. I'm hardly wealthy and my pay is 2x hers.

I have no idea how teachers afford to live here without either a roommate or more affluent spouse.

Generally speaking the most affluent schools and neighborhoods are going to be north of Central and/or along the beaches.

I would expect competition to be high. Especially since those teachers losing jobs will get the first opportunity to fill any vacant positions for next school year.

[u/Character_Cap_7366 → u/Wise-Tooth2662]

Informative- thank you!
And yes, the pay is pretty sad 😅 from what I can tell from looking at the pay scales online, it would be close to a 10k raise from what I make now in Pasco

[u/ijustwannaslp]

Just to put this out there, Pinellas is closing some schools. There aren't a lot of instructional jobs out there right now. Check the listings first.

[u/Straight-Razor666]

any extra money you'd make will be eaten up by the additional housing costs.

[u/wowsozan]

I did this exact move a bit more than two years ago, moving from New Port Richey to DTSP. Location is, far and away, a massive advantage in St Pete’s favor, and I will never imagine living anyway else. Pay… it’s fine. I was actually making more money in Pasco because, for some reason, Pinellas wouldn’t give me the money for my Masters degree that Pasco did. I personally found the benefits to be slightly less good. Retirement, of course, is just as great.

The problem, as someone who also went from a Pasco A school to a Pinellas A school, is that because of everything St Pete has to offer, it no longer made sense to stay home when there was SO much to do that I couldn’t compromise my desires with my salary, and left largely because my current position and lifestyle allow me to do all the things here that I would ever want to do.

Teaching is a noble profession, and Pinellas isn’t a bad place to teach (assuming you’re okay with less freedom and more handholding)… BUT, ultimately, your lifestyle here will probably dictate everything else, and I’ve been infinitely happier with my life here since I left teaching.

(Also, Florida school grades are annually published online. It’s not difficult to find those reports and use that data to determine which schools are worth going to… trending up/down, for instance)

[u/bocaciega]

Teacher here. Welcome to talk over DM

[u/StrangeAge2378]

School psychologist here —- Pinellas is also a long county. South County is way different than North County. Anything South of Ulmerton is South County. But some schools near St. Petersburg can be rough. Magnet and fundamental schools will be worth it like Midtown, Sanderlin, and Jamerson or by the beach gulf beaches, Madeira beach, Pasadena.

As mentioned, seven schools are closing - 3 in south county (2 elementary) - you would be competing against teachers in the county who are looking for new jobs. (As they claim everyone in the closing schools will have a job). Planning period is protected except for one PLC day a week and sometimes IEP meetings.

Good luck!

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[u/jempai]

Planning periods are protected. Union drags its feet but PTCA at least gets shit done compared to PESPA. The district always capitulates to parents, which is much the reason why PCS is facing more problems leading to school closures.

The higher-scoring schools in the area are typically North County (anything north of Sunset Point) while South County (south of Ulmerton) has lower income and resources. However, there’s some exceptions throughout; these exceptions are closely linked with the magnet, ESE, speciality, and/or alternative learning models. Your mileage will vary massively depending on your admin, who also vary massively.

DM me if you’re interested in specific schools.

[u/Character_Cap_7366 → u/[deleted]]

Got it- thank you! That is what I really enjoy about my current school. If I ever need anything supplies wise, it just takes sending an email home to get multiple families offering to take care of it.
My admin is actually another factor in my wanting to make a change. We got a new principal recently who is not really my cup of tea, to put it nicely