NWR phew (kinda)--vent

acaponi87 · February 2012

They really make it quite hard to be a teacher.

I completed my teacher preparation program in MI. Went to college, took all my teacher tests, got my 5 year license. Life was good. It was a pain in the ass but I managed to do it relatively quickly and right the first time.

Well FI lives in OH so as things got more serious I realized I would eventually moving down here so I began researching the process of getting certified to teach in OH. You think it'd be easy. NOOOOOOOoo. Ohio makes the MI process seem like a cakewalk. And it's so hard to understand. So I had to retake all of my tests (which cost me about $400) apply for my licenses (more $), more fingerprints (more $) and finally I got it. In April I was issued a 2 year provisional license. Would have liked a 4 or 5 year license but whatever.

I take a look at it a few months ago and it expires in JUNE! WTF?! How is that 2 years?! So I am freaking out because jobs are opening up that I want to apply for and my damn license is expiring in 4 months. I look at the process of renewing my license and I apparently need college credit. Well that's not going to happen in 4 months. I am scared and unhappy and don't know what to do.

I finally got ahold of someone at the Ohio Department of Ed. and it turns out that I kinda got screwed because they got rid of the 2 year license around the time I applied so they had to back-date my issue date a year (bullshit). But the good news is that I can apparently apply for a 4 year license and not have to take any college credit. That is a HUGE relief. Of course it will cost me $250.

Slightly relieved, but still annoyed. Thank you for letting me vent. In good news, tomorrow is already Thursday.

Rethany · February 2012

That is quite the run around! Glad you're able to get the four year one by only paying a few hundred bucks. That beats college credits and potentially being jobless! Still a pain though!

G2SoccerTaz · February 2012

My SIL got her teaching certificate in WA. But if she wanted to move home to OR, she would have to do majority of the process over again - the classes, the student teaching, and the testing. They would not recognize her license. It is a good think her and my brother decided to stay in Seattle.

I just do not like how they make a big deal out of the teaching certificate and passing the state tests. I tried to get on teaching high school history here (i have an MA in History) but that wanted that certificate.

I am glad that things worked out for you. I do not see how they could back date it. Would it not have been easier for them just give everyone the 4 year instead of a 2 year when they were fadding them out?

mrspatnou · February 2012

Well that's kinda good that it isn't a bigger process than you thought! FI wants to move to AZ (we live in IL) and I said only after I get established in the IL system since it is so hard to transfer certificates.

acaponi87 · February 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_june-2012-weddings_nwr-phew-kinda-vent?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20Club%20BoardsForum:3ae4d68d-f10a-4dec-8810-da13c14a7b86Discussion:6f743d95-2dba-4c02-a37a-161669a6b12ePost:338bde4b-9eb7-4f37-8407-e3dd236ae543">Re: NWR phew (kinda)--vent</a>:
[QUOTE]That is quite the run around! Glad you're able to get the four year one by only paying a few hundred bucks. That beats college credits and potentially being jobless! Still a pain though!
Posted by spiffycoolbeans[/QUOTE]

That is a very, very good way of looking at it. Thank you!

acaponi87 · February 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_june-2012-weddings_nwr-phew-kinda-vent?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20Club%20BoardsForum:3ae4d68d-f10a-4dec-8810-da13c14a7b86Discussion:6f743d95-2dba-4c02-a37a-161669a6b12ePost:1b9cd744-da0a-49f8-9953-4ad44da9cf19">Re: NWR phew (kinda)--vent</a>:
[QUOTE]Well that's kinda good that it isn't a bigger process than you thought! FI wants to move to AZ (we live in IL) and I said only after I get established in the IL system since it is so hard to transfer certificates.
Posted by mrspatnou[/QUOTE]

Yeah it really depends on the states. Apparently the some states just take MI licenses but not OH. You think they'd make it easier but I guess it's one way for them to make money. That's a good idea to wait.

Carebear62584 · February 2012

I feel your pain! I got my master's and certification in Dec. 2008. I haven't had a permanent position yet so my certification expired at the beginning of the month. It's a good thing FI loves me so much to pay another $250 for me to renew my certification for another 3 years. Then, when I do get a position I have to go through an evaluation program and have to pay more money to upgrade. Being a teacher is definitely not easy!!

2012FutureMrsB · February 2012

Whoa! Crazy! Glad you got it figured out though. I'm also a teacher. I was certified in FL, but never actually taught there. I taught my first year in MS, I just had to pay a small fee for a temp license. Then I taught overseas at an international school - they accepted my FL certification. Then I started my Master's full time (back in FL) and my credits were enough to qualify for my FL renewal (which is very easy, BTW in FL thank goodness!).

Then . . . I moved to NM b/c I met my FI online and he's from NM. Fortunately, they also accept FL certification, so I just had to pay the transfer fee. However, I am only a few miles from the TX border and TX pays way more for educators than in NM. I was originally hoping to get a job there and just commute, but found out they don't accept FL or NM license. I would have to pay about $500 total just for them to "review" my out-of-state license and tell me that they won't accept it (duh! your website makes that clear) and then take all their state tests. Grrr. Not cool. I even have a masters degree!

So . . . I'm teaching in NM but if FI and I ever move to TX, I'll be forking out tons of money and studying for their state tests so I can transfer. . . . Makes me want to get a National Board Certification, but right now, that's just way too much work in my busy life!

Shelly527IN · February 2012

My principal has a Master's for Reading Specialist from Kansas or Florida (I'm sketchy on the details), but it's worthless in Indiana! I hate how the states certifications are so different! I live in Indiana, but got my teaching degree and started teaching in Kentucky (I live right on the Ohio River). In KY, all you need to renew your license is three years of teaching experience in a 5 years period OR 6 credit hours of college work. In Indiana, you have to have so many professional development hours. I figure that if you are working as a teacher, you should be up-to-date on professional development. Kentucky makes so much more sense!

I was inbetween teaching jobs, working as an assistant and took 6 hours of classes so I could renew my Kentucky certificate. It was much easier than retaking all the tests!

NWR phew (kinda)--vent

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