Teaching as a Second Career

  • Always thought you would enjoy teaching? We are always excited for new team members to bring teaching experience to us. We’re glad you are interested in working with us and we can’t wait to meet you.

    You fall into this category if you have a bachelor’s degree or higher, but your major is not in education, nor have you had previous teaching experience in a public or private school environment. You may have worked in another field or career and decided you would like to share your unique skill set and talent with our students.

    We know it can be difficult and cumbersome to navigate becoming employed in public education. We’re here to help get you where you want to go.

    Here are the steps you will want to take to become eligible to apply for teaching positions:

     

    1. Decide the grade level and subject you want to teach: Take some time to visit our different school websites and do research into what topics and grade levels you are interested in teaching. You will be required to take a subject area exam in the next step, and you will want to be focused on which test you want to take as it can be cost prohibitive to become certified in multiple areas at once. When choosing an area of teaching you will want to think of a number of different factors:

       

      • What area are you trained in: Do you have a degree in a specific area of learning?  Do you have work experience in a specific area?

         

      • What topics interest you or come naturally?  Interested in Biology but have a degree in English?  Many areas offer an exam that would allow you to teach another subject other than your degree. Look here to see what options are available to you.

         

      • What areas/grades are harder to staff?  While you can certainly get certified in the most common areas, you have a much greater chance of standing out in a sea of applicants and interviewees by selecting an area that is harder for us to fill. Harder to fill subjects include, but are not limited to Math, Science, Physics, Chemistry, and Special Education.

         

    2. Take and pass the subject area exam: Once you have decided what you want to teach, you will need to take the certification exam for the area(s). You can register and pay for the exams by visiting www.fl.nesinc.com. Passing scores (and scores no older than 10 years) are shared with the FLDOE.

       

    3. Apply online for an evaluation of transcripts: You will need to reach out to the school from which you obtained your bachelor’s degree or master’s degree to request official transcripts be sent to the Florida Department of Education Teacher’s Bureau. You will be receiving the specialized requirements from the state regarding what areas your degree qualifies you to teach. Please note there is a $75.00 cost per subject area. For questions regarding this aspect, please contact the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) directly. 

      *While you are requesting your transcripts for the FLDOE, you should also request an official transcript to be sent to the Escambia County School District as well.  The FLDOE does not communicate transcripts to the school district and we are required to obtain transcripts to determine employment eligibility as well.  Transcripts can be mailed or hand delivered in an official university sealed envelope to 75 North Pace Boulevard, Pensacola, Florida, 32505.  If your school participates in e-script, the online transcript service, you can have them send the e-script to hrgeneral@escambia.k12.fl.us.

       

    4.  Statement of Eligibility: Once you have completed the above steps successfully, you will be notified of your eligibility to teach.  Within this letter you will receive information regarding any additional requirements needed to be completed by the FLDOE, to obtain a Professional Teaching Certificate.   These additional items are typically required to be completed within the first three-year time frame of your employment as a teacher.

       

    5. Apply for positions: You are now ready to apply!  You will want to view our open positions here and apply for any positions you are certified and qualified to teach.

       

    If you have applied for your Statement of Eligibility prior to April 23, 2018, you may be eligible to apply for our Spring Hiring Event.  This event gives you the first opportunity at all the positions we will have open for the 2018-2019 school year.  All of our schools in Escambia County, Florida, that have open positions will be present to meet with interested candidates on that date.  This half-day event allows applicants the ability to interview with multiple schools on one day rather than travel to Pensacola for different interviews on different days.  Last year at this event, 70 individuals were given offers of employment and processed completely through Human Resources, walking out the door employed.  This is not an opportunity you would want to miss.  This is an invitation-only event.  Once you have applied to attend, our Certification Specialists review your transcripts, state certificate, and employment eligibility.  If you are eligible to be hired as a teacher in the State of Florida, you will receive an invitation to attend the event with details specific to attendance.

     

    Not sure you are ready, or maybe you will be unable to visit us in April?  Unfilled positions from the Hiring Event, as well as positions that come open will be posted in our applicant tracking system throughout the Spring and Summer leading up to the start of the 2018-2019 school year.  Keep checking our posted positions weekly to see what is new.

     

    Ready to apply now? Visit here to apply.