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It depends. Every district in TX is different.

I have had very good experiences, great administrators,
wonderful colleagues, lots of support.
The time I had a bad (really bad) principal, I resigned and
went somewhere else with no difficulty.

My spouse has had similar experiences.

Our child is a relatively new teacher with good support,
good colleagues, but a bat-crap-crazy principal.

Salaries and benefits are pretty good in San Antonio
districts. Of the larger districts SAISD pays better and
has better benefits, but the schools are a lot tougher.
That holds true inmost areas.

Rural districts tend have lower salaries and poor benefits.
The teacher retirement system is decent, most districts do
not pay into Social Security. If you are bringing quarters
in from elsewhere, be aware of WEP and GOP.

We have state standards, the TEKS and state testing, the
STAAR.

The standards are ok in my content area, I don't hear much
complaint in others either. We don't use any national
standards at all. In fact, CCSS is illegal in TX.

State testing is probably comparable to other states, but
most districts take it waaaay beyond with bench-marking and
test-mania. It is oppressive in some places.

No state curricula; each district decides scope and
sequences, instructional resources for themselves. Some
have almost nothing, some have too much, some prescribe
teaching, some give almost complete autonomy to teachers.
Everything in between.

No unions; this is a right-to-work state. There are
several organizations that provide insurance, legal advice,
legislative updates and the like. No collective bargaining.

Some of the organizations are affiliated with national
unions, but they have no real power.

If you have a specific district in mind, it's a lot easier
to give information.

On 10/23/14, CD wrote:
> I am a special education teacher and
> contemplating a move to Texas. What can I
> expect? What are the pros/cons??? Much
> appreciated.

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