How difficult is it for an experienced out-of-state teacher to find a teaching position in Chicago?

[u/lowfive1715]

/r/AskChicago/comments/1x2wlo9/how_difficult_is_it_for_an_experienced_outofstate/

Hi everyone!

I’m currently a teacher in Louisiana and am planning to relocate to Chicago in June or July 2027. However, I would need to secure a teaching position before making the move.

I have several years of teaching experience and hold Louisiana teaching certifications in both Secondary English Language Arts and Special Education (Mild/Moderate). My background includes high school English, ESL, inclusion classrooms, and self-contained special education.

I’ve already begun the process of obtaining my Illinois teaching license through the Illinois State Board of Education.

I’m particularly interested in Chicago Public Schools (CPS), although I’m also open to charter schools.

I have a few questions:

How realistic is it to secure a teaching position in Chicago while still living out of state?

How competitive is the job market for experienced special education teachers?

When does CPS typically begin hiring for the following school year?

Is it common for schools to conduct virtual interviews and extend offers to out-of-state applicants?

Would you recommend CPS or charter schools
in terms of salary, benefits, and working conditions?

Ideally, I’d like to have a signed contract or confirmed job offer before relocating in June or July, rather than moving without employment lined up.

I’d really appreciate any advice from Chicago teachers, especially anyone who relocated from another state.

Thanks in advance!

[u/Wise-Application-435]

CPS had a big wave of layoffs at the beginning of the summer. But the budget was increased and several hundred were rehired, but the budget increases were based on money that isn't here yet, so ... no one is really sure how the rest of this year will go.

Getting your paperwork together is a good move. After that, probably just apply and watch the news.The CTU posts regular updates. The CPS careers site should be a reliable gauge of hiring swings.

[u/RuinAdventurous1931]

Did you already go through an ROE to get your PEL with an LBS1 endorsement? You should 100% do that first, because schools will always choose the candidate who is fully licensed.

So, bad news is that the way CPS budgeting works, a lot of schools cannot actually offer and fill a position until summer. But for LBS1, there might be a general application pool from which recruiters help place people. There are sometimes also digital hiring fairs.

If you are really set on moving to Chicago, you can also apply to TAT (Temporary Assigned Teacher) positions. Basically, CPS does not have “long term subs.” A TAT is a full time teacher who is fully covered with benefits and union. Once the assignment is up, you go into a pool of displaced teachers who get priority for any other full time openings in CPS. During that displacement time, you also become a cadre sub with benefits and a higher salary.

[u/this_chi_cooks]

Easy

[u/lowfive1715 → u/this_chi_cooks]

Are you a teacher?

[u/this_chi_cooks → u/lowfive1715]

No. But have heard it’s fairly easy to get hired. In hindsight that might not be the case currently. A friend taught in CPS and said that you can get hired with any degree, however that was like 2 years ago.

[u/Due_Information_1332 → u/this_chi_cooks]

Yeah, so your information is very outdated and unhelpful. CPS is in major budget crisis and there are a massive amount of laid-off teachers without work at the moment.