Are there any teachers from TN, NWA, or TX Teacher who can help me narrow down my relocation choices? (Benton: sales, car registration)

[Jen.matthews78]

I've read some very informative posts and insightful comments on all three states (Tennessee, Northwest Arkansas, and Texas), but everyone's situation is unique. Ultimately, I think it will just be more efficient to post my own thread and see what turns up.

For numerous reasons, my family is planning to relocate and we're really only looking at the 3 states I've named. I think our family could be happy in any of the 3 states although--of course!--everyone in our family has his or her preference. Hunny bunny prefers Texas because he's lived there before, is comfortable with it, and has some family there. Dad (my parents will also be moving) votes for Arkansas because it's beautiful and hasn't reached the boom level of Texas brought on by the California exodus. We also have a slight connection to Tennessee because I have a friend in the Nashville area and we also have family friends who moved to Cornersville about 6 years ago.

At the end of the day, and given that I would like to be in place by the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year, the deciding factor will likely be which state I can get a decent teaching job in. Still, I do want to continue investigating. I have general questions about each state that anyone could probably answer, but I also have questions specific to the teaching profession about which I would really appreciate educator input.

TEACHING QUESTIONS:

1. All three states are in the top 15 states in the country for teacher quality (wage, student ratio) according to an article I read in USA Today. If you have teaching experience in any of the states, what were the advantages and disadvantages?

2. I have taught both middle and high school for 13 years in a rural school that was close to a city. I teach both ESL/ELD and Spanish. I would like to stick to rural or suburban schools. I think TX will have many jobs posted for my skill set, what do you think my chances are in TN or NWA?

3. The general administrative set up in TX and NWA seems fairly similar to what I've worked with in the past (State--> county/region --> local school district --> school site), but TN seems to be different. Some counties seem to operate as the school district and other (more populous, maybe?) counties seem to have school districts. Does that have much of an impact on day-to-day life for teachers? If so, is one better than the other? Why?

4. A common concern for most people regardless of profession is healthcare. In my current position, I cannot afford healthcare for me, my husband, and my 18-month-old, so just me and my child are covered. That leaves hunny bunny with minimal, cut-rate coverage with sky-high deductibles that isn't even worth the monthly premiums he pays. I'm sure that theme is common in TN, TX, and NWA. What are some work arounds that teachers do? I've heard of teachers having 2nd or even 3rd jobs to swing healthcare and housing. I've also heard of teachers opting for school district healthcare for themselves and buying private insurance for their families to save some money. Any input or opinions on this?

5. TN specific...Is it true that all TN teachers are required to be trained on snake catching and releasing?

6. I've seen some jobs listed as 9, 10, 11, or 12 month positions. Is this specific to the number of paychecks a teacher would receive per year, or based upon the number of working days or what? It seems like if it's just the number of pay warrants, then a teacher would receive the same annual salary per years of service, it would just be distributed differently. Yet, I thought I saw on a pay scale that the 9 month position paid a substantially lower annual salary than the 11 month position for the same number of years of service.

GENERAL QUESTIONS:

1. I'm not a complete idiot; I know all states have snakes (please, do not post any pictures of your local ones because I will likely pee my pants and have a heart attack). Where I live currently, there are signs posted on the dangers of rattle snakes in the area, especially when it was rapidly expanding in the late 90's early 00's, but I've been fortunate enough not to have had any encounters. Obviously, there is more of a risk of snake encounters while hiking and such. What is the likelihood of encountering them in more populated areas of TN, TX, and NWA? Shopping areas, parking lots, hospitals, etc.? Venomous or otherwise makes no difference to me, I'm still terrified. Also, I've heard awful tales of people needing to buy special mesh toilet attachments to prevent snakes from surfacing in their toilet bowls and slithering through their houses. I'm sure I sound like a moron, but I have to ask for my own sanity. Is this a common occurrence in TN, TX, and NWA?

2. I know FL is terribly prone to sink holes, but I've recently learned that TX and TN are as well. Does anyone know anything about that? Do I need to get a specific map? Is that something realtors would be knowledgeable about?

3. According to some maps, the entire state of TN is at a moderate risk for earthquakes. Does anyone have additional information about that?

I know this is an awfully long post and I do apologize for that. If you're still with me after all of that reading, I thank you for your attention and thoroughly appreciate your patience and insights.

[nmnita]

ok, just my thoughts and they have little to do with teaching itself: Remember these are mostly opinion, not all are facts.

1-we have lived in Texas and of course here. TX was on our short list when we got ready to retire:

2-Texas and TN have no state income tax witch is a positive but they make up for this with things like car registration and other fees. Their sales tax are no higher, just lots of other taxes. Also home owners taxes are much higher.

3-The climate alone in Texas was a turn off for us. We put up with the humidity for 13 years; it just got to us.One of the positives for us about Texas is so much to see and do but that does wear off as well.

4- we ruled TN out because it was not close to any family and this is important to us. I don't mean next door or a few miles away. We just want to know we can get to relatives homes, some anyway in a few hours or so.

5- all 3 states have good family values but I think this is one area that AR stands out, especially NWA. The crime rate overall is very low.

6-in all 3 states you will find the kids very polite which is a plus, but Texas will probably be at the bottom of the 3 when it comes to well behaved kids. Of course kids will always be kids. That is the way it should be.

7-You ask about snakes, all 3 states will have them and all 3 will have good and bad ones. I think Texas, depending on where you live would have the most snakes as well as poisonous bugs. I can not say you will not have a slight chance of running into to one when out hiking but they are not running around in your back yard in any of the 3 states. Earthquakes should not be a huge concern. I grew up in CA, now that is a big issue there. We have spent the last 30 plus years with the exception of 7 in Texas and never given them a second thought.

9-beauty: all three states have their own beauty, but AR has to be at the top, with TN being 2nd.
10- If col is an issue NWA would have the lowest and TX the highest. Property cost is probably the reason as the cost of buying and maintaining homes in TX and TN will be higher than AR. At least I know TX will be. Of course the salaries are probably higher in TX and TN as well.
Here is a story that may help you, at least keep NWA on your list. In 2007 we decided we really wanted to be little closer to our part of our family. We were living in NM. Our oldest daughter and family were mostly in Texas. Our younger grand daughter was a senior at U of A we had researched states closer to Dallas like OK but never thought about AR. I won't go into details when she suggested we look here and hubby said you are crazy. Well we did give it a shot and it was love at first sight. The friendly people, the cost of living and the beauty was so awesome. In less than a year we had moved here. Since then our oldest daughter and her husband followed. They intended on just buying a vacation home but ended up taking very early retirements, started their own business and calling BElla Vista their forever home. After younger grand daughter graduated she married a true Arkangan and they now live within 30 minutes of us. Following this our older granddaughter and her husband moved here. They were living in OK while he was finishing up his education and she was about ready to take her final exam to become as nurse practitioner.

Now we have a daughter and son in law here: 2 granddaughters and 5 great grand kids all loving AR. Add to this daughters best friend or College in CA and a sorority sister of hers. She is like our daughter so I guess we can say we have another daughter and son in law here. They relocated a little over a year ago.

Hope this helps some. Keep us posted.

Sorry I rattled on, but had to try and give you some answers and some opinions. As you will find if you visit and/or decide to relocate here, the majority of people are not native to AR. They are mostly lovers of what we have to offer and that is why they have chosen to call NWA home. of course there are exceptions to all stories. There are those who are very negative and a few of them will not hesitate posting here. Good luck and keep us posted.

[tnff]

I'm not a teacher, but can talk a little about TN.

1. School district quality and student behavior vary wildly. We live in a smaller city/town, but with an excellent school system in terms of both behavior and outcomes. Next county over doesn't. So you really have to look at the individual district. While TN is often thought of a buckle on the Bible Belt, it's not a bastion of anti science like some think. Local school district is trying to find physics teachers but they can't compete with local industry.

2. Local area has a relatively high Hispanic population and I think Spanish is the most offered high school FL course.

3. Yes. Many have a single county district. Others, like ours, has both a county system and a local city system. In our area, the local city system seems to pay better than the county.

4. Sorry, no information here.

5. I don't know about requirements. I know our kid's kindergarten teacher kept a snake in the classroom and let the kids feed it and that the state requires permits to keep snakes. Maybe it comes from the thought teachers would use them in the classroom?

6. Sorry, I can't help you too much here, other than to say there is a range of school schedules in different districts. In our district school typically starts end of July/first of August and runs to end of May. So perhaps that is the reason for the different contract lengths?

1. Yes, we have snakes in TN. But probably no more so than any other rural region. Not going to lie to you; we've had some in our yard. But they were the good kind of snakes that eat varmints. And they scare the pants off me, but not enough to keep me out of the yard or the woods. Just keep your eyes open.

2. Sinkholes are possible, but very rare and overblown in the news.

3. Again, earthquakes are possible, but not likely. Basically it's possible to have one pretty much anywhere in the country. In this case, it's most likely talking about the New Madrid fault that had a quake in the early 1800s along the Mississippi river. So there is a non zero probability. But nothing like the west coast.

Basically these last three items are very overblown because they make good stories in the media. I wouldn't let any one of them be a factor in my decision about TN or not. Your questions about the school system are much more important.

[Jen.matthews78]

1. Agreed and I think that applies to pretty much every state. Physics teachers (all Math, Science, and SPED really) are in high demand in all states, so that's not surprising.

2. Sounds like there may be some positions to choose from then; that's a good sign. Also, my husband is Honduran. I don't think it's an issue at all because I think people tend to find what they're looking for in terms of acceptance and friendliness. But, as a SUPER cautious person, he worries about things that most people wouldn't.

3. Do you have any opinions on specific counties? I suspect there are plenty of gorgeous areas and it's really just a matter of preference, but it never hurts to ask. For example, our family friends live in Marshall county and they are very happy with their choice, so I've looked for job postings in that area. But, a college friend lives in or near Chattanooga (Marion county?) and absolutely loves it. He also told me that Nashville is experiencing a housing bubble right now, but that's not a problem as we are definitely NOT interested in living in a large metro area. And I also heard Cookeville in Putnam county is great in terms of job opportunities, small to medium sized towns/cities, etc.

1. Yeah, the same applies for rattlesnakes in my area. Sounds like people in TN do not feel the need to buy special mesh accessories to attach to their toilets to prevent snakes from surfacing in them? As idiotic as that sounds, it would be a huge relief to me to confirm that that is not necessary.

2. and 3. True and true. I was just surprised. These aren't really deciding factors, more just general questions I was curious about.

Thanks a bunch for sharing!

[Jen.matthews78]

Oh my goodness, nmnita! Please, please don't worry about it. Ramble away! Did you not see the length of my original post?

2. Absolutely! State government has to make up the shortfall somehow. I expected to find higher taxes in other areas.

3. It's kind of a coin flip in regards to climate because I believe all 3 states have a lot of humidity. However, maybe Texas' lasts longer throughout the year? If TN and AR had shorter summer seasons than TX, that would make me very happy. I've heard TN winters are fairly mild, which would make hunny bunny happy. How about NWA winters?

4. I completely understand. Since my parents will also be making the move, it's not as big of a concern as it otherwise would be. Plus, visiting between NWA and TN seems feasible even if it may not be a trip you want to make every weekend.

7. I do understand that there are snakes everywhere and really people just need to keep their eyes open and pay attention. It's the same here with the rattlesnakes. Again, sorry to sound hysterical and paranoid, but my niece's grandfather is from AR (but not NWA) and he is the one who told us about the screens that attach to toilets to keep snakes from surfacing in your toilet. He left AR as soon as he was able and has not missed it at all, but he's also nearing 80 and hasn't lived there in a LONG time. So, his information may be hopelessly out of date. Also, I believe he was from central AR and he mentioned that this was common down towards the southeast of AR like down by the delta. Still, it's a nightmare I do NOT need to have, which is why I ask.

10. Cost of living is always an issue. The fact that the flood of people who leave CA end up in TX is a cause for concern for our family's economy. I really appreciate your story and I'm glad it has been such a positive experience for you and your family. It sounds like your hubby reacted similarly to the way my mom and I did when my dad mentioned AR. Something along the lines of "Are you nuts?!"

Sometime in the next couple of months schools will begin posting the open positions for next school year although I've seen a few that were open for this school year and went unfilled. I'll just have to look around and see what positions are open, submit several applications, and pray. My teaching position will likely dictate the move for my whole family--parents included. It's kind of a lot of pressure. Once I get a teaching contract signed, we'll start looking for a home within just a few minutes' drive. I'm way beyond done with a 45 minute commute each way. Been there, done that for 13 years. Time to live closer to work.

I'll keep you updated. Again, thanks so much for sharing! I appreciate all the input.

[texas_nightowl]

re: taxes, cost of living
We moved to NWA 13 months ago from Texas. Yes, there is income tax here. But other costs are much much less. For example:


- house insurance; our insurance in TX on a 12 yr old, 2200 sq ft house was $2300 per year; our insurance here on a 2400 sq ft, new house is $900 per year - that was a big shock!

- auto insurance; 2 cars, 2 drivers (one of the cars did change), in TX our premium in Sept. 2018 was $157; our Sept. 2019 premium in NWA was $92 (instead of paying once a year, or once every six months, we have our auto insurance split into monthly payments) - $60/month is $60/month!

- property tax; we were shopping for a new house in TX - for a 2000-2100 sq ft house, our property taxes were going to be in the $5800-6000+ range per year; our property insurance on our 2400 sq ft house in Bentonville is $2675


- sales tax: we had 8.25-8.75% in TX and I think it is running 9.5% here in Bentonville, so that is a difference, but wasn't a huge deal for us


Now, whether these differences offset the change in income taxes depends on your income, and your personal situation. Obviously house insurance, property tax, etc. are all dependent on size and location, etc.


re: summers and climate
AR is HUMID in the summer. But, it is a shorter summer than Texas. That is one of the other main reasons we chose to leave Texas. This is only our second winter here and while there are cold snaps (we've had one very very slight dusting of snow this year already) it also warms up. It's been in the 60's the last 4-5 days. We had windows open on Christmas day. So far, we're happy with it.

[tnff]

I don't think I've ever heard of putting screens in the toilets. I guess maybe in a swampy area where you are on septic, but not otherwise.

TN winters are mild, but really depend on where you are in the state. Going east of Cookeville into the Cumberland Plateau and toward the Southern Appalachians will get more snow and sleet. South and west will get milder winters with the occasional cold snap.

[Jen.matthews78]

Thanks for the information, texas_nightowl! That is very helpful and practical information to have on hand. I've read general remarks, but the specific numbers help me wrap my head around it a bit better. I understand that the final numbers for my own budget will vary, but again, it's great to have a more concrete example.

While I hate humidity, it's a given in any of the states we're considering. It's VERY good news to me that AR's summers are shorter than TX. Being able to count on an actual seasonal change is comforting.

Thanks also to tnff for helping me put my snake fears to rest and for the climate info!

While I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to reply, I'd still love to hear from any teachers who may have experience in these states.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Jen.matthews78

Thanks for the information, texas_nightowl! That is very helpful and practical information to have on hand. I've read general remarks, but the specific numbers help me wrap my head around it a bit better. I understand that the final numbers for my own budget will vary, but again, it's great to have a more concrete example.

While I hate humidity, it's a given in any of the states we're considering. It's VERY good news to me that AR's summers are shorter than TX. Being able to count on an actual seasonal change is comforting.

Thanks also to tnff for helping me put my snake fears to rest and for the climate info!

While I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to reply, I'd still love to hear from any teachers who may have experience in these states.

Hope some teachers respond so you can hear about our educational policies in NWA.

I will add one more thing: as for humidity: yes it is in all the states you are considering but we left Texas mainly due to the humidity. Her we have problems from mid June to about labor day compared to Texas from Mid May to early Oct Of course these are just approximate: each year is different, but we will be here for 13 summers come June. I don't think we have had more than a dozen days above 100 degrees and not even too many about 95. In Texas it was nothing to have 100 plus days with nights in the 80 plus.

[tnff]

You may want to repost in the Education forum. I think more teachers congregate there.