High Tech High reviews

The turn over at this school and all the other High Tech schools is VERY HIGH. Administrators expect teachers to put in long hours beyond reason. There is a culture of conformity and "don't rock the boat" to fit in. Those in positions of power are very exclusive. If they like you, you're good to go. If not, you're screwed, as in: fired. No tenure at charter schools. No support for dealing with difficult students (and there are plenty at these full-inclusion schools), no appreciation of time and effort put in. Very passive-aggressive communication, with the expectation that you can read minds and know what they want without them actually telling you. The "inclusion specialists" (special education teachers) are extremely difficult to work with, and this issue is well-discussed among teachers but not taken seriously by administration. When someone is fired, it is very hush-hush. The person is asked to lie about being fired, to make up a story about moving on to another job, and is even made to sign a non-disclosure agreement promising not to tell anyone why they left in exchange for severance pay. The administration at this school is the reason I left the teaching profession. They second-guessed every move I made. Despite my years of experience, the administration managed to strip me of all confidence in myself and my skills.

-Over an entire year, I didn't receive one piece of feedback from my director, formal or informal. -Admin lacked follow through (with student behavior, mentorship, and general guidance for new teachers). It seems like directors and deans were sometimes unqualified and overwhelmed for the roles that they were in. -I felt alone and isolated during my first year here, despite the fact that everyone seems so happy, passionate and connected, it's hard to "get in" with already established groups of teachers and staff. Very cliquey. -Work life balance is challenging because there are no curriculums and the resources you do have are supposed to be adapted to whatever project you're doing.