No Budget, No Job

Yesterday I was finally convinced that I don't have a job next year. The state of Washington hasn't passed a budget and until they do at least 200-300 teachers in my district will be laid off and only those with real contracts will be recalled. In Washington your first-third year of teaching, they only issue you a non-continuing contract - which gives you no guarantee of a job next year or any right of return in case of layoffs. Principals can ask for the district to convert your contract, but you'd be hard pressed to find a district where they are doing that this year. Once a budget is passed and schools are told how many staff positions they have, they will then be required to fill those positions with any teachers that were laid off with real contracts. After that positions will be open for interviews. So even though I've taught here this year, there is no guarantee that I will get interviews for open positions in the district. The thing that sucks about all of this is that my seniority number if I wasn't on a non-continuing contract is high enough (due to my years of teaching experience) that I most likely wouldn't have lost my job. Another thing that stinks is that every district in the state is in the same boat so tons of teachers will be looking for positions. The biggest problem is that none of the rehiring/hiring can happen until the state passes a budget - so it may be the day before school starts that schools know how many positions they have available. If you know that teachers are not being laid off in your state let me know - I'm taking all suggestions and possibilities - even if the pay stinks. All kinds of jobs are scarce in Washington with all the recent layoffs at major employers in the area - so if I have to move again, then so be it.