Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do you have a Zero Tolerance Policy regulating student behavior?
A: Yes, our "Zero Tolerance for Fighting Policy" became effective on February 24, 1997. You can view the entire policy online.

Q: What type of housing is available and how close to my school can I live?
A: Half a million people live in the metropolitan area of Greater Baton Rouge. A wide variety of housing styles in settings ranging from rural and suburban to urban are available. See the "Life in Baton Rouge" section of our recruiting website for more information and links. Your individual preferences and choices will determine the distance between your home and your school.

Q: Describe the EBR student population and class size.
A: Our racially diverse almost 45,000 students come from rural, suburban, and urban neighborhoods and communities. In the classroom of a good teacher, they are like all other students - hungry minds who enjoy learning new things. Our student teacher ration is 26:1 in K-3, 27:1 in 4-5, and 29:1 in 6-12.

Q: What do I do if I am not certified but I want to teach in EBR?
A: You find information about alternate certification on our website.

Q: If I am currently in Southeastern's MAT program, can I be hired before graduation?
A: All persons enrolled in a practitioner program can be come eligible for employment if they have passed all parts of PRAXIS 1 and the content knowledge test of PRAXIS 2. Please use our online application system.

Q: In such a large school system, how specifically do I find the right school and the right job for me? A: First, complete the application process and become eligible for employment. Next, decide where you would like to teach, i.e. what school setting would you prefer, what qualities are you looking for in your principal, etc. Next, you should contact the appropriate schools on your short list (we recommend sending an email to the principal). Another tactic would be to apply early in order to get an invitation to the Spring Job Fair. There you can talk to as many principals as you desire.

Q: Do teachers get any money to purchase class materials?
A: No, at this time we do not have a program that pays for class materials.

Q: What opportunities does EBRP offer for professional growth and development?
A: EBR offers ongoing training in technology, educational methods, and trends. Visit our Staff Development section, Admin Central, and Educator Central for further information.

Q: I am not certified, do you have any information on Teach Baton Rouge?
A: Yes, all information is online in the Careers in EBR, Teach BR Program.

Q: How does East Baton Rouge Parish compare to other parishes when it comes to accountability?
A: Please visit the Department of Accountability at the Louisiana State Department of Education's website at http://www.doe.state.la.us/lde/accountability/home.html

Q: What is your starting salary?
A: Please see our recruiting website, www.ebrschools.org/recruiting for a copy of our system's current salary schedule.

Q: How often are teachers paid?
A: We pay our teachers semi-monthly; teachers receive twenty paychecks for a nine-month teaching position.

Q: When can I expect my first paycheck?
A: Teachers starting to work on the first day of the new school year usually receive their first paycheck by the end of August; they will receive their last paycheck around the middle of June.

Q: Does EBR pay any moving cost?
A: Currently, we do not reimburse you for any relocation expenses. We are working with community groups to find sponsors for those expenses.

Q: Do teachers get tuition exemption in EBR?
A: Using state grant money, we reimburse our teachers for tuition paid to local universities. Generally, we reimburse teachers who are actively working to become certified first. The money is distributed on a first come first serve basis.

Q: What types of benefits are available?
A: Please see our recruiting website, www.ebrschools.org/recruiting for a complete listing of our benefits. The employee's cost associated with each benefit item is shown as well. Our district is paying around 85% of a teacher's basic health insurance premium; this is outstanding if compared with other districts in the state.

Q: When does benefit coverage start for new employees?
A: Coverage starts after having worked for thirty days on the first of the following month. For example: If you start working on August 5, insurance coverage will start on October 1.

Q: Do you have a program that pays back student loans?
A: No, we don't. Certain federally guaranteed student loans are eligible for forgiveness if a teacher works in a Title I school. Please contact your university's financial aid office to obtain details and the appropriate forms.

Q: How far in advance do I have to apply to get a job?
A: We recommend that graduating seniors apply several weeks before their respective university's teacher career fair. Veteran teachers can apply throughout the year. Please consider that the greatest number of open positions is available to those who apply early.

Q: When should I send in my supporting materials? Should I wait until everything is complete or send it in as I get it?
A: As a rule, you should send in materials as you get them. Ideally, you would bring all your materials to the teacher career fair and hand them to one of our recruiters/ interviewers.

Q: Should I wait until I have graduated to send my transcripts?
A: Absolutely not! Send your current transcript. Once hired, you have to submit an official transcript showing your earned degree.

Q: Do my references have to come from teachers/principals?
A: We require that your professional references come from persons who have seen you teach and who can make specific statements about your performance in the classroom.

Q: What is the very first thing I can do to begin the application process?
A: Your should start with the directions page for our online application.


Q: What is the deadline for getting my application in, if I would like to teach in the fall?
A: There is no deadline. See the first Q & A in this section for more information. Please realize, the longer you wait to apply, the fewer the number of positions there are.

Q: Should I apply if I have not passed all parts of the praxis? Could I be hired provisionally?
A: You must have passed all parts of the PRAXIS before you can start working. As a rule, we cannot hire teachers who are not eligible for a teaching certificate. At times, there are exceptions to this rule for teachers in critical shortage areas or for teachers who are missing only one part of Praxis and have taken the exam before starting to teach.

Q: I have completed the on-line application and sent in all my information, but I have not received a response, how long should I wait? Whom can I call to inquire about my status?
A: You should hear from us in writing within two weeks after all your documents have arrived in our office. Please refer to our recruiting website, contact information section to determine whom to call.

Q: After all my supporting information has been sent in, how long does it take to become eligible for employment?
A: Once we have received your application, conducted the Round 1, pre-selection, Interview and have received all your information, it should take no more than three to five business days before your file will be reviewed to determine if you meet our employment qualifications.

Q: How will I be placed at a school?
A: We do not place candidates in schools. Our hiring process includes the Round 2, school-based, Interview to which principals invite candidates they would like to meet. Once a selection has been made, principals make hiring recommendations upon which the Human Resources Department acts by offering the position to the applicant.

Q: Where on the application should I enter my cell phone number?
A: We recommend that you give your cell phone number under the "alternate number" entry. You want to be available to principals who are trying to invite you to a Round 2, school-based, Interview.

Q: How long does my application stay active?
A: We keep applications of persons who have reached "Candidate" status active for one year from the date of application. After one year, you can reactivate and update your application through the online application system.

Q: I am having technical problems with the online application - who do I contact?
A: Should you need technical assistance or encounter technical problems with the application process, please email specific feedback to hr@ebrschools.org or call (225) 922-5468.

Q: What do I do, if I have forgotten my username/password for WinOcular?
A: Please contact the Human Resources Department at (225) 922-5468.

Q: If information on my application changes, can I change it?
A: Yes, this is one of the advantages of the online application system - you can change data at any time.

Q: When does the new teacher selection/hiring occur (in between semesters, during semesters)?
A: For the new school year, hiring starts with the EBR Job Fair and continues until all positions are filled. For the spring semester, hiring starts in November. We also hire teachers throughout the year for positions that become available.

Q: What openings/positions (i.e. middle school English) are available?
A: Please see the job openings link on the Human Resources homepage.

Q: What should I do if I have not passed all parts of the PRAXIS?
A: Study hard, and mention in your letter of intent the date you have registered for to take your remaining PRAXIS test(s).

Q: Can I visit/observe schools? How do I go about it?
A: You should contact the principal of a particular school or one of our part-time recruiters www.ebrschools.org/recruiting/ptr

Q: Once I have applied and everything has been submitted, should I contact principals or wait to be contacted?
A: Once you have been informed that you have reached "Candidate" status, feel free to contact individual schools.

Q: Do you have to be certified to get a job? If not, to what extent do I really have a chance of getting a teaching position.
A: Research indicates that student achievement increases when taught by a certified, highly qualified teacher. The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation requires the employment of "highly qualified" teachers. We are making every effort to staff all classrooms with "highly qualified" teachers. Applicants who are not "highly qualified" may be considered for hire in areas of critical need as determined by the parish and state. Your chances of being hired in this catagory are marginal; however, your chances increase the closer you are to becoming certified,highly qualified.

Interview Process

Q: What can I expect from the Round 1, pre-selection, Interview?
A: We have a document titled: Application and Interview Tips that is being distributed to graduating education students. It is also available at our recruiting website, www.ebrschools.org/recruiting. The Round 1, pre-selection, Interview is a generic interview where we look for qualities we want all our new teachers to possess. This interview is not the time and place where you want to share your paper/electronic portfolio with the interviewer.

Q: What can I expect from the Round 2, school-based, Interview?
A: Each principal has her/his own routine for this type of interview. Some involve other administrators/faculty - others do not. You might want to ask this question to the principal while scheduling an interview. This interview is the right place to share your instructional materials.

Q: How do I prepare for an interview?
A: EBR is using two different interviews, the Round 1, pre-selection, Interview and the Round 2, school-based, Interview. For preparation for the Round 1 Interview see our Application & Interview &Tips (previous question). The Round 2, school-based, Interview is conducted by a principal for a specific position. You should use various resources, lesson plans, portfolios, power point presentations, etc. to demonstrate your qualities to the principal. We also recommend that you know what qualities you need from your principal in order to be successful in the classroom.

Q: If I am not scheduled to graduate this semester, should I sign up for an interview at the Teacher Recruitment Fair?
A: No - our Round 1, pre-selection, Interview has very specific questions that can only be answered if you are student teaching (have taught for veteran teachers). If you are not student teaching, introduce yourself, exchange contact information, and let our recruiters know when you are planning to graduate. We will stay in touch with you until it is time to interview.

Q: What should I wear for the interview?
A: Wear freshly cleaned, professional attire. If you want to be treated as a professional, dress accordingly. Do not wear anything that would distract the interviewer from your message. You have only 25 - 30 minutes to demonstrate your qualities. For males we recommend: shirt, tie and coat; groomed appearance, no loud jewelry, no heavy eau de cologne; for females we recommend: no short skirts, no deep-cut/too low buttoned blouses/shirts, groomed appearance, no loud jewelry, no heavy perfume.

New Teacher Support

Q: What kind of support is there for new teachers?
A: We developed our new teacher induction program, FIRST steps. You can read a description of this great program on our recruiting website www.ebrschools.org/recruiting. In addition, every school has its own, informal support system. It is common to find experienced teachers who "take a young teacher under their wings" until she/he is ready to fly. For the most comprehensive information, visit our "New Teacher Central" www.ebrschools.org/n.newteacher/default.eona.

Q: Are there supportive parents?
A: The parents in our parish are no more/less supportive than parents in other parts of the country. With over 45,000 students, it is not possible to make general statements about the behavior of their parents. You might want to ask the principal during the Round 2, school-based, Interview about the level of parental involvement in the school.

Q: Do the administrators support their teachers?
A: School administrators know that one prerequisite of running a successful school is to be supportive of their teachers. Your question might be better discussed with a part-time recruiter (full-time teacher) or with faculty members of schools, you are considering.