Fresno Unified School District

we start school at 7:50 than we go to 305 which was our classroom along with Mrs Carasco and the teacher Mr Reyes and take attendance 20 a.d.d or a.d.h.d kids to work with through entire day. We would let this kids go to normal classes and would go to each individual class so in case the class was too fast for them to understand i would or Mrs Carasco would review and would explain more on the way they would able to learn best. It was most likely that this kids had maybe a different way or maybe a bit slower way of learning that in a normal class the teacher would not have time to slow down for them that's why Mrs Carasco and I would be there to explain it to them in a way they most likely understood. Which each student had there own way of understanding either was Math  science, history or any subject they would be taking. It woulld get hard when all of sudden they would just not listen so when that happen i would take them out of their class and would escort them back to our class in 305 and would control the situation . The hardest it ever got was when this kids would get physical with staff that we would have to call parent or even campus police. But for most part it was under control before it got to that level. I think it happen maybe twice. I enjoyed working with this students and they learned a lot especially when we get to find every student way of going about a calm and well learn day. at the end of Day we would walk some to the handicap yellow bus and some would get pick up. Than 2:30 and time to go back to our class and get things ready for next day and also would remind each other or keep each other updated on what was going on so we could be aware of any problem or any event for the following day. Than we would go home.

Working for the district is very rewarding and completely different from bedside nursing. The typical day consists of any scheduled procedures (tube feeds, catheterization, diabetic checks) while working around office visits (injuries: headaches, stomach aches, cuts, scrapes and head bumps). Each office is ran differently depending on the school site admin and RN. Some schools have a higher volume or student who are always in the nurse's office or may even have more kids with medical needs. The pace of the office is usually set by administration and health office staff. The LVN does lots of procedures and first aid. Clerical duties are also part of the job. 

Schedule wise it is great for people or parents who need a Monday- Friday with weekends and school holidays/vacations off. 

Pay wise. It is very much on the lower end. Your hourly pay is determined by which step you start as in their salary schedule. FUSD has a total of 5 steps for LVNS ranging from ($21-$27 as of 2022) Hours are limited to school hours not much room for overtime unless you pick up weekends or extra shifts occasionally emailed out. Your pay check is paid at the end of the month. My checks were about what I would typically make in two weeks working bedside.  


So overall benefits and schedule are great but  pay is very low.


Substitute teaching is simple, you're there to carry out the teacher's instructions and keep the students focused on what they should be doing as best as you can. I mainly cover high school classes, and in my experience students respond best when engaged in a calm and collected manner. You're hardly ever required to actually teach, but there are opportunities for you to do so if you desire a long-term substitute teaching assignment, or if you are willing to set yourself up to cover a teacher's classes ahead of time and carry out their lesson plans yourself.

At Fresno Unified, you only have to work one full day subbing every 2 months to stay in their system. (This was told me to me back in 2016, and remains true as far as I know.) Make sure to renew your sub permit a couple of weeks before it expires, and make sure the district is notified of your renewed permit otherwise you will be removed from the system. Work is usually always available if you're willing to work any grade K-12 at multiple school sites. Almost all the teachers, assistants, and administrators that I've worked with have been great and are very helpful. After building good relationships with others at different school sites, you are likely to get called yourself to cover classes there making it easier to get consistent work.

Fresno Unified has, unfortunately, moved back to a "teach to the test" mentality.  Many subjects, such as science, social studies, health, P.E., the arts, are not taught as they should be due to the emphasis on reading and math.  Teachers at many schools are required to be on the same page, on the same day, in the same way as their colleagues regardless of the needs of your students.  Many schools are out of compliance with second language instruction and P,E, with little oversight by downtown.  In recent years, teachers, especially at the secondary level, are being told how to grade their students (e.g. no D's or F's).  As such, many students are graduating thinking they are prepared for college when they are not.  I absolutely loved teaching, but Fresno Unified has forgotten its primary goal is the education of children.  They are about their perception, not their actual performance.

I loved the people I worked with. We had all been at the same school for many years so we all became very close. Our school was always clean. People liked walking onto our campus because we were friendly and welcoming. A typical day at work started at 5am. I would open the school, open the gates, scrub the cafeteria, put down the tables, blow down the school, clean the faculty restrooms, pick up trash out side, then dump all out side garbage cans. At 7:30am I was in the cafeteria for breakfast. Breakfast consisted of moping up spills, dumping trays, cleaning tables, sweeping floor and moping it. I would deliver supplies to the classrooms, repair furniture, and do clean ups in the classrooms. Back to the cafeteria for lunch set up. There were three lunches. Clean the tables, pick tables up, sweep and mop floors. When finished, it was time to go home. I believe that I enjoyed working for the district. Every day was different. I had a routine to follow but situations always popped up.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The pay is good for this area 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
There is almost no administrative support. Administration does not support teachers and students are not held accountable for bad behavior at all. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
All the focus is on being equitable even though we aren’t. We are not focusing on what is best for all students. We are focusing only on the very low achieving students. DEI is the number one priority. Hiring teachers that represent the student population. Well, does the basketball team have equal representation? Do we make sure that sports represent the student population? 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Arrive by 6:45 prepare for the day. Teach, prepare for the next day, return emails or calls. Leave by 5:00

FRESNO Unified does not fully screen new employees that come in as subs which means if you get hired you’ll be working with nut case, hoodlums with no work ethic or professionalism. 
There is no support from district personnel when parents complain for staff following the rules that are in place to keep their children safe or district protocol. We must take the adult melt downs and threats with a smile and move on. 
We have many departments who are not on the same page and no right hand knows what the left is doing. A few departments have staff who do nothing and “haven’t figured out exact job descriptions yet” so they’re wasting time and money walking in circles while others work doing what could possibly be their job. 
On a positive note, when you join a good team of staff it makes for a good environment. A lot of sites are fun to be at and help with kids and families. Even the tough sites with equally tough families are ok with the proper team effort.

As a classified substitute, you're a able to fulfill a versatile role within the organization as a temporary employee in: the classroom, administrative offices, and school district warehouses among other locations.

In these various roles, you may get a glimpse at different jobs that exist within the school district. Additionally, substitutes are encouraged to apply for any job openings within the district. Working in different roles can be beneficial for temporary workers as this allows them to get a realistic preview of the job.

I can't really speak for the overall culture for the district, but there are subcultures within each office depending on management, location, and the people that work there. As a classified sub, I've worked under great and poor managers throughout the years.

If you're at the entry level your checks won't be big. You have to work your way up. Education is a must in this company. You make more when you're a substitute. Unfortunately the benefits are basic for example if you're on medical and decide to switch over to a permanent position they'll give you different insurance plan options, but the best one is Kaiser and that will take everything out of your monthly check. Fresnounified does not pay their paraprofessionals, paraeducators enough in the special education department. You have to work very hard and you'll still live paycheck to paycheck (education is a must) in order to thrive. Working through a pandemic also was a struggle because they did not want to pay paraprofessionals more 😕 

Fresno Unified has provided wonderful opportunities for me in my
career field.  Staff has been very supportive in all of my endeavors.
In service training has always been updated with evidence based
research.  It has also been practical and meaningful.  The district
provides excellent technology integrated into classroom teaching.
As an adult ESL teacher and as a high school substitute teacher,
I have had rich and rewarding experiences in this school district.
There have been challenges at times, especially as a substitute
teacher. I have had to use many skills to effectively manage a
class on any day, but I always know that administrators are there
to provide assistance if I need it.

Working at Fresno Unified School District: Company Overview and Reviews

Fresno Unified School District

Fresno Unified School District Ratings

Salary Satisfaction

Job Seeker Tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected