Kansas Teaching Jobs Guide

 

 

Kansas is mostly known for its Great Plains, barbecue, and The Wizard of Oz – but recently it’s become a destination for something you might not expect: teaching jobs. The Sunflower State employed over 36,000 public school teachers in 2022, and it’s widely considered a perfect place for those just starting out with their teaching careers.

So, if you’re interested in learning more about teaching jobs in Kansas, read on. We’ll take you through everything you need to know, from relocation costs, to Kansas teaching salaries, and job-hunting tips. Not to mention, you’ll find plenty of things about life in Kansas, like things to do, the Kansas lifestyle, cost of living, and public holidays. Your journey to becoming a teacher in Kansas starts now.

 

Teaching Jobs in Kansas

The best place to look for teaching jobs in Kansas in educatekansas.org. Here you’ll find job listings of classroom positions, as well as things like IT Administrator jobs, sports instructors, librarians and life and career skills coach roles. There’s usually well over 1000 job listings at any one time, and our favorite part of the platform is something called the ‘Service Share Portal’.

This portal is a platform created for schools to share certified positions between districts or cooperatives. Say a science teacher in your district is on a .4 FTE contract, but another school district needs a science teacher for .6 FTE. With the Service Share Portal, districts can easily share roles and giving teachers more hours and flexibility.

 

Kansas Teaching Salaries

As of January 2024, the average salary for a public school teacher in Kansas is $ 55,040. Salaries typically start at $ 39,000 and go up to $ 77,000. If you rise up to be a school principle, you can easily make over $ 100,000, and salaries above $ 130,000 have been reported.

If you’re looking to be a superintendent of schools, the average salary is around $ 170,000, with some districts paying over $ 200,000.

 

Relocation Costs

Making the big move to another state is exciting, but it can come with costs. We’re broken these down so you can get a good idea of how much you’ll have to pay when relocating to Kansas.
 

1. Housing

The average cost of a home in Kansas is $ 210,328 as of February 2024. Compared to states like Massachusetts (where the average cost is $ 558,313), buying a house in Kansas is relatively inexpensive.

2. Food

You’ll be happy to know the average monthly cost of food in Kansas is $ 261 per person, meaning it’s the second least expensive place in the United States to buy groceries. Eating out is also significantly cheaper than the majority of other states, so you can enjoy a fun night out without breaking the bank.

3. Childcare

We all know childcare can be expensive. In New York City, families often pay $ 20,000 or more for someone to take care of their child while they’re at work. In Kansas, the average cost is significantly less – just $ 935 per month.

4. Utilities

Relocating to Kansas will mean getting to grips with the cost of utilities. Luckily, the cost of things like water, energy and internet are largely comparable to what you’d find in other us states. See a full breakdown below:

• Energy bill: $ 114.23
• Monthly water bill: $ 24
• Internet: $ 19
• Natural gas: 2

Average Cost of Utilities in Kansas (2023)

 

Public Holidays

You can find a list of all state holidays recognized by Kansas below. This is in addition to your paid time off (PTO) agreed with your specific school district, and the long summer holiday schools operate.

 

HOLIDAY	DATE
New Year’s Day	January 1
Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday	3rd Monday in January
Presidents’ Day	3rd Monday in February
Memorial Day	Last Monday in May
Independence Day	July 4
Labor Day	1st Monday in September
Columbus Day	2nd Monday in October
Veterans Day	November 11
Thanksgiving Day	4th Thursday in November
Christmas Day	December 25

 

 

How To Land Your First Teaching Job in Kansas

Complete Education and Certification Requirements: an important thing to do for any job is check what education you need. With most public schools in Kansas, an undergraduate degree is enough to land your first job. Once you’re in the role a school will provide full training and teaching certification – something useful if you’re looking to move to another state after. 

Craft a Strong Resume and Cover Letter: your cover letter is like any introduction, it’s a first chance for your potential employer to get to know you. You might highlight any experience, education and certification courses you’ve gone on. Make sure to tailor your cover letter to each specific job, emphasizing your enthusiasm for the unique school or institution. Remember to be as specific as possible in highlighting your experiences and qualifications. 

Compile a teaching portfolio: while it’s not a requirement for applying to most teaching jobs, showcasing your accomplishments is a great way to make yourself stand out. This is even more the case in a state like Kansas, where schools are on the lookout for creative and motivated teachers.    

Use online job boards:  Kansas has some very useful job posting websites that act as a hub for almost all teaching jobs across the state.

Practice common interview questions: once you’ve landed your first interview, be prepared to discuss your teaching philosophy, classroom management strategies and how you would handle various situations. Do some background research on the school district and be prepared to explain why you want to teach there.

Obtain References: turn to trusted former colleagues, supervisors, or professors who can speak to your teaching abilities and professional character. The key is finding someone you trust and who knows you well, and they’ll be able to provide a good overview of your character and teaching abilities.

 

Conclusion

Teaching in Kansas is immensely rewarding. You’ll find students from increasingly diverse backgrounds and socioeconomic classes, not to mention great colleagues who have a sense of dry Midwest humor. We hope you’ve found everything you need to know about teaching in Kansas. From relocation costs to job listings, you’re now prepared to take the next step in your career.