Pros
You have the potential for a lot of freedom in developing your talents as a teacher, the pay is solid and usually is slightly higher than the district, and the benefits are solid. If you can teach at these schools you can teach anywhere... they tend to be some of the rougher schools in the city. The students tend to be good people who are seeking an education, you just have to get them to trust you first. You will tend to find that a good portion of the staff members can be great to work with.
Cons
I gave myself a lot of time before writing this... - You will be working for a company that has the appearance of wanting to make positive change within their community, but the management and administration completely lack the vision and leadership to make that change happen. It appears as if they don't care about their employees, or students - Nepotism runs rampant. The level at which this company showcases poor ethical standards is depressing. There is potential here, but it seems to be a place that just desires to provide opportunities for those on the 'in.' It's best to stay low and avoid conflict with specific people in the company - Lackluster professional development opportunities. - Potential for Toxic Work Environment ... the level of fraternizing that results in rumors and spreading of false information runs rampant throughout the company. There are no secrets - Outward appearance of Restorative Justice Practices ... central office demands principals meet specific numbers with suspensions ... but it seems they refuse to assist with providing legitimate Restorative Practices that improve the behavior and experiences of the offenders - Teacher blaming ... teachers get blamed for what seems to be everything. Rarely are staff and teachers properly shown appreciation - Lack of structure and minimal accountability of students - Minimal support - Last minute changes forced from corporate - Multiple board members un-ethical practices being exposed by FBI. I haven't heard anything else about the incidents, which leads me to believe this case will be bigger than expected. - Many teachers, staff, and administrators are pointlessly overworked - Tremendous lack of communication, everything seems last minute - Poor financial management - Teacher/Staff Retainment Issues