Education staffing firm Total Teaching Solutions International of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and CEO Janice Bickert have been sued by the New Mexico Attorney General on allegations the company charges exorbitant and excessive fees for its placement services. The office also claims it failed to provide services in some cases.
“New Mexico has a critical teacher shortage, and it is vital that recruitment of incoming teachers not be used to exploit teachers that are lawfully supported by school districts,” New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas said.
Total Teaching Solutions International’s website describes it as an employee-paid staffing firm that helps international teachers find teaching jobs in the US.
The Attorney General’s Office said the company recruits teachers from the Philippines to teach in New Mexico schools. However, it said the company charges excessive fees to teachers of $15,000. It noted that several other companies in the state providing nearly identical services charge $4,000 per teacher.
The office also said Total Teaching Solutions International requires teachers to pay previously undisclosed additional fees once they are in the US as well as sign additional refinancing contracts. The office noted that when teachers were unable to pay the fees, they were threatened with lawsuits, which were ultimately filed against them.
In the complaint, the Attorney General’s Office noted that Bickert is married to Superintendent of Ruidoso Schools George Bickert.