STAR Education Reviews

Current Employee – been working at STAR Education full-time for more than a year

Pros – I feel so sorry for the people who have negative reviews. i think if you are so focused on what the intercom is like at a company then you probably aren't there for the right reasons and you should move on. I find meetings really inspiring and helpful, and have never had a problem with accounting or even getting a raise! Some people have worked at STAR for a really long time and consider it a home and part of their family. I havent even worked there for very long but I already feel part of the family. STAR is so flexible and always understands if there is something going on in your personal life. Turnover can be high with teachers but it's because after school teaching is a part time job and many people leave if they get a full time job. it's a great job for people still in college or people looking to get teaching experience before or while getting credentialed. Some teachers work for STAR for 6+ years! something i really love about STAR is how they definitely recognize if you are going above and beyond and they will reward you for it. I've gotten to work with some of the most incredibly talented people at STAR and feel so lucky!

Cons – parking

Some people might think it's too loud or crazy but lots of people thrive on how fun and creative it is.

Everything STAR does is for the kids. Unfortunately sometimes this means that STAR can't let an employee make more than a couple mistakes because if those mistakes affect the kids then for safety reasons STAR has to let them go. It's always sad to see someone go but I understand we work on behalf of kids and STAR has to do what's best for them!

Current Employee – been working at STAR Education full-time for more than a year

Pros – Incredible program! Everything STAR does is for the kids. Great staff, amazing leadership, lots of creativity & tons of support and resources. I always feel listened to and understood by management.

Cons – I haven't experienced many cons working for STAR. If you like a slow, quiet atmosphere where nothing changes and every day is exactly the same, this isn't the work place for you.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at STAR Education full-time for more than 3 years

Pros – Working for STAR and with STAR is a real treat. Their programs help improve the lives of children all over Los Angeles. The office atmosphere is very laid back and everyone is very friendly. All of the employees are helpful and engaging! I have learned tons about managing people and organizing events working for STAR.

Cons – The parking at the offices is very limited and you must own a car to work for them as the schools are all over Los Angeles.

Advice to Senior Management – Please buy more parking space!

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at STAR Education full-time for more than 7 years

Pros – I've been at STAR for a long time and the company has been nothing but great to me. Never have I worked somewhere that has cared so much about my well being. The work is so rewarding that I couldn't imagine ever leaving!

Cons – Parking can be hard if you arrive between 10am-1pm

Advice to Senior Management – keep doing what you're doing

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at STAR Education full-time for more than a year

Pros – Every day is a new challenge. I invite the variety problem solving skills necessary to preform my job. I have learned a lot about myself, and what I am capable of because I work with a dedicated and diverse team of people who are willing to hold each other accountable, and tow the line.

Cons – Sometimes life is stressful, but it is always rewarding. However, the incentives for employees to stick around for the long term are not very enticing. There is a high turn over rate among the instructors that work for STAR, but not everyone is committed to education and being an youth mentor.

Advice to Senior Management – Expectations are difficult to fill when you don't have the tools necessary to complete the task.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Former Employee – worked at STAR Education full-time

Pros – People are very cool here. Always smiles on everyone's faces.

Cons – Since when must teachers double up as salesmen? Teachers should be relieved of the stresses of "making a sale" and focus more on the child. Teachers are pressured to sell/fill their seats and are ridiculed if quotas aren't met.

Interesting fact to discover: How many people where hired from Craigslist? And how many of those people were hired based on their qualifications rather than Star's NEED to fill a spot.

More often than not, the teachers are disinterested and unqualified. Do they even have a HS education? Very bad organization within the company.

Much of this company is played like a game of Ball and Shell without the scary alley venue. A lot of things are move around quickly and secretly to meet state requirements for funding, licensing etc..

Required volunteer time? You hire someone and then require them to donate a certain number of hours to volunteer for your company so you can fill your pockets and dilute the little pay you give employees?

Advice to Senior Management – Cash out...the ship is sinking.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at STAR Education part-time for more than 3 years

Pros – *Health benefits are good
*Work on very interesting, strange projects.
*Meet a lot of youthful, interesting people (very high turnaround)
*Very high schedule flexibility (you can stay home whenever you need without pay, which is great if you have a kid who is often sick)

Cons – *You will be paid very little and never get a raise (in the last 4 years, there have been no raises. I know employees who have been here for 8 years with no raise).
*You will be required to volunteer to work without pay so many hours per year.
*You will be required to attend mandatory training where people do little more than talk about their childhood and bask in uncomfortable silences. This is not a joke, or an exaggeration.
*You can be fired on a whim. This has happened in the past and continues to happen.
*Employees have been verbally bashed by management after they've quit/left. THIS IS ILLEGAL.
*Interruptions are common. The preferred method of getting ahold of someone is to scream their name at the top of your lungs until they come to your cube. If they aren't in the building, continue yelling - regardless of other people working.
*Nepotism is rampant. I cannot go into detail without breaking glassdoor's terms of service.
*Management sees you as expendable. In fact, the preferred method of motivation is: "We love our teachers. We love you so much, and you love us! But if you make even one tiny mistake, we'll fire you! We've done it before - we've fired teachers who we were really married to! And let me tell you something - if a kid says you did anything wrong - even if you didn't! - we'll fire you! We can't have that, and I'm sorry, you're gone."
*Incompetence is rampant. People do not rise through the ranks because they're skillful. Expect to spend a lot of time picking up other people's messes.
*Expect to not get paid, to get paid the wrong rate, or to 'lose hours' on your timesheet. Accounting also will never apologize, and will not answer more than one question per email. Nor will they pay any attention to your puny 'spelling' or 'grammar,' and any issues you have will get lost in translation.
*There is very, very little parking at HQ. Try to spend most of your time on site.
*The company shuts down and does not pay employees over winter break. You will have to use your vacation time for that.
*If you are a teacher during the summer, you will be asked to work more than twice as many hours for half pay. And it's much, much more difficult.
*There are so, SO many more reasons for you to not work here, each one more impossible than the last. I cannot list them all.

Advice to Senior Management – Management's HR methods are not effective. Morale is in the toilet - and you'll never know, because your stance on complaints is "act happy or we'll fire you." Stop firing people for not saying "good morning." And please, PLEASE stop abusing the intercom. Boil your message down to a short sentence, say it, repeat it, and hang up.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at STAR Education as a contractor

Pros – a mix of corporate and media

Cons – not for people who do not believe in a long term association (min 6mth-1yr)

Advice to Senior Management – they're absolutely fair and driven towards work

Current Employee – been working at STAR Education

Pros – brings good experience working with children

Cons – poor work schedule and not enough resources given

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at STAR Education

Pros – Amazing place to work with great mission and wonderful people

Cons – Communication and planning; many things would get done sooner, smoother, and cheaper with greater attention to both.

Advice to Senior Management – Overhaul the corporate structure and communication system

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend