sure,  go there again 

Just go home.

Do you have any family/relationship ties to China? If not, I'd try safea again and if they don't help then I'd cut my losses, bail and head to Korea or Vietnam (but not without leaving a warning about my employers in a few key forums if they have truly broken the terms of your agreement with them). Incidentally, the threat of leaving said comments might help you out in the last resort - it did for one guy I knew. 

if your in demand by other schools, they can put pressure on psb to get release letter for you to work for them from the other school with their relationship. the pay is just trouble, i dont believe anybody enforces the law, so if they tell the government agency they will pay, they can still back out, if they want to screw you on pay, they can, and they will.

good luck

Tell the employer that you will make sure that many teachers know the situation and that teachers will not want to come.

After that you can always stand outside of the school and talk to parents about the school and the situation. NOTE: DO IT OUTSIDE, they can't really stop you talking to people on the street but could call the police if you are on their premises.

That should get them paying you pretty fast, all it takes is one or two parents/students to side with you and they lose quite a bit of revenue. If you have a good relationship with any students/parents call them in to help you out.

  Here is a suggestion.   Find someone who works in Media.  Find a local media person in your city.   Tell them your story.   Ask them if they will interview with you and tell your story.   This would be the best way to get even with this school.    I still think you should try the SAFEA and the PSB a few more times.    Sometimes they you just need to put pressure on them.   However,  I know the schools dont want media attention especially if it shows had bad they are.    Third option, if you have exhausted your efforts with the SAFEA and PSB , if all else fells get some chinese friends to make some signs or plamplets.   Go out to school and had them out to the parents.   Be sure it is written in madnarin.    That will get them to change their tune real fast.  

There are so many crazy things that I want to encourage you to do. Alas, I would be harmonized.

My advice is to find a good notary/lawyer first.

My 2 pence worth is threaten tit for tat. If they want to damage your name - outline to them how you will damage theirs. Explain how you will dedicate to this e.g. writing negative informative articles and reviews of their school. You will hire a Mandarin speaking person to translate and to do the same through thier media. 

Take the reference and release letter, explain situation to new employer (or take the chance that they won't follow through due to aforementioned threat, depending on how it went) i.e they may also send a personal and unsubstantiated warning letter. Hopefully start earning and continue seeking the months wages through the SAFEA folk.

Goodluck in any case.

I guess you don't have a working visa, right ?  If you have a working visa, you can get all the rights here and solve the problem even to PSB ( they may have a area for reporting working visa issues or about employers).   If you have not a working visa, then you really can't do anything, because the first who will be blamed for this, you will be...  and you risk to  pay high money for working without a working visa in China and also risk more.... So if you know yourself without legal documents, just be silent and turn off and leave from here for a while. Try to leave in good relationships with them.

If you have working visa, then find your rights ! they can't cheat you , you can turn on all the bad things they want to do to you, against them back.  You can also ask for assistance to your embassy . If is need to get a lawyer for any instance , they will find one for free for you. 

Sorry, I am not a Native, my English is not perfect.  Good luck ! 

schools in china are as broken as their government

In China a contract is just a piece of toilet paper. It means nothing. Chinese dont follow the contract because it is never binding.

I agree with Aylin 32.

I think you dont have  legal working permit. If you have a legal work permit, you can get all the rights & solve the problem even to the PSB.

If you dont have any work permit, you are screwed because you are not allowed to be working in China.

I guess you are a White guy who is Not an experienced & professional teacher with teaching Certificates & a diploma. 

Cut your loses & move on. But dont forget to inform us the name of that school so others will avoid it

You could always try using punctuation!

As said above don't forget to report your employer's breach of contract on key forums used by expats in China and ESL teachers worldwide, so that other people won't get screwed.

You can find the following key forums by typing their names on Google:

-Dave's ESL Cafe

-ESL Teachers Board

-Shanghaiist

-Beijinger

On each forum don't hesitate to give the name of your school, its location, and explain in details what has gone wrong, what parts of the contract their breached, be honest, don't lie. People there will support you, especially Turnoi on ESL Teachers Board.

Your employer will probably realize too late that you gave them a bad reputation, and won't be able to attract motivated teachers anymore, only lazy scumbags.

If you are a woman sleep with the boss.
If you are a man sleep with the boss.