The following guidance was sent to all DOE-employed speech teachers, occupational therapists and physical therapists from Vice President for Special Education MaryJo Ginese on Monday, June 22.

In mid-March, all teachers were faced with the challenge of continuing to serve and support their students from a distance due to COVID-19. As a second-year speech teacher, I have struggled to figure out, with little training and guidance, how to translate a full schedule of face-to-face therapy into a full schedule of tele-therapy.

In mid-March, all teachers were faced with the challenge of continuing to serve and support their students from a distance due to COVID-19. As a second-year speech teacher, I have struggled to figure out, with little training and guidance, how to translate a full schedule of face-to-face therapy into a full schedule of tele-therapy.

The UFT has been advocating on your behalf with the city Department of Education, the State Education Department and the state Department of Health to establish new protocols that recognize your professional expertise and need for discretion so you can tailor your services to each student’s particular needs and circumstances.We hope the guidance below that we hammered out with the DOE will address many of your concerns and questions.

With the New York metropolitan area the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, we want to inform you about the health benefits that in-service UFT members with EmblemHealth coverage, whether GHI or HIP, have.

The UFT heard from many members about their frustrations with the paperwork demands created by the Department of Education’s Special Education Remote Learning Service Plan. After relaying those concerns, we were able to convince the DOE to extend the deadline for creating a plan to April 3 and change the responsibilities for all related service providers and special education teachers regarding the plan requirements.

The bottom line: No forms must be completed by the end of the day Thursday, March 19..