Category Archive
94% of parents satisfied with their child’s teacherJul 01, 2008
On July 1, the Department of Education released the results of the second annual Learning Environment Survey, which asks parents, educators and students in grades 6-12 to assess how well their schools are addressing their needs. The findings show that 94% of parents are satisfied or very satisfied with their children’s teachers, which improves upon the 90% approval rate teachers received from parents in the previous survey. “Such a high approval rate reinforces our long-held belief that the most important aspect of education and student success is the interaction between teachers and students in the classroom,” said UFT President Randi Weingarten.
Final city budget contains no classroom cutsJun 30, 2008
After months of intense lobbying by the Keep the Promises Coalition, the New York City Council and the Bloomberg administration agreed on June 26 on a $59.1 billion city budget that protects public schools from budget cuts that had been sought by the mayor and Chancellor Joel Klein because of concerns about a downturn in the economy. “Chris Quinn and the entire City Council deserve a big thank you from all New Yorkers for championing children and working so hard with the Mayor to negotiate an agreement that protects all of our public schools from budget cuts,” said UFT President Randi Weingarten.
AFT executive council recommends endorsement of Barack ObamaJun 24, 2008
Citing his commitment to take on the key challenges facing AFT members and our nation as a whole, the 41-member executive council of the American Federation of Teachers voted unanimously on June 23 to approve a motion recommending that delegates to the 2008 AFT national convention endorse the candidacy of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama for president of the United States. At its June Delegate Assembly, the UFT passed a resolution asking the AFT to explore an Obama endorsement at the AFT convention.
NYC students make substantial gains on 2008 ELA and math testsJun 23, 2008
City math scores were up 9 points and English Language Arts rose nearly 7 points on the 2008 state tests announced on June 23. For the first time, almost 75 percent of city students meet the state math standards, while 57.6 percent of students meet state standards in English. “This is a day to celebrate,” said UFT President Randi Weingarten, who appeared with Mayor Bloomberg at the press conference to announce the results. “These test scores show that teachers are finding ways to help make a difference every day for our one million students.”
UFT members to evaluate Schools Chancellor Joel KleinJun 10, 2008
Using the New York City Department of Education’s Learning Environment survey as a model, the UFT is asking its 100,000 public school educators to evaluate the performance of the chancellor and the Department of Education. The survey will be the culmination of a concerted effort by the UFT this year to address the issue of accountability in the city public school system, including a new school accountability method proposed by UFT President Randi Weingarten earlier this year.
UFT reaches out to DOE on heat guidelinesJun 10, 2008
The extreme heat during the school day on June 9 prompted the union to reach out to the Department of Education regarding its protocols.
UFT files PESH complaint asking state to cite NYC DOE for heat hazards in schoolsJun 10, 2008
On June 10, a day after the UFT asked the Department of Education to establish reasonable procedures during a heat wave, the union filed a complaint with the state Public Employee Safety and Health Bureau asking the agency to cite the DOE for violating state health laws by failing to protect students and staff in city public schools during the current heat wave.
UFT members to evaluate Schools Chancellor Joel KleinJun 10, 2008
Using the New York City Department of Education’s Learning Environment survey as a model, the UFT is asking its 100,000 public school educators to evaluate the performance of the chancellor and the Department of Education. The survey will be the culmination of a concerted effort by the UFT this year to address the issue of accountability in the city public school system, including a new school accountability method proposed by UFT President Randi Weingarten earlier this year.
AFT’s response to Obama victoryJun 04, 2008
On June 4, ending a hard-fought and history-making battle against Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator Barack Obama sealed the Democratic presidential nomination after a final flurry of superdelegate endorsements and returns from the final primaries in Montana and South Dakota. AFT President Edward McElroy, whose union endorsed Clinton in the primary, congratulated Obama. “He ran an effective, well-organized campaign to win a competitive primary race,” McElroy said.
UFT awards $1 million in scholarships to 214 studentsJun 03, 2008
Two hundred and fourteen New York City public high school seniors – many of whom are immigrants or have overcome daunting obstacles in their personal lives while successfully pursuing their studies – received four-year college scholarships from the UFT at the union’s 39th Annual Albert Shanker Scholarship Awards Banquet on June 3.
Cynthia Nixon joins coalition fight against city budget cuts to schoolsJun 03, 2008
Emmy and Tony Award winning actress and public school parent Cynthia Nixon joined parents, teachers and principals representing more than 50 schools rallying on June 2 outside Stuyvesant High School to urge the City Council to reject $450 million in school budget cuts proposed by the city. The rally’s theme was “One City, One Voice.”
Cynthia Nixon joins coalition fight against city budget cuts to schoolsJun 03, 2008
Emmy and Tony Award winning actress and public school parent Cynthia Nixon joined parents, teachers and principals representing more than 50 schools rallying on June 2 outside Stuyvesant High School to urge the City Council to reject $450 million in school budget cuts proposed by the city. The rally’s theme was “One City, One Voice.”
Klein tells 74 schools to expect 5% budget cutMay 21, 2008
Blaming the state’s funding formula for the city’s education budget problems, Chancellor Klein said 74 schools, including some of the city's top-performing high schools, will have their budgets for the next school year cut by more than five percent. UFT President Randi Weingarten said, “It is the height of hubris for the city to blame its education budget problems on the state, which was the only government entity that stepped up for New York City’s schoolchildren.”
Quinn pledges to fight school budget cuts, calls for more Council oversight of DOEMay 20, 2008
In a May 20 speech, New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn pledged to fight the city’s proposed $450 million in education budget cuts targeting city public schools. “We are grateful that Speaker Chris Quinn has joined the chorus of people opposing the city’s proposed $450 million in education budget cuts,” said UFT President Randi Weingarten. Of Quinn’s call for more City Council oversight of the Department of Education, Weingarten gave her general support while noting that overseeing public education is a responsibility of the state government.
Number of “rapidly improving” schools in city doublesMay 20, 2008
The state on May 15 identified 161 “rapidly improving” city schools, almost twice as many as the year before. “These results show that we are on the right path,” said UFT President Randi Weingarten. “We can only hope that this academic progress will not be endangered by the $450 million in education budget cuts that Mayor Bloomberg and the city Department of Education have proposed for our schools.”
Weingarten embraces creation of permanent coalition as advocacy voice for kidsMay 10, 2008
Speaking at the UFT’s Annual Spring Conference on May 10, UFT President Randi Weingarten said the work of the Keep the Promises coalition, formed earlier this year to fight cuts to the education budget, should be transformed into a permanent coalition to be an independent advocacy voice to champion what children need.
UFT faults Klein for creating job barriers for ATRsApr 29, 2008
UFT President Randi Weingarten denounced a report issued by the New Teacher Project, a DOE contractor, which blames educators serving in the Absent Teacher Reserve for being unable to find new permanent teaching positions and recommends firing them after one year. “The most repulsive part of this report is that the DOE is abdicating its responsibility to help the teachers who, through no fault of their own, have lost their positions,” she said. “It’s the quintessential blame-the-victim strategy.”
DOE flouts state class-size reduction mandatesApr 28, 2008
Despite receiving $153 million in new state funds meant to lower class sizes, the DOE has failed to implement a comprehensive class size reduction plan to meet state goals. Half of the elementary and middle schools receiving the funds did not lower class size; in fact, class sizes increased at a third of those city schools, according to a report issued on April 28 by the UFT.
UFT responds to Bell verdictApr 25, 2008
Three police detectives were acquitted on all charges on April 25 in the November 2006 death of Sean Bell. “The bottom line is we need to work together and respect one another enough so that people, regardless of their race, feel safe and secure and respected on the streets of New York City,” said UFT President Randi Weingarten, who said her heart went out to the Bell family.
City’s teaching force grows more “highly qualified”Apr 15, 2008
The New York State Board of Regents released figures on April 14 showing that New York City continued to improve with more highly qualified teachers in every subject. Nearly 91 percent of core classes in city public schools in 2006-07 were taught by highly qualified teachers compared to 79 percent in 2004-05. UFT President Randi Weingarten said the UFT was “pleased but not surprised” by the increase. “We have long said that New York City needed to raise teacher salaries to attract and keep good educators, and now that teacher salaries here have risen by 43 percent we are doing just that,” she said.
Weingarten on her decisionApr 11, 2008
UFT President Randi Weingarten announced her candidacy for president of the national union during the Representative Assembly of NYSUT, the UFT’s state affiliate, on April 11. Citing the tremendous challenges facing public education and the labor movement nationally, she said, “I feel an urgency — indeed, a duty — to act.” If she is elected in July, she said that she will continue in her present position in New York City, just as her predecessors, Al Shanker and Sandy Feldman, did before her.
State keeps its funding promises and reaches fair compromise on tenure criteriaApr 09, 2008
In the state budget agreement reached on April 8, the governor and the state Legislature kept their prior commitment to increased operating aid for New York City public schools, restored building aid and preserved a fair tenure process by barring the use of student test scores as the basis for granting or denying tenure. On the new tenure language, UFT President Randi Weingarten said, “No one is afraid of accountability but the measures have to be fair and accurate. Indeed, with the exception of the chancellor and the mayor, everyone in the state – including the School Boards Association – supports the compromise crafted by the Legislature and the Governor.”
List of city schools “in need of improvement” grows slightly smallerApr 09, 2008
On April 8 the state issued its list of Schools In Need of Improvement (SINI), which showed that 20 New York City public high schools were removed from the list while 15 were added to it. UFT President Randi Weingarten said that “we’re making gains in our effort to better educate students [but] clearly much more work needs to be done.”
UFT adopts ‘better safe than sorry’ approach on PCBs in caulkApr 07, 2008
Following a April 7 Daily News front-page article about PCBs in window caulk, the UFT urged city, state and federal agencies to develop a coordinated response in implementing a uniform PCB standard that everyone follows. In the meantime, the union called on the DOE to follow asbestos abatement protocols in addressing the PCB issue. “While we know there are few studies regarding long-term exposure to PCBs, the UFT prefers to take a ‘better safe than sorry’ approach to such matters when dealing with kids and staff,” said UFT President Randi Weingarten.
New York City 8th-graders lag in national writing testApr 04, 2008
Fewer New York City 8th-graders wrote only at the basic level of proficiency and more of them scored below that level than did students across the country, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). In a criticism of the Department of Education’s current test-prep strategy, UFT President Randi Weingarten said the findings "prove that a strong curriculum in schools is a better path to higher academic performance than endless testing.”
South Bronx site chosen for Green Dot charter schoolApr 04, 2008
Green Dot will open a charter high school this fall that will share space with South Bronx intermediate school. The new school is the outgrowth of a partnership between Green Dot and the UFT. The location, said UFT President Randi Weingarten, seemed to provide the right mix of space and opportunity to address a critical need in the community.”
UFT calls for comprehensive solution to school violenceMar 28, 2008
After a week in which the NYPD locked down schools twice and a student was critically stabbed in a hallway of a school despite scanners to keep out weapons, UFT President Randi Weingarten called on “all stakeholders to take proactive steps and work together immediately to address the larger issues that lead to violence.”
UFT on state Legislature’s clarification on tenureMar 26, 2008
Chancellor Joel Klein at a press conference in Albany on March 26 asked Senate and Assembly leaders to drop language in a state bill precluding school districts from using student test scores to evaluate teachers for tenure. “The tenure language in the bill before the state Legislature simply clarifies what the Legislature and Governor agreed to last year: teachers can be evaluated on their use of student test scores and other data and how they adjust their own teaching to help students improve,” said UFT President Randi Weingarten.
UFT proposes new school accountability systemMar 13, 2008
In keeping with a resolution passed in November by the union’s Delegate Assembly, UFT President Randi Weingarten on March 13 unveiled an ambitious plan for a “transparent, fair and accurate” school accountability system. While standardized test scores would continue to play a role in determining a school’s overall evaluation, under the UFT’s proposed framework these tests would be placed into a broader context that includes the richness of a school’s curriculum, the overall school environment and the level and adequacy of funding and oversight the school receives from the central DOE.
Eliot Spitzer resigns as governorMar 12, 2008
Saying that he was “deeply sorry that I did not live up to what was expected of me,” Governor Eliot Spitzer resigned on March 12. The resignation will be effective on March 17, and Lt. Gov. David A. Paterson will be sworn in to replace him. “This is a tragedy for Eliot Spitzer and his family, and my heart goes out to his wife and daughters during what must be an excruciating time,” said UFT President Randi Weingarten. “We extend our strong support and best wishes to David Paterson as he assumes the role of Governor.”
Union survey shows midyear budget cuts hurt kidsMar 04, 2008
Just as the city called on March 4 for an additional 3 percent education budget cut on top of more than $324 million in cuts already proposed for the coming school year, a survey of New York City public schools shows that the current $100 million midyear cut to school budgets citywide is forcing many to drastically reduce or eliminate after-school programs, weekend classes and tutoring services, textbooks, instructional supplies, extracurricular activities and other services for children.
UFT opens contract talks for home child-care providersFeb 29, 2008
Having helped New York City’s 28,000 home-based child care providers form a union last fall in the city’s largest labor organizing drive in decades, the UFT, acting as their collective bargaining agent, opened contract talks on Feb. 29 with the state Office of Children and Family Services. “We hope to negotiate improvements for the providers that will raise the quality of the profession and help them achieve sorely needed economic gains as well,” said UFT President Randi Weingarten.
Governor signs 55/25 into lawFeb 28, 2008
A 55/25 retirement option long sought by the UFT took effect on Feb. 27 when Governor Eliot Spitzer signed the legislation needed for it to become law. “This is a great day for educators who want to make teaching New York City’s school children not just a calling but a career,” said UFT President Randi Weingarten.
Mayor’s report shows slight drop in average class sizeFeb 14, 2008
The Mayor’s Management Report released on Feb. 14 showed that citywide average class sizes dropped slightly in grades K-9. UFT President Randi Weingarten said that it was progress that the report now includes class-size data, but that it was hard to get an accurate picture from citywide averages. “Still, the figures show that where there’s a will there’s a way,” she said.
AFT leaders McElroy and LaCour announce plans to retireFeb 12, 2008
AFT President Edward McElroy and Secretary-Treasurer Nat LaCour on Feb. 12 announced their plans to retire. Both will continue to serve in their current capacities until the AFT national convention in Chicago in July. UFT President Randi Weingarten called McElroy “a tremendous leader” while, with respect to her own plans, she said that she will “give national union service serious and careful consideration.”
Council Speaker proposes pay incentive for teachers in low-performing middle schoolsFeb 12, 2008
Council Speaker Christine Quinn in her Feb. 12 State of the City address proposed a pilot program to offer bonus pay incentives to recruit and retain highly-qualified, experienced teachers to work in the city’s most challenging middle schools. UFT President Randi Weingarten gave Quinn credit for “championing schools that are in urgent need of support.”
Coalition launches campaign to protect schools from $700 million cutsFeb 10, 2008
Members of more than 60 community groups, parent organizations and unions, as well as some 40 state and city elected officials, have formed the “Keep the Promises” Coalition in response to proposed budget reductions in education for city schools.
UFT President Randi Weingarten on NYC Schools on SURR ListFeb 06, 2008
New York State Education Commissioner Richard Mills on Feb. 6 added 6 city schools to the list of Schools Under Registration Review, bringing the total number of schools on the SURR list to 32 in New York City. Five city schools on the SURR list currently are slated to close, and an additional four city schools that would have been placed on the SURR list will be closed instead. UFT President Randi Weingarten called for a “consistent, educationally sound plan to support and assist schools once they are identified as SURR ... We believe that closing schools should be the last resort, not a first step.”
UFT and principals' union join in opposing $100 million in new school budget cutsJan 31, 2008
On Jan. 30, the DOE e-mailed a letter to each of the city’s principals announcing an immediate 1.75% across-the-board midyear reduction citywide in school budgets. UFT President Randi Weingarten, CSA President Ernest Logan and other education allies held a press conference on the City Hall steps the following afternoon to announce that they were launching a coordinated campaign to fight the ill-timed cuts.
Response to Bush 2008 SotUJan 29, 2008
During his final State of the Union address, President Bush asked Congress to strengthen his No Child Left Behind Act and back a plan to use tax dollars to help low-income parents send children in struggling public schools to private or religious schools. UFT President Randi Weingarten responded, “Sadly, it comes as no surprise that the education proposals made by President Bush in his final State of the Union address basically amount to a rehashing of failed policies that offer nothing new or beneficial for America’s public school students.”
Mayor calls for education budget cutsJan 24, 2008
Citing the darkening economic outlook, Mayor Bloomberg called for spending cuts in virtually every city agency, including the Department of Education. UFT President Randi Weingarten responded, “Even though we are facing uncertain economic times, it is crucial for the city to protect core educational services in our public schools as we try to build upon the momentum of academic improvement we’ve made in recent years.”
Queens charter school to unionizeJan 23, 2008
The UFT and the Merrick Academy Charter School board of trustees reached an agreement on Jan. 23 that will allow its teachers to unionize immediately. “Today’s agreement is a giant step forward in giving the educators at Merrick the voice and respect that they deserve,” said UFT President Randi Weingarten.
Governor’s proposed budget reduces city school aid increaseJan 22, 2008
Facing the possibility of a nationwide recession leading to an economic downturn in the state, the executive budget proposed by Governor Eliot Spitzer on Jan. 22 called for reducing the $1.24 billion increase in education aid for New York City public schools by $350 million. “We look to the Legislature to restore these funds in order to maintain the integrity of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity agreement,” said UFT President Randi Weingarten.
UFT: DOE "misguided" to seek to use test scores to judge teachersJan 21, 2008
The New York Times reported on Jan. 21 that the city Department of Education has embarked on a secretive pilot program in which 2,500 teachers at 140 city public schools are being measured without their knowledge on how much their students improve on annual standardized tests. Of using these scores to evaluate teachers, UFT President Randi Weingarten said, “There are so many educational and technical flaws in this concept that I find it shocking that the school system is even considering it. The UFT will fight this on all grounds – educational, legal and moral."
UFT react to Gotbaum on testingJan 16, 2008
DOE rewards successful schools
Jan 04, 2008
Schools Chancellor Joel Klein on Jan. 3 awarded an additional $30 per student in discretionary funding to the 134 schools that received both an “A” on their Progress Report and the top score of “well developed” on their Quality Review for the 2006-07 school year. “While we agree that any effective school accountability system should recognize success, it must also provide the means to help struggling schools,” said UFT President Randi Weingarten.
State and city disagree on which schools are low-performingDec 21, 2007
State education officials on Dec. 20 announced that one in three New York City public elementary and middle schools are in need of improvement by federal academic standings. The data pointed out discrepancies between state and city accountability measures, with 170 schools that received As and Bs from the city failing to make enough progress by state measures. “This should serve as a big red flag telling the city and the state that they need to align their accountability systems,” said UFT President Randi Weingarten.
86% of eligible schools opt to participate in schoolwide bonus programDec 18, 2007
More than 200 high-need schools will participate in New York City’s first-ever school-wide performance bonus program, Chancellor Joel I. Klein and UFT President Randi Weingarten announced on Dec. 18.
UFT: Educators' housing project must be union-madeDec 03, 2007
The UFT is working with construction trade unions to ensure that an affordable workforce housing development for educators gets built by union workers. UFT President Randi Weingarten has threatened to walk away from the project unless it’s union-made. “Affordable workforce housing for teachers – and indeed, for all workers in New York City – is vitally important, but we cannot support an initiative that does not respect or support union workers,” said UFT President Randi Weingarten.
UFT: City’s class-size reduction plan ‘a good first step’Nov 19, 2007
After a storm of UFT and parent protests about its initial Contract For Excellence proposal failing to adequately plan for class size reduction, the New York City Department of Education issued on November 19 a revised five-year plan with specific targets. “This plan is a good step. But it’s just the beginning, not the end, because to make it real for all kids we need to have a cap, not an average,” said UFT President Randi Weingarten.
Teacher Resignations Hit Record HighNov 19, 2007
Resignations among certified city teachers for reasons other than retirement hit a record high of 4,303 last year – a 69 percent jump since 2001. Nearly 14 percent of new teachers hired in the previous school year have already left the system, United Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said on Nov. 18.
UFT President Randi Weingarten on school progress reportsNov 05, 2007
Each public school in the city received a grade from "A" to "F" on Nov. 5 as the DOE released its first-ever school progress reports. UFT President Randi Weingarten expressed concern about the heavy weight given to standardized tests in determining the grade. Moreover, she said, "It's imperative that we use the data to inform instruction rather than punish schools, and that we develop concrete, meaningful steps that struggling schools can take in order to improve."
UFT celebrates representation of more than 200,000 workersNov 04, 2007
The UFT’s recognition of successful school partnerships between principals and educators at Teacher Union Day on Nov. 4 was made even sweeter as the union celebrated its unprecedented and historic growth to represent 201,486 people, making it the largest union local in the nation.
Dial-A-Teacher hotline now linked to HomeworkNYC.orgOct 30, 2007
The UFT is teaming up with the city's library systems to link the union's telephone homework help service and the libraries' homework Web site. "This partnership between us is a great move for both programs and a real win for the students and parents that come to us for help with homework," said UFT President Randi Weingarten. "As educators devoted to helping students succeed, we are thrilled to have this opportunity to broaden our reach and work with one of the most distinguished institutions in this country."
SUNY Trustees approve Green Dot charter school for South BronxOct 26, 2007
The SUNY Board of Trustees on Oct. 26 approved the application for the Green Dot New York Charter School founded in partnership by Green Dot Public Schools, the most prominent charter school operator in Southern California, and the UFT. Green Dot, unlike most charter school operators, encourages its teachers to unionize. The approval by the SUNY trustees sets the stage for final consideration by the State Board of Regents in the coming months.
Home child care providers give resounding "yes!" to UFTOct 24, 2007
New York City's 28,000 home-based child care providers have voted overwhelmingly to join the UFT, culminating the city's largest labor organizing drive in decades.
UFT and city agree on 55/25 and pilot program for voluntary, school-wide bonusesOct 17, 2007
The UFT, the city and the Department of Education on Oct. 17 agreed on mechanisms to implement two outstanding provisions of the 2005 collective-bargaining agreement: an option to allow educators to retire at age 55 with 25 years of service, and a program offering school-wide bonuses in 200 high-needs schools. "This agreement creates pro-active programs that address two major issues facing our schools, making the profession economically viable and fostering collaborative learning environments where teachers have real voice," UFT President Randi Weingarten said.
UFT President Randi Weingarten on student cash awards for AP scoresOct 16, 2007
The city launched on Oct. 15 a privately funded program that will offer cash awards to 25 public high schools and their students for doing well on Advanced Placement tests. UFT President Randi Weingarten responded that the new program did not tackle the underlying problem that too few city high schools offered AP courses. "We need to expand AP opportunities for our high school students, especially in schools serving high needs communities," she said.
UFT President Randi Weingarten on the AFT endorsement of Hillary Clinton: Oct. 3, 2007Oct 04, 2007
New York Senator Hillary Clinton wins AFT endorsement in 2007-8 Democratic primary for president.
UFT President Randi Weingarten on nationwide test scoresSep 25, 2007
Test scores of 4th and 8th graders across the United States in reading and mathematics on National Assessment of Educational Progress were released on Sept. 25.
Weingarten on IBO report on class sizeSep 25, 2007
An IBO report released on Sept. 24 found that 61 percent of kindergarten to third-grade classes last school year had more than the state-recommended standard of 20 students per class. Calling that finding “disturbing,” UFT President Randi Weingarten said, “There is universal agreement on class size reduction in the early grades; the question is why is it not happening for all the city’s students in kindergarten through third grade and how do we make it happen?”
Number of Oversized Classes in NYC Schools Drops, But Thousands Still Exceed Contractual Limits September 20, 2007Sep 20, 2007
Weingarten on New York City winning the 2007 Broad Prize
Sep 19, 2007
On Sept. 18, 2007, New York City won the Broad Prize, which is given each year to an urban school district that has made great improvements in student achievement. "This prize reaffirms what we consider to be an indisputable truth: New York has a truly remarkable teaching force," said UFT President Randi Weingarten.
Weingarten on school violence audit: September 19, 2007Sep 19, 2007
UFT President Randi Weingarten re School Violence Audit: September 19, 2007
Sep 19, 2007
Statement by Randi Weingarten, UFT President, On NYC Winning the Broad Prize September 18, 2007
Sep 18, 2007
Citywide Survey Shows 90% Parent Approval Rate for NYC Teachers September 6, 2007
Sep 06, 2007
UFT President Randi Weingarten on the resignation of Debbie Almontaser: August 10, 2007
Aug 10, 2007
UFT reacts to comptroller's report on special education
Jul 27, 2007
On July 25, an audit released by City Comptroller William Thompson reported that the Department of Education and does not properly monitor, track and document the services it supplies to special education elementary school students. The report called for, among other things, the introduction of formal policies and procedures for documenting that services such as occupational and physical therapy are delivered, because of the "very real risk that students are not receiving all the services" they deserve.
UFT President Randi Weingarten re Comptroller’s Audit of Special Ed: July 27, 2007Jul 27, 2007
State Certifies NYC Home Day Care Workers’ Right July 27, 2007
Jul 27, 2007
Weingarten Praises City Council for Override Of Mayor’s Veto of Whistleblower Bill
Jul 26, 2007
UFT President Randi Weingarten on the city’s revised “Contracts-for-Excellence” spending plan July 18, 2007
Jul 18, 2007
UFT President Randi Weingarten on City’s Revised Class Size Reduction Plan: July 17, 2007
Jul 17, 2007
UFT FORGES A ONE OF A KIND PARTNERSHIP WITH GREEN DOT PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO BRING A NEW CHARTER SCHOOL TO NEW YORK June 28, 2007
Jun 28, 2007
UFT President Randi Weingarten on Cash Incentives for Student Performance: June 18, 2007
Jun 18, 2007
Elected Officials On Hand As UFT, ACORN Submit Petitions To Let Home Day Care Workers Vote To Join Union May 17, 2007
May 17, 2007
UFT President Randi Weingarten on Graduation Rates April 25, 2007
Apr 25, 2007
UFT President Randi Weingarten on Gov. Spitzer's Budget January 31, 2007
Mar 19, 2007
UFT President Randi Weingarten on SURR School Announcement March 15, 2007
Mar 15, 2007
UFT President Randi Weingarten Responds To NCLB Report February 13, 2007
Feb 13, 2007
UFT President Randi Weingarten on Governor Spitzer’s Proposal January 29, 2007
Jan 29, 2007
UFT President Randi Weingarten on Weighted Student Funding Plan January 24, 2007
Jan 24, 2007
UFT President Randi Weingarten on Tenured Teachers January 18, 2007
Jan 18, 2007
UFT President Randi Weingarten on Tenure January 17, 2007
Jan 17, 2007
UFT Launches ‘Listen To A Teacher’ Campaign
Jan 10, 2007
The United Federation of Teachers began airing a series of TV commercials in New York City on Jan. 10, as part of a multi-million-dollar campaign stressing the importance of respecting and listening to teachers on educational policies – including the need for smaller classes.
UFT President Randi Weingarten on ‘Highly Qualified Teachers’ Report January 8, 2007Jan 08, 2007
UFT President Randi Weingarten on Gov. Spitzer’s State of the State Address January 3, 2007
Jan 03, 2007
UFT President Randi Weingarten on CFE Decision
Nov 20, 2006
“This decision has both good and bad aspects. We cannot mask our profound disappointment that the court has significantly reduced the amount from the $4 billion to $6 billion that other courts – and even Governor Pataki – felt was necessary to give New York City’s 1.1 million public school children a constitutionally required sound basic education.
Tentative contract agreementNov 07, 2006
The United Federation of Teachers and the City of New York reached a tentative agreement on Monday, Nov. 6 on a new two-year contract that would give every teacher at least a 7.1% raise and boost the most experienced teachers to more than $100,000.
Summer school students can stay home on Aug. 2 & 3 due to heatAug 01, 2006
Faced with a record-breaking heat wave and a lack of air conditioning at many schools in summer session, the UFT urged the DOE to close schools. The DOE responded by making summer school attendance not mandatory on Aug. 2 & 3.
Randi Weingarten on City’s $52.9 Billion Budget DealJun 28, 2006
UFT President Randi Weingarten made the following comments regarding the city’s $52.9 billion budget agreement that recognizes the needs of our public school students and teachers.
Statement From UFT President Randi Weingarten June 20, 2006Jun 20, 2006
Weingarten on state school violence report
Jun 13, 2006
Weingarten comments on a new state report on school crime data for the 2003-04 and 2004-05 school years indicates that New York City may have underreported incidents in schools. This has been a continuing complaint of the UFT School Safety Department.
Script for New Yorkers for Smaller Classes AdMay 31, 2006
UFT, New Yorkers For Smaller Classes Launch $1 Million TV Ad Campaign To Let Voters Decide On Lowering Class Sizes
May 31, 2006
New Yorkers for Smaller Classes -- a coalition of parents, teachers, education advocates and the United Federation of Teachers -- today unveiled a television ad campaign as part of its drive to let voters decide if the city should invest in lower class sizes for public school students. Parents and teachers consistently rank lowering class size as their top educational priority.
Cell phone policyMay 08, 2006
UFT President Randi Weingarten's remarks at an May 8, 2006 press conference with Bill de Blasio on the DOE's cell phone policy:
Statement from UFT President Randi Weingarten on agreementApr 19, 2006
CFE Radio Ad
Mar 27, 2006
The United Federation of Teachers is launching a radio ad campaign Tuesday urging the governor and the Legislature to comply with a court order to fund the Campaign for Fiscal Equity suit and give New York City schools “their fair share now.”
Teachers, Parents Lobby In Albany To Demand CFE FundingMar 14, 2006
In an unprecedented coalition, New York City teachers and parents – joined by students and key City Council leaders -- converged on Albany today to demand funding of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit.
UFT President Randi Weingarten on DOE's Amnesty PolicyFeb 15, 2006
While we are in favor of an amnesty period,the timing of this act in relation to Commissioner Condon's report suggests the Department of Education believes that more of its employees fallinto the same category as Dr.McCaskill.
Family daycare providers call for back pay: state withheld our raisesFeb 07, 2006
Hundreds of home day care providers joined UFT President Randi Weingarten and New York ACORN Executive Director Bertha Lewis on Tuesday, Feb 7, for a protest march and rally over back pay and a lack of information about new subsidy rates.
First day of contract implementation a mixed bag says unionFeb 06, 2006
At the end of the first day of the implementation of the new contract that calls for 37.5 minutes tutoring sessions for children, UFT President Randi Weingarten made the following statement:
UFT reacts to Mayor's budget planJan 31, 2006
UFT President Randi Weingarten sends a clear message on the Mayor's budget saying "the city must step up to the plate and not wait for CFE to invest in...things that will actually reduce education costs in the future."
UFT reacts to mayor's State of the City addressJan 27, 2006
In his State of the City address yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg spoke about requiring municipal workers to pay health care premiums, mentioned the changes to Circular 6 that would require educators to perform administrative tasks and announced a teacher training program in partnership with NYU and CUNY. UFT President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement in response.
UFT responds to Chancellor's announcement of autonomy zones and bureacracy cutsJan 19, 2006
Weingarten told the press that the union was taking a wait and see attitude regarding the chancellor's announcement that he is seeking to take money from the bureacracy and put it into the classroom.
Weingarten on Pataki Budget, Charter SchoolsJan 18, 2006
UFT On ELA Results SNAFU
Jan 18, 2006
Statement from UFT President Randi Weingarten On City’s Guidelines to Implement New Contract
Nov 29, 2005
UFT President Randi Weingarten described as “a mixed bag” the contract implementation guidelines issued by the Department of Education on Nov. 29. “Some of them capture the intent of what was negotiated and some try for a second bite of the apple to get what the city couldn’t get at the bargaining table,” she said. “We will oppose – on behalf of students, parents and staff – the DOE’s attempts to overreach.”
UFT responds to Mayor’s plan to open 100 new small schoolsOct 21, 2005
UFT responds to Mayor’s plan to open 100 new small schools
UFT, CITY REACH AGREEMENT ON NEW CONTRACTOct 03, 2005
Assessment Tests
Aug 17, 2005
The NYC Department of Education released the citywide and statewide assessment calendar for the 2005-2006 school year on August 9, 2005 that includes a second set of duplicative tests. See what UFT President Randi Weingarten said and the calendar of the scheduled assessments.
Statement from UFT President Randi Weingarten on the City Council’s Class Size Initiative and a Newly Filed Suit to Put Question to Voters in 2006Aug 17, 2005
Historic organizing drive announced
Jul 14, 2005
In the largest organizing effort in New York in decades, the UFT, NYSUT and ACORN today launched a campaign to unionize more than 52,000 home day care providers across the state. Read more.
UFT President Randi Weingarten and Union Officials Deliver More Than 60,000 Report Cards on Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Klein to Tweed CourthouseJun 02, 2005
UFT President delivers 60,000 report cards grading the mayor and the chancellor to Department of Education headquarters at the Tweed Courthouse.
Randi Weingarten Statement on Release Of Reading and Math Scores for Grades 3 through 8Jun 02, 2005
UFT President Weingarten praises the hard work of all the educators in our schools for raising test scores in math and English Language Arts across the city.
UFT RELEASES NEW AD MARKING TWO YEARS WITHOUT A CONTRACTMay 31, 2005
Religious Observance Days
Mar 21, 2005
Statement from Randi Weingarten on Chancellor Klein's remarks on religious observance days: "We're deeply disturbed that the DOE would take such an anti-religious position like this.
Fact-finding ordered as PERB rules for UFT requestMar 17, 2005
Upholding a request from the United Federation of Teachers, the state Public Employment Relations Board has ordered fact-finding in the UFT’s efforts to negotiate a contract with the city.
Elementary school time use surveyMar 07, 2005
Students are losing upward of two days a week of classroom instruction time because teachers are being forced to spend more and more time on test preparation and increasing amounts of mandatory paperwork, a survey by the United Federation of Teachers shows. As part of an administration push to raise scores, elementary school teachers say their students are losing valuable instruction time on such core subjects as science and social studies.
UFT Press Release on Decision to Open SchoolsMar 01, 2005
By delaying until 6 a.m. the decision to open schools in the wake of this latest snow storm, the DOE has inconvenienced educators, students and parents.
DOE "playing catch-up" on gifted and talented programFeb 16, 2005
In response to Chancellor Joel I. Klein's announcement that the Department of Education was launching a new, comprehensive approach to gifted and talented education, UFT President Randi Weingarten made the following statement:
Weingarten reacts to announcement that city will open 52 new small schools in SeptemberFeb 01, 2005
In a press conference at Mercy College in the Bronx, Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Klein announced today that they will open 52 new small schools across the city in September. UFT President Randi Weingarten had this to say about the plan:
Randi reacts to expense budgetJan 27, 2005
Fewer schools on SURR list
Jan 04, 2005
This year 16 New York City schools worked their way off the SURR list,building on the past success of the Chancellor's District program.
PERB says talks are deadlockedDec 27, 2004
UFT President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement:
DOE gift-giving policy inaneDec 20, 2004
DOE feels compelled to tell parents to limit the value of any gifts to their children’s teachers to $5.
UFT President's Statement Regarding the Status of NegotiationsOct 14, 2004
Weingarten not as optimistic in reaching a new contract as the NY Times might indicate.
Math Scores Heading in the Right Direction, Says UFTOct 07, 2004
Math scores for New York City students rose again this year and UFT President Randi Weingarten called the results "good news" in her statement to the press.
Weingarten Testifies before Manhattan Borough President-Re: "Children First"Sep 08, 2004 Budget Formula Will Could Leave Schools Short, UFT Testifies
Aug 24, 2004 Weingarten Proposes $1.5 Billion "Education Stimulus Initiative" to Boost Teacher Salaries and Aid Struggling Schools
May 10, 2004 Randi Weingarten Statement Re: Social Promotion
Jan 09, 2004 New DOE Capital Plan Falls Short
Nov 04, 2003
