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Probationary Period
If you are appointed under a new license, state law requires that you serve a three-year probationary period. Each time you change your license and are reappointed, you must serve a new three-year probationary period. You may be able to reduce your probationary period in one of the following ways:
- Jarema Credit. This is a way that appointed teachers who worked satisfactorily as regular substitutes in the same license at the same school level can reduce the normal three-year probationary period by up to two years. To obtain one term of credit, you must have worked as a sub for a minimum of 80 days within a period of 90 consecutive school days in the same school. For a credit of one year, you must have worked at least 160 days in a one-year period. If you have any questions, call your UFT borough office for assistance. You can find the application for Jarema Credit online. Return the completed form to the Division of Human Resources, Office of Regional Field Services, 65 Court Street, Room 811, Brooklyn, NY 11201. Make sure to keep a copy of the application for your record, along with the “return receipt requested” notice.
- Traveling Tenure. If you received tenure in one license area and elect to take an appointment in a new license area, or if you were tenured in another school district in New York State, you can apply to have your probationary period reduced to two years. This is commonly known as “traveling tenure.” If this applies to you, call your UFT borough office for more information.
Once you complete probation, you are granted tenure. If the DOE intends to discontinue your service prior to your obtaining tenure, you must be given 60 calendar days’ notice prior to the end of your probationary period. If you are discontinued, call your UFT borough office. The DOE will schedule a hearing for you during the next school year. At that time, the UFT borough office will assign an advocate to represent you.
In some cases, principals may ask you to extend your probationary period for an additional year, but can only do so if you agree. Before making a decision, you should speak to your district representative, who will put you in touch with an NYSUT attorney to review the extension papers.
