February 10, 2026

This Week's Focus

Members "Made it Human" to Fix Tier 6

Thousands of members across the city participated in our February Tier 6 Day of Action on 2/6. By sharing our personal stories to "Make it Human," we put voice to the impact that Tier 6 has on educators' careers. Member at schools like Bronx Early College Academy got creative as they shared their stories on social media. Our escalating days of action are putting pressure on state lawmakers to understand the importance of reforming Tier 6 as we head into a critical lobbying season for the state budget. On 3/6, we will hold pep rallies in our schools to amp up the energy for our Fix Tier 6 rally in Albany on March 8, then UFT Lobby Day on March 16.

Our registration rush for the March 8 rally is happening now! Make sure you and your members are registered by Feb. 12 to guarantee your Tier 6 swag. The rally is going to be an amazing day of activism, performances and union solidarity. One day on the road with your union could save you from eight years of alarm clocks.

Action You Can Take: Gather members from your school to attend the Fix Tier 6 rally in Albany on March 8.

You can see who from your school is registered for the rally right on your Chapter Leader Hub. Log into the Hub to check out your school's team.
Use this Canva template to create your school's Turn Out Team roster and send it to us at uftphotos [at] gmail [dot] com (uftphotos[at]gmail[dot]com) for a chance to be featured on UFT socials!

Come to our Early Childhood Conference on April 25

The UFT Elementary Schools Division will host its annual Early Childhood Conference, an inspiring day of creativity, growth, discovery and collaboration, on Saturday, April 25. Welcoming educators serving 3-K, pre-K, kindergarten, 1st grade and 2nd grade, this event offers the opportunity to hear from an inspiring keynote speaker, meet with colleagues from across the city and earn four CTLE hours by learning evidence-based practices for engaging our youngest learners. Breakfast and a grab-and-go lunch will be served. The conference will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at UFT headquarters, 52 Broadway in Manhattan. The cost is $25 for paraprofessionals or $35 for teachers. Registration is open until Friday, April 17.

Tax season is here

In-service DOE employees have been able to access their W-2, 1127 waiver and 1095-C tax forms online on the NYCAPS Employee Self‑Service webpage since Jan. 31. If you chose to have your forms sent via electronic delivery, you will receive them from the DOE via email by the end of February. Tax forms are being mailed to all other active employees at the address on file with the DOE. Regardless of how they receive their tax forms, in-service members can download and print copies via NYCAPS. (See step-by-step instructions.) Members who are not on payroll, including retirees, will have their tax forms mailed from the city's Office of Payroll Administration. Members can look up the amount they paid in union dues in 2025 on the UFT website. Remember, the union cannot offer individual tax advice or assistance, and members in need of guidance should consult with a tax professional.

Chapter Leader Checklist

To Do #1

Submit your purchase orders for the March 7 Paraprofessional Awards Luncheon by Feb. 13

This year's Paraprofessional Awards Luncheon on Saturday, March 7, will feature breakfast, CTLE workshops, a festival with games and prizes, a bag of wellness freebies and a luncheon. School chapter leaders, in conjunction with their school leadership teams, can use a DOE purchase order to buy tickets for paraprofessionals from their school using school leadership team funds. The deadline to submit purchase orders is this Friday, Feb. 13. The conference registration fee is $25 per person, plus $7.50 for each workshop if taken for CTLE credit. Print and complete the registration form, get approval from your principal, then scan it and email it to uftparaevents [at] gmail [dot] com (uftparaevents[at]gmail[dot]com). Direct any questions to the same email address.

Please also spread the word to paraprofessionals at your school that registration is open. UFT President Michael Mulgrew and Paraprofessionals Chapter Chairperson Priscilla Castro will present honorees with awards, and we'll provide updates on the ongoing campaign to pass the RESPECT check legislation. The event will run from 7:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. at the New York Hilton Midtown.

To Do #2

Secure your items prior to the mid-winter break

Please remind members to protect themselves against theft by securing all personal belongings and valuable school equipment like laptops and projectors during the break. Please distribute the NYPD Larceny Prevention flyer in your members' mailboxes and post it on your UFT bulletin board.

To Do #3

Flyers to share with your members

Here are flyers you can print and distribute in member mailboxes or post on your school's UFT bulletin board:

Hub Highlights

Conduct a "salary checkup"

You can find a tool in the UFT Member Hub that will help you determine if your paycheck accurately reflects your salary. Use it to make sure you're earning what you deserve and to get a personalized schedule of your upcoming salary steps and longevity pay increases. Remember: You can access the hub using your UFT website username and password.

Enter the hub

Work in progress

The UFT is tackling the following issues with the DOE and other city, state and federal-level entities as appropriate:

Pushing the DOE to normalize the work demands on members of the UFT Teachers Assigned Chapter working in superintendents' offices.
Obtaining access to budget information for chapter leaders in pre-K centers.
Breaking through the DOE mismanagement of the Step 2 grievance process.

You Should Know

Contract empowerment & enforcement

Determine if PROSE is right for your school

If you work in a highly collaborative school with innovative practices, you may be interested in applying to become one of the Progressive Redesign Opportunity Schools for Excellence. PROSE schools can change the DOE-UFT contract and DOE regulations to create educator-led, community-driven innovations. The UFT is now accepting applications from schools interested in joining PROSE next school year. If your school is considering applying, please register for a virtual information session this Thursday, Feb. 12, at 4:15 p.m. A PROSE school liaison would also be happy to set up a meeting with your school. Contact PROSE [at] uft [dot] org (PROSE[at]uft[dot]org) to request a visit or to ask questions. The earlier your application is received, the sooner it will be reviewed by the PROSE panel, which reviews and approves applications. The deadline to submit an application is March 27. Here are the application template, rubric and program brochure.

Time to consult on professional activities for next year

Principals and chapter leaders in high schools, middle schools and elementary schools with eight periods a day must meet by April 15 to consult on the professional activity menu for teachers at their school for the 2026–27 school year. Under the 2023 contract, the menu of available options greatly expanded. Review the full menu with your principal and discuss the professional activities that teachers would like to see at your school. The principal must also consult with you on the number of positions for each menu choice and the qualifications and duties for each activity. All of this information must be included on the final menu. (See this sample professional activity menu.) Once the principal has created your school's menu, which must include a minimum of six activities from the contractual menu only, teachers will select three activities in order of preference. If the teacher is not assigned one of their choices, they should have the opportunity to select another three choices. See the Professional Activity Contractual Guide for Middle and High Schools and the Professional Activity Contractual Guide for Elementary Schools with Eight Periods. If you have any questions, reach out to your district representative.

Duty-free lunch periods

Elementary school teachers are entitled to a 50-minute duty-free lunch period every day. Middle and high school teachers are entitled to a duty-free lunch period that is the same length as their instructional periods unless officially modified through a PROSE or school-based option (SBO) vote.

Teachers' programs should include a full duty-free lunch period, and teachers should not be engaged with any duty during this time. For example, transitioning between periods and supervision of students moving between classes or to and from the lunchroom should not impact a teacher receiving their full duty-free lunch period.

If your schedule does not include passing time or if you are required to escort students to the cafeteria or pick up students during your duty-free lunch time, contact your district representative. We are gathering information to address this issue.

Medical & wellness

Podcast about managing stress with somatic therapy

The latest episode of the UFT Member Assistance Program's Brewing Wellness podcast explores stress management through somatic therapy. Our bodies respond to stress with a fight-or-flight response that may be disproportionate to the situation we're encountering. Lisa Siclari, a licensed mental health counselor, shares some simple somatic techniques that support emotional regulation, stress relief and overall well-being. Bring your body into the conversation with techniques that can be easily integrated into your daily routines at work and at home.

Listen to the podcast

Quick links for health care

Need to find health care information quickly? Visit our new health care quick links page on the UFT website. There you will find a list of links organized by topic so that you can find the support you are looking for as quickly as possible. There is also a PDF one-page version available. Please share these links with your members.

Political action

UFT's 2026 legislative priorities

With the Trump administration threatening to cut funding for our highest-need schools, we are asking our state representatives to work with us to protect our students and school communities. Here are some of our top priorities:

Fix Tier 6 of the pension system to allow members to retire at age 55 with an unreduced pension after 30 years of service.
Update and fully fund the Foundation Aid formula to reflect the actual needs and costs of providing our children an education in New York City. The updates we support include adding weights to increase funding for the full range of high-need students, including those in poverty, temporary housing, foster care and all types of special education, as well as English language learners.
Fulfill the promise of truly universal 3-K and ensure the successful rollout of 2-Care for families across New York City. Uphold the commitment to paying providers for enrollment instead of attendance.
Find new sources of sustainable revenue for this year's budget from the ultra-wealthy to address New York's growing affordability crisis while maintaining the quality of its public services and establishing universal child care.

Read the full list

Everything else

Employees who work overtime may qualify for a new tax credit

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets nationwide rules for minimum wage, overtime pay and recordkeeping for most public and private workers. Employees covered by the FLSA may qualify for a new IRS-approved tax credit. Among UFT-represented employees, this tax credit is most likely to apply to paraprofessionals and H-bank members who work overtime. Per session work does not qualify as overtime. Employees who receive time-and-a-half for overtime pay will receive a credit equal to one-third of their eligible FLSA overtime pay. Employees who receive double-time overtime pay will receive a credit equal to one-quarter of their eligible FLSA overtime pay. For the 2025 tax year, employers should give eligible employees the information needed to claim this credit on their tax return. The information should appear on employees' W-2 forms. For more information, check out a user guide to looking up your overtime on the DOE Payroll Portal and some frequently asked questions. Please note that the UFT cannot provide tax advice or answer questions from members about their taxes. Members should consult with their tax professional for assistance claiming this credit.

UFT School Counselors Conference is on March 28

Registration is open for the 22nd annual UFT School Counselors Conference on Saturday, March 28, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at UFT headquarters in Manhattan. This year's theme is "School Counselors: Where Compassion Meets Action." The conference is a great opportunity for school counselors to network with colleagues, enjoy breakfast and lunch and take relevant workshops to develop professional skills. This year's workshops will explore topics including neurodiversity, experiential tools, cognitive behavioral therapy and technology.

Last chance for seniors to apply for a Shanker college scholarship

Each year, the UFT awards $1 million in undergraduate and graduate scholarships to academically excellent and financially eligible students from New York City public schools. High school seniors have only a few weeks left to apply for a $5,000 Albert Shanker Scholarship. The process is easier than ever with our new online portal. Candidates must be financially eligible and accepted into a full-time, matriculated, degree-granting program at an accredited college or university. The application deadline is Saturday, Feb. 28.

Learn more

UFT events this spring

To make planning easier for you, here are the dates (and times, when available) of major union events in 2026 so you can mark your calendars. Closer to each event, we'll send email invitations with the details.

Feb. 12, 4 to 9 p.m., UFT CTE Awards Ceremony
March 7, 7:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., UFT Paraprofessionals Awards Luncheon
March 14, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., HERstory Brunch: Celebrating Women's History by Honoring Women in Labor
March 28, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., UFT School Counselors Conference
April 25, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., UFT Early Childhood Conference
May 15, 4 to 8 p.m. UFT Academic High Schools Awards
May 7, 4 to 8 p.m., UFT Middle Schools Awards
May 16, 7:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., UFT Spring Education Conference
June 13, 8:30 a.m., UFT Middle Schools Division 5K Family Walk/Run

Recent Guidance and Agreements

Payroll Administration Memorandum: Tax Changes Effective Jan. 1, 2026 (January 2026)
Payroll Administration Memorandum: Commuter Benefits Programs Update (December 2025)
Payroll Administration Memorandum: 2025 Social Security and Medicare Rates (November 2025)
Labor Guidance: Paperwork Standards and Operational Issues (September 2025)
Chancellor's Regulation A-413: Cellphones and Other Electronic Devices in Schools (July 2025)

Contact the UFT

DOE members, call 212‑331‑6311.
DOE functional chapter members, call 212‑331‑6312.
A health benefit question? Call the Welfare Fund at 212‑539‑0500.

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