May 7, 2026

Important TRS Election Information

Join our Town Hall on the TRS Election

The TRS election is taking place at schools and worksites on Wednesday, May 13. As a chapter leader, you will be an important part of helping the election run smoothly. We are holding a chapter leader town hall about the TRS election on Tuesday, May 12, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. This election is run by the DOE, and we are working to make sure that it will be run properly. We are pushing to get answers to your questions and will let you know as much as possible during the meeting.

Register now

Please note: The date of the May Delegate Assembly has been changed to Wednesday, May 20. You will receive a separate email to register.

Share this election information with your principal

We want to provide you with the guidance that your administration has received in the P-Weekly digest. This document outlines the rules that the TRS election is supposed to follow. This posting on the election is from UFT and CSA leadership. Please show these instructions and letter to your principal and start discussing this process right away. Start alerting your members about the election process as soon as possible.

These are the key points:

• The election will take place at schools/worksites on Wednesday, May 13, at 3 p.m.
• Your school should determine a location where your election will be held.
• Only contributing members of TRS may vote.
• Those who are absent are unable to vote.
• Schools will have to elect an election chairperson and secretary on May 13.
• Three tellers will be appointed at the election to witness the process.
• Members will sign for their paper ballot and deposit it in the ballot box after filling it out.
• Ballots are counted and tallied in public.

Principals may submit questions regarding the election to ElectionTRS [at] schools [dot] nyc [dot] gov (ElectionTRS[at]schools[dot]nyc[dot]gov).

UFT's endorsed candidate is Tom Brown

Let your members know that Tom Brown is the UFT-endorsed candidate in these elections. It is so important that they exercise their right to vote so that they have a voice in who is keeping our pensions secure. Distribute a flyerin mailboxes or digitally so they can make an informed decision.

Tom Brown has spent decades fighting to ensure New York City's educators can retire with peace of mind. You may have gotten to know Tom through his many school visits, pension workshops or his "Secure Your Future" column in the New York Teacher.

With over 42 years of experience as a classroom teacher, pension consultant, UFT assistant treasurer and TRS Board chair, Tom knows what it takes to reliably grow your pensions year after year.

That's why at the February Delegate Assembly, UFT members overwhelmingly voted to endorse Tom Brown as their choice for TRS teacher-member. Make sure you and your members vote on May 13!

We trust Tom!

Learn more about Tom Brown

Expect your second chapter leader stipend in June

By the end of June, you will receive your end-of-year chapter leader stipend in recognition of all the hard work you have done to support your members and strengthen our union this school year. Unlike your base stipend, which was calculated based on the number of members in your chapter, the amount of this second payment will be calculated based on points you earned for performing specific chapter leader tasks throughout the year. See the full list of the ways you can earn stipend points. Points will be tallied after June 1. If you were elected chapter leader after Sept. 30, 2025, your stipend may be prorated.

State budget update

Gov. Kathy Hochul didn't mention Tier 6 in her main press conference this morning, but this just means a deal hasn't been reached yet. New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie stated that negotiations are ongoing. Meanwhile, state lawmakers have passed another budget extender until May 11. Our work also continues and we will keep pushing for this budget to include significant Tier 6 reform.

This delay impacts more than just answers on Tier 6:

• The paraprofessional RESPECT check - The state budget delay affects the city budget, and currently the city is not advancing any proposals until the state budget has been adopted. City Council Speaker Julie Menin said at our UFT legislative breakfast on April 23 that the council is committed to passing the RESPECT check bill.
• Class size funding - The city has not released school budgets or class size funding amounts yet due to the state budget delay. Schools should expect to receive the amounts that they applied for in December, unless principals were notified otherwise. We are hopeful both will be released shortly after the state budget is finalized.

We continue to push for both our state and city priorities to be included in the final budgets.