Read the UFT's 2025 legislative policy recommendations for New York City below or download a PDF of these priorities. 

Protecting our schools

Protecting New York City’s schools is more important than ever as the federal government attacks public education. 

What we're asking

• Fully fund New York City’s schools. 
• Safeguard against harmful executive orders that target our students, particularly our newly arrived and LGBTQ+ students.

Respect for paraprofessionals

Respecting, recruiting, and retaining paraprofessionals in New York City is paramount. Paraprofessionals are the backbone of our public schools. Yet the city cannot hire or retain them due to the unfair practice of pattern bargaining, which shortchanges paraprofessionals. 

What we're asking

• Pass legislation to give paraprofessionals an additional $10,000 or more per year. 
• A UFT petition has gained over 72,000 signatures in support of this legislation. 

With reserves at a record of $8.5 billion, the City has the funding to make this legislation a reality for its dedicated paraprofessionals. 

Class size

The class size law is non-negotiable. New York State has provided funding for the implementation of this law, and that funding cannot be redirected for other purposes. The City is legally and financially responsible for ensuring that schools are in full compliance with the law by 2028.

What we're asking

• Appropriately fund the hundreds of schools that applied for class size funding for the 2025-26 school year. 
• Enact the capital plan so that it creates the new seats we need. 

Fund UFT programs

UFT Teacher Center

The UFT Teacher Center promotes teacher excellence and student achievement through professional learning that addresses the diverse needs of the whole child. 

• 208 Teacher Center coaches embedded in schools across NYC in 2024-25 
• 317,597 participants – educators, principals, and parents – attended Teacher Center seminars in 2023-24 
• 128,861 hours of transformative professional development in 2023-24 
• 99% of participating educators report that the professional learning sessions improved their practice 

What we're asking

$6.5 million from the City Council Speakers Initiative and $4.12 million from the City Council’s Discretionary Funds to: 

• Support students with the highest needs and engage all learners. Support schools in retaining and mentoring new teachers. Support curricula rollout across the city. Keep schools at the forefront of technology. 

United Community Schools

United Community Schools (UCS) is a teacher-inspired nonprofit improving outcomes for over 19,000 families at the 39 community schools it operates across NYC and Albany. 

• Higher test scores 
• Better attendance 
• More credits earned 
• Increased sense of safety 
• 6:1 return on investment 
• 35,716 families fed 
• 25,769 mental health visits 
• 33,823 health, dental, and vision visits

What we're asking

• $5 million to implement and sustain 32 community schools that provide critical support to children and families.

Social emotional learning support

Two proven programs, the Member Assistance Program (MAP) and Positive Learning Collaborative (PLC), are addressing the growing mental health and wellness crisis in NYC through vital support and programming for staff, students, and families. 

What we're asking

• 1,900,000 for the 2025-26 school year, to continue to sustain and expand all these citywide supports.

Progressive Redesign Opportunity Schools for Excellence (PROSE)

PROSE amplifies the voices of educators by enabling them to propose school-level innovations that bolster student excellence. These innovations may include how teachers get hired and evaluated and how students are programmed throughout the day. 

What we're asking

• $300,000 in City Council funds to support schools in continuing these efforts, to expand the program to more school communities around the city, and to facilitate the sharing of best practices between schools around these innovations. 

BRAVE Hotline

UFT’s BRAVE (Building Respect, Acceptance and Voice through Education) hotline allows students, families and educators dealing with bullying to contact our hotline for immediate help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

What we're asking

• $300,000 to help us increase access to this crucial program and to expand the range of services available to our students and families.

Dial-A-Teacher 

Dial-A-Teacher operates Mondays through Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m., offering homework help in nine languages, including Spanish, Mandarin, and Bengali. Last year, the program received over 35,000 calls. 

What we're asking

• $300,000 to increase the number of teachers available to answer calls, continue with technological upgrades and provide staff development that will enhance our ability to service students in the modern educational arena.

Teacher's Choice

We thank you for your ongoing support of this program. Teacher's Choice is a key initiative to ensure teachers and other school staff are reimbursed for the school supplies and materials they purchase for their classrooms and for many of their students in need. 

What we're asking

• Continue the $20 million baseline funding for Teacher’s Choice.

Arts in education 

The arts introduce our students to new ways of thinking and expressing themselves. 

What we're asking

• Support Broadway Bridges in the FY 26 budget so that high school students can see a Broadway show before they graduate. 
• Support arts education in schools.

Commonpoint

Commonpoint is a social services organization that supports the diverse needs of New Yorkers of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. 

What we're asking

• Support Commonpoint’s programs in the FY 26 budget.