The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program will temporarily become easier to access for teachers and other public servants, the Biden administration announced on Oct. 6. The federal Education Department estimates that more than 550,000 borrowers, in total, will move closer to forgiveness.

California will become the first state in the U.S. to require public and private school students receiving in-person instruction to get vaccinated against COVID-19, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Oct. 1, once the FDA gives full approval for COVID vaccines for school-age children.

Dial-A-Teacher, the UFT’s homework help line that offers K–12 students free assistance from city Department of Education teachers in all school subjects in seven languages, is back for its 41st year.

The UFT is backing Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams for mayor and other candidates for citywide and borough offices and City Council in the Nov. 2 general election in New York City.

The UFT has forged a partnership with CUNY’s School of Labor and Urban Studies and Monroe College to provide affordable professional learning opportunities for mid-career teachers seeking credits towards their 30-plus differential.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew discussed partial classroom closures, the 3-foot rule and other topics at the October 2021 Delegate Assembly.