New York TeacherJune 18, 2026

Volume LXVII, Number 6

Sustained activism by UFT members resulted in major reform to Tier 6 of the state’s pension system — a five-year drop, from 63 to 58, in the age Tier 6 members can retire without penalty after 30 years of service. The fight is not over — the union is committed to additional age and pension contribution reforms — but members working in solidarity made a big fix happen for Tier 6.

Cover Story

A big fix for Tier 6

Months of fierce activism by UFT members to fix Tier 6 paid off big-time, with state lawmakers dropping to 58, from 63, the age at which members enrolled in the New York City Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) can retire without penalty with 30 years of service.

The five-year drop marks the latest reform to improve the pension system for current and future employees.

“Albany heard us and took a major step in correcting the injustice of Tier 6,” UFT President Michael Mulgrew said of the tier implemented 14 years ago under then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, which reduced benefits and increased the retirement age to 63 for new employees. “It shows that progress is…

Latest News

News Stories

Members win right to organize freely

UFT members at PS 35 in Hollis, Queens, won a hard-fought arbitration decision against a principal engaging in union animus. The decision confirms members’ rights to conduct union activity without interference or retaliation.

News Stories

UFT vows to light a fire under DOE

The UFT has struck a deal with the city Department of Education to have some teachers compensated as much as $9,500 due to delayed compliance with state class size law mandates.

Feature Stories

The quick actions of (from left) teachers Carolyn Sullivan and Eva Cerverizzo and school social worker Shirley Gavidia of Staten Island’s PS 10 saved the life of a 2nd-grader.

SI educators save 2nd-grader’s life

Educators faithfully complete their CPR and emergency response training to ensure they’re ready to handle any kind of emergency in the classroom — and then hope they’ll never need to deploy those skills in a real crisis.

But school social worker Shirley Gavidia and 2nd-grade teachers Eva Cerverizzo and Carolyn Sullivan of PS 10 on Staten Island found themselves having to do exactly that earlier this school year.

Gavidia was in her office, across the hall from the 2nd-grade classroom, and Cerverizzo was in the hall testing a student when they heard Sullivan calling for help: A student had stopped…

(Front row, from left) Teachers Janine Treglia and Jen Fabrizio lead colleagues on a lunchtime walk.

Making moves to boost mood

Whether it's creating a dance troupe of educators at JHS 157 in Rego Park, Queens, or a walking club at PS 4 on Staten Island, teachers are creating opportunities for joy and self-care for themselves and their colleagues.

Lake Zebrowski, social studies teacher and UFT chapter leader at South Bronx Preparatory

Unafraid to speak up and speak out

UFT members share first-person accounts recounting their success resolving issues through the special education complaint process. The process is a powerful tool to safeguard students' welfare as well as members' workplace rights and members should not be afraid to employ it.

Member Spotlight

What I Do

Michelle Pérez

Michelle Pérez, a bilingual school social worker, discusses the challenges and rewards of her work in New York City schools connecting families with school-based and community resources and providing crisis intervention and at-risk counseling for students.

Chapter Leader Shoutout

Shaudé Tyson, PS 262, Brooklyn

Chapter Leader Shaudé Tyson knows that developing and retaining excellent educators is a must if students are to succeed. That’s why, besides her work as the chapter leader her Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, school Tyson focuses much of her energies on mentoring new teachers despite an incredibly full plate of union roles.

Around the UFT

Cool connections

The UFT’s New Member Initiative and Member Assistance Program welcomed new educators this school year with activity-based events in all five boroughs to foster fun, community and learning.  

UFT members cheer the speakers at the union’s annual spring gathering of educators.

Keepers of the dream

UFT President Michael Mulgrew reminded the more than 1,100 educators at this year's Spring Education Conference that they are the protectors of students' hopes and dreams as he praised members' tenacity in rallying them to continue standing up to ongoing threats to public education.

Bridging the retirement gap

UFT members enjoy robust retirement benefits, often the envy of workers outside the union's ranks. Union leaders urged members at its second Pension Expo to support efforts to guarantee such benefits for all U.S. workers.

School Secretaries Awards Soiree

More than 250 guests gathered in Shanker as the UFT School Secretaries Chapter honored 25 school secretaries at its annual Awards Soiree.

National Speech-Language-Hearing Month Celebration

Some 200 members and guests gathered as the UFT Speech Improvement Chapter hosted its 20th annual celebration of National Speech-Language-Hearing Month.  Award-winning topics and projects, including those that raised awareness about cerebral palsy, utilized augmentative and alternative communication devices and described strategies to address selective mutism.

Your Rights and Benefits

Know Your Benefits

Two men shaking hands across a desk after signing a document. There are papers and a gavel on the desk

Legal Services Plan

Learn all the ways UFT members benefit from the UFT Legal Services Plan, which provides trusted legal help exclusively for UFT members.  

Know Your Rights

Excused absences

Find out about excused absences — occasions aside from personal illness — when UFT members (teachers, appointed pedagogues and other titles, such as paraprofessionals) are entitled to be absent from work but still get paid without using their CAR, or sick bank.

Your Well-being

Cultivating joy

Find out how to cultivate joy on a daily basis and create an antidote to feeling miserable.

You Should Know

Grants, Awards & Freebies

Grants, Awards & Freebies

See our list of current opportunities for educators to receive funds and recognition for their hard work and dedication.

For Your Information

UFT offices open this summer

The UFT offices will be open this summer on a modified schedule.

For Your Information

June 23 is primary day

Primary Election Day is June 23. Find out what you need to know before casting your vote.

Q&A on the Issues

UFT Welfare Fund health care programs

The UFT offers several health initiatives that provide members with access to medical experts, concierge services for personalized care and best-in-class treatment options. Read our FAQ to learn more about three UFT Welfare Fund health care programs: Health and Cancer Helpline, MSK Direct and HSS Perform. 

Secure Your Future

Designating your beneficiaries

Why it's important to designate beneficiaries, keep your beneficiary designations current after life-changing events and ensure the latest contact information for your beneficiaries is on file with your pension system. 

Opinions

President's Perspective

Together, we win — on Tier 6 and more

UFT President Michael Mulgrew lauds the member engagement that resulted in bringing Tier 6 more closely in line with New York State's other pension tiers. He exhorts members to enjoy the summer and then to continue the momentum built around Tier 6 in September when new battles loom.

VPerspective

Powering success with CTE programming

For New York City’s approximately 1 million public school students, a strong CTE program is a sure pathway to economic stability. But for too long, our CTE programs were treated like a backup plan, the place kids were sent when someone decided college wasn’t for them. That was wrong then and it’s wrong now, and the UFT is working hard to change that narrative.

Editorials

Put ICE on ice

Teachers and students should be able to focus on learning, rather than on whether ICE agents are stationed nearby looking for parents and caregivers. The UFT calls on the city and Department of Education to update its policies and protocols regarding interactions with non-local law enforcement and expand support and resources for English language learners and immigrant families.

Editorials

Take play seriously

Preserving opportunities for play and experiential learning in early childhood and elementary education is not a departure from academic excellence; it is an investment in the well-rounded development and long-term success of every child.

Opinion

Smaller classes, bigger successes

Smaller classes mean teachers spend less time correcting behavior while having more time to help students learn. Fewer students in class = more success stories.

Opinion

Kudos to PS 35 grievance heroes

Congratulations to PS 35 in Queens. This is union power. Thank you for fighting to uphold our contractual rights. We all should be proud of the staff of PS 35, their chapter leader, their district representative, the UFT Grievance Department, the UFT attorneys and all the behind-the-scenes staff members at the UFT who helped make this victory possible.

Comments

Teaching Resources

Learning Curve

Teacher holding book standing with students at desk following along the book and taking notes

The big lessons of smaller class sizes

Three teachers in Queens — the New York City borough with the most overcrowded classrooms — drive home the benefits of the state's class size law, which mandates smaller numbers of students per class, by sharing their experiences from the front lines.

Linking to Learning

Give your pedagogy a lift with podcasts

There are great podcasts, many made for educators by educators, that discuss relevant issues, share solutions and foster community. Get some inspiration through your headphones and take a listen to one of the teacher-friendly podcasts provided in this guide. 

Teacher to Teacher

Help students learn naturally all summer

6th-grade teacher Ruth Duran shares tips for educators about how to make summer learning for students feel less like homework by engaging them in activities that tap into their creative sides and activities they genuinely enjoy.

Building Your Career

Inside My Classroom

Exploring colors and fine motor skills

A cluster teacher at PS 372, The Children’s School, in Brooklyn, shows off the LEGO wall he's built in his classroom to support the educational needs of his District 75 students.

New Teacher Articles

Students in classroom looking at a monitor

Check out these summer PD opportunities

Learn all about the UFT's offerings this summer of high-quality, affordable classes to help educators earn CTLE credits and/or A+ or P credits.  

New Teacher Profiles

Finding diverse pathways to success

Second-year teacher Taylor Rettig of IS 93 in Ridgewood, Queens, has found pedagogical success by building inclusive curricular units for her 6th grade ENL science students. Her tactics encourage students of all language proficiencies to participate in class discussions.

Retired Teachers News

RTC Chapter Leader Column

Looking back on a year of results

Many things come to mind as I take stock of the past year in the RTC. On a nuts-and-bolts level, I’m pleased that our meetings are becoming smoother and better structured. Experience definitely helps: I feel more comfortable running these sessions, which rely on the coordination of many people. We couldn’t do it without our chapter volunteers and the professional staff of the UFT. Thank you, all!

I love our meetings — especially the debate and that any member can put a motion on the floor. I am constantly struck by the diversity of our opinions. It can be messy, as democracy often is, but it’s never boring.

We have navigated significant changes to our health plan for pre-Medicare retirees and to our prescription drug plans for all retirees. On balance, the NYCE PPO plan remains a net positive for our pre-Medicare members. The New York metropolitan area provider network has remained robust — even expanding in certain areas — while out-of-state pre…

Fraudsters often prey on adults over 60, targeting their savings and counting on a lack of computer savvy.

RTC Service

Staying clear of fraudsters

Scam artists and fraudsters often prey on adults over 60, targeting their savings and good credit. UFT retirees learned tips from the city's Department of Aging to avoid being victimized.

RTC Second Act

Giving the gift of happiness in retirement

Retired teacher Felicia Pecoraro of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, has turned personal heartache into a mission to give back and bring a bit of happiness to others as a volunteer at the gift shop at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. 