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 fiveyear 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 BERS members win lower contribution rates

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

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.

UFT District 79 Representative Patricia Crispino (left), standing next to NYSUT Executive Vice President Jaime Ciffone, receives top honors as the Sandy Feldman Outstanding Leadership Award-winner at the NYSUT RA.

News Stories

Girding up for the good fight

UFT District 79 Representative  Patricia Crispino was among UFT members honored during this year's NYSUT RA. Crispino took home top honors as the year's Sandy Feldman Outstanding Leadership Award winner.

Feature Stories

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

Unafraid to speak up and speak out

The special education complaint process is how UFT members can alert their union about special education compliance violations at their schools. It’s a powerful tool to safeguard students’ welfare as well as members’ workplace rights. Read the accounts of two UFT members who succeeded in resolving issues using the process:Lake Zebrowski, social studies teacher and UFT chapter leader at South Bronx Preparatory

Special education teachers were being used as emergency substitute teachers. I talked about it in consultation twice and nothing was done. I filed the special education complaint, and it immediately stopped.

That success emboldened me. The same year, we had an integrated co-teaching class where 26 out of 27 students had IEPs. When you have an inappropriately high concentration of students with behavioral and focus issues, without proper staffing, it’s difficult to teach correctly. The students aren’t getting the attention…

(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.

Talented triple threat

A team of three co-teachers at Harlem's Urban Assembly School for Global Commerce use their diverse teaching talents to help their students make huge leaps in ELA and ENL, earning them an Excellence in Education Award at this year's UFT Academic High School Awards.

Member Spotlight

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

Nurse Recognition Day

Strength, resilience, solidarity, advocacy, leadership, dedication, compassion and an unwavering commitment to excellence—these were among the qualities celebrated at the Federation of Nurses/UFT’s annual Nurse Recognition Awards. The celebration, held May 14 at UFT headquarters, commemorated National Nurses Month and brought together about 300 members and their guests to honor 25 nurses whose colleagues nominated them for going “beyond the call of duty,”

Men in Education conference

About 85 parents, educators and community members explored topics like healthy masculinity, implicit bias and relationship skills at the UFT’s Men in Education conference.

School Nurses Appreciation Dinner

The UFT School Nurses Chapter recognized members' critical work on National School Nurse Day at the chapter’s annual School Nurses Appreciation Dinner, held at UFT headquarters on May 6.

Students of NYC celebration

Over 100 students, family members and educators gathered in Shanker Hall on May 21 to celebrate Students of NYC, a UFT social media initiative highlighting the stories of middle and high school students.

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.  

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 healthcare 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 ensue 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 othe 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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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 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 Second Act

Giving the gift of happiness in retirement

Each week, as she volunteers in the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center gift shop on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, retired teacher Felicia Pecoraro looks across the street toward the window of the room at New York Weill Cornell Center where her best friend, Fay, lost her battle with cancer.

“I look out that window, the gift shop window, every time I’m there, and I say, ‘Hey, Fay, here I am,’” Pecoraro said of her lifelong friend who grew up in the same Williamsburg, Brooklyn, neighborhood as Pecoraro and, like her, stayed in the neighborhood as an adult. Their mothers even hailed from the same village in Italy.

Three years ago, Pecoraro traveled to Weill Cornell every day for seven weeks to keep Fay company. On breaks, she would wander across the street to Memorial Sloan Kettering and convince the security guards to let her visit the gift shop to buy an iced coffee. She would also purchase small gifts for Fay…

Former UFT Vice President for Career and Technical Education Sterling Roberson (right) received the Retiree of the Year Award during the May 1–2 convening of the Representative Assembly of NYSUT, the UFT’s state affiliate.

RTC Information

Former UFT VP Roberson honored

Former UFT Vice President for Career and Technical Education Sterling Roberson received the Retiree of the Year Award at the Representative Assembly of NYSUT, the UFT's statewide affiliate.

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. 