Image

Teachers in the UFT survey reported that working conditions for themselves and learning conditions for their students were too often sub-par. Resources were bare-bones or insufficient. They painted a picture of a school system plagued by gaps in curriculum and supplies, instructional technology and support services for students — all issues about which the UFT butted heads with the Bloomberg administration.

ELLs and special needs

More than half (53 percent) of all teachers said English language learners in their schools are not receiving all the services they need, echoing the findings of earlier surveys.

Just over one third, 36 percent, of SETTS and Integrated Co-Teaching special education teachers said their students were not getting all the services they needed. Interestingly, the percentage of general education teachers who thought special needs students in their schools were not being well-served was even higher — 54 percent.

Many teachers questioned how appropriate the new curriculum was for students with disabilities. “While I think my school does a decent job of providing special education services for those who need it,” wrote one special education teacher, “I think more time needs to be dedicated to direct instruction of foundation skills for reading, writing and math before jumping into all the higher-level thinking skills.”

Technology a sore spot

Asked if their schools were wired and supplied with technology, more than one third, 39 percent, said no. Access to computers, Smartboards, robotics and other types of technology was rated exceptionally poor in high schools and grade 6-12 (secondary) schools. Slow Internet speeds plague more than half of elementary schools and half of high schools.

Image

“Electronics is a big issue in my school,” said Francisca Villar, a biology teacher at Health Opportunities HS in the Bronx. “You may have a great lesson but you can’t do it because the [computer] cart is assigned to someone else for the week.”

Lab supplies were another sore point. “Students have a lot of access to good literature; that’s one thing my school does well,” Villar said. “But our lab has nothing.”

Other gaps

Half of the teachers surveyed (54 percent at middle schools and 43 percent at elementary schools) said their schools still did not have the ELA and math curriculum and materials they needed to teach to the Common Core Learning Standards.

A majority of teachers at all levels said their students need more time for art and music, guidance counseling and library use.

In other subject areas, opinions differed by school level. More than three-quarters of middle and high school teachers said their students get enough social studies while less than half of elementary school teachers agreed. Two-thirds of elementary school teachers believe their students need more tutoring time while the majority of middle and high school teachers think their students get enough tutoring. Elementary school teachers said their students have sufficient time for recess but not enough physical education. The majority of middle and high school teachers say their kids get enough physical education.