If you haven't otherwise been informed, the number and type of observations you receive will change once you are tenured. If tenure was granted, you would be assigned a minimum of two informal observations as part of your yearly teacher evaluation instead of three informals and one formal. This would be reflected on your IPC (initial planning conference) preference sheet that you will receive at the beginning of the school year. 

Please note: if you receive tenure after the IPC window closes for the year (usually in late October), then the minimum number of observations would not be reduced until the following school year.

You may reduce your probation by one to two years if you meet the criteria for these scenarios:

Jarema credit: If you worked as a regular substitute under the same license and at the same school level, you can reduce your probationary period by up to two years.

Traveling tenure: If you received tenure in one license area and elected to take an appointment in a new license area, or if you were tenured in another school in New York State, you may be eligible to reduce your tenure by a year.

Records of this work and credits for service should be applied automatically, but it’s in your best interest to double check to make sure you received them.

In addition, if you were appointed and have already received tenure, but later teach under either an ENL, bilingual extension or special education certification, your probationary period will be reduced to one year. Read more »

See the Know Your Rights section of the UFT website for more information about achieving tenure. 

When you are appointed in a new license you begin a new probationary period of up to four years under the new license. Your probationary period can be reduced if you were previously granted tenure with the DOE in another license area or were previously appointed under the license but did not receive tenure. 

If there is an excessing situation in your school while you are still within your probationary period under your new license, you will be considered junior to other employees in the same license who have already completed their probation, regardless of your seniority with the DOE. 

There are exceptions to this rule in light of Memorandums of Agreement that have been negotiated: 

• If you are tenured in a non-shortage area and reappointed under one of the following licenses, you will be eligible for completion of probation after one year and a day: special education, ENL or Bilingual. Read the MOA » 
• Teachers who have an assignment to teach library and who hold valid state certification but who are serving in a non-library license may change their license to library and are only required to serve one year probation. Read the DOE agreement »

Please note: Your longevity with the DOE does not change when you are appointed under a new license. 

Always speak to the educational liaison in your borough before switching your license to understand how this will affect you and that you are following the best procedure.

See more information about tenure »

The primary difference between tenure and completion of probation is that a permanent or professional NYS teaching certificate matching the NYCDOE license must be issued. 

In some cases, members will still be working under an initial or provisional certificate when they have completed the required probationary period, receive the required recommendation by the principal and approval by the superintendent. This person has completed probation but does not have tenure until the professional or permanent certificate has been issued. 

After completion of probation, the member cannot be disciplined or terminated without due process for reasons other than failure to complete the requirements for their professional certificate.

See more information about tenure and members' probationary period. 

Having tenure means you may not be disciplined or terminated without due process. As a tenured teacher, you have the right to a hearing before an independent arbitrator regarding any charges brought against you. These due process rights protect you from being fired for personal, arbitrary or political reasons.

​​​​​​​Under New York State law, appointed teachers achieve tenure after completing a probationary period of usually four years and fulfilling all the requirements for a professional certificate. In New York City, tenure is granted in your license appointment area. Principals determine whether or not to make a tenure recommendation to the district superintendent, who officially grants tenure.

The process for determining whether or not you will get tenure is rigorous, and tenure is not automatic at the end of the probationary period. You must: 1) be recommended for tenure by your principal; 2) be granted tenure by your superintendent; 3) have a record of acceptable service during your probationary period; and 4) be on track to complete all your state certification and city licensing requirements.

Tenure achievement is based on three milestones. Meeting these three milestones makes an individual eligible for tenure, but does not guarantee tenure. Principals will make their recommendation to the superintendent of the district, who will make the final determination. 

Eligibility for tenure is based upon: 

1. Permanent or professional state certification: An individual must be appointed with a NYC license that matches their New York State Education Department (NYSED) permanent or professional certification. The school grade specified on the certification must match the level at which someone is appointed. 
2. Service evaluation: An individual's service throughout the entire probationary period preceding their tenure must demonstrate sustained effective or better performance. The DOE considers multiple measures to assess performance including, but not limited to, overall ratings.​ 
3. Principal recommendation to complete probation: An individual must successfully complete their probationary period, to their principal's satisfaction, before they can be considered for tenure. 

As of the 2023 contract, the DOE will have to provide reasons, in writing, for the need to extend a UFT-represented employee’s probationary period if the employee makes a written request to their supervisor for an explanation. Principals can no longer extend someone’s probation without giving them any clue as to why.

Tenured educators may not be disciplined or terminated without due process and have the right to a hearing before an independent arbitrator regarding any charges brought against them. This due process right protects the employee from being fired for personal, arbitrary or political reasons. 

See more information about tenure »

Traveling tenure may reduce your probationary period. If you received tenure from the DOE in one license area and elect to take an appointment in a new license area, your probationary period will be reduced by one year. If you are eligible, contact your UFT borough office for more information. See the DOE form to apply for a reduction in probation. 

You may receive credit to reduce your probationary time if you worked as a regular substitute or as an appointed teacher in the same license area and same division (i.e., elementary, junior high, high school) in which you are subsequently approved. You can receive up to two years of Jarema Credit. Per diem days do not count toward Jarema Credit. See the DOE's form to apply for a reduction in probationary service .