There are times when a school reduces the size of its faculty, such as when it experiences an unexpected drop in student enrollment, loses a budget line or pursuant to state or federal law, is being closed, or phased out. Excessing is the process of reducing staff in a particular school when the number of available positions in a title or license area in that school is lower than the number of people in the school who require an assignment in that title or license area. It usually occurs in June in preparation for the next school year or in January in preparation for the next term. According to the UFT/DOE contract, you must be informed in writing by June 15 if you will be in excess for the next school year, but it is still possible to be excessed after that date due to changes in enrollment or the budget.
When a teacher is notified that she is in excess, she must register on the Open Market System for purposes of providing updated contact information. She will also have access to a list of current vacancies throughout the city and the right to apply to any or all of them in her license area.
The DOE has decided that, effective summer of 2021, they will no longer place newly excessed staff in the Absent Teacher Reserve (ATR) pool. Instead, the DOE says, “Superintendents, executive superintendents (or a designee) and Borough Central Office staff will find funded vacancies within their district for all newly excessed staff who have not found a job though Open Market in preparation for the upcoming school year.” So, if a staff member does not find a position via Open Market, they will be placed in a school in their district. The person will remain there until they transfer or leave the system.