Excessing is the process of reducing staff in a particular school or office 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...

The Department of Education and the United Federation of Teachers recognize that lesson plans are a professional responsibility.

The worst thing we can do as teachers is to ignore what has happened the past year. How can you start the school year in a way that acknowledges the trauma of the pandemic and sets students up for success as we move forward?

A UFT school chapter in Queens stood up to — and stood together against — a hostile principal and won.

A member of the UFT's Teachers Assigned Chapter, Lindsey “Desi” Desmond provides targeted support to teachers and administrators who work with the city’s youngest students.

Educators need the summer months to rest and recharge. But it’s also a good idea to fit in a few books about teaching when you have the time and mental space to absorb new information and reflect on your practice.

The new retreat room at PS 146 in Howard Beach, Queens, has brightly painted walls, fluffy rugs and soft pillows and is a comfortable safe space, alternative learning environment, relaxation and de-escalation area, and club room for students in the...

UFT Vice President of Elementary Education Karen Alford urges members to welcome and offer their support to the 6,600 new educators hired this fall to bring more classes under the new class size limits that the union fought so hard to secure.

UFT Vice President for Education Mary Vaccaro writes that the DOE will require the use of one of three evidence-based literacy programs grounded in phonics in all elementary schools by September 2024. The UFT Teacher Center is committed to doing...

Fixing Tier 6, providing adequate funding for public schools, banning cell phones in school and supporting union programs such as the UFT Teacher Center were the focus as about 1,000 educators and parents traveled to Albany for UFT Lobby Day on March...

No matter where you are in your career, the UFT is committed to helping you learn and grow. Learn about the hundreds of high-quality courses and workshops the union offers throughout the year.

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

The American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer fundraising walks in all five boroughs and on Long Island were canceled last year due to the pandemic, and UFT members showed their support through virtual events. This year, members...

Museum School Chapter Leader Ramona Abraham-Coley successfully used the school-based option process in the DOE-UFT contract to organize her members and arrive at a new staff schedule for this school year that works for both her members and the...

All eyes were on the purple state of Georgia in December as U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Democrat, faced — and defeated — former pro football player Herschel Walker in a runoff election, with campaign help from retired UFT members.

Christina McGrath received 69% of the online vote to win the election for TRS trustee. However, since the DOE decided to conduct an electronic election for the position on May 8-9 instead of the paper balloting called for in the election bylaws, an...

Former Brooklyn elementary school teacher Andy Pallotta, who led the New York State United Teachers for six years, stepped down as union president at the annual Representative Assembly in Albany in April, while the convention honored UFT members with...

Membership in the UFT means never having to figure it out all alone, with union support and resources across the spectrum of financial, physical and mental wellness. Here is a list of resources available to UFT members.

As early as March 2020, headlines warned of the “learning loss” that students would experience as a result of disrupted and remote schooling. But that phrase misclassifies the real issue and obscures how teachers can best support their students.

A school health and safety plan proposed by the United Federation of Teachers continues to draw broad support from civic leaders. The UFT's position is unless all safeguards are in place, a school cannot open.

Ten students from P396 K, a District 75 school in Brownsville, Brooklyn, read books they wrote during a Zoom presentation on Feb. 11, as part of an evening with the Sid Miller Academy Authors, a program begun during the pandemic to foster literacy...

Sometimes, informal assessments can be more meaningful and less anxiety-provoking than traditional tests for students. Three informal assessments I use in my high school chemistry classes are 10-Point Bingo, a whiteboard activity and “I Can”...

In the four years since the introduction of A+ credits as part of the 2018 DOE-UFT contract, the course offerings have expanded for teachers working toward their MA+30 salary differential.

With New York City facing a chronic shortage of bilingual special education teachers, the UFT was able to negotiate a new incentive program to encourage tenured special education teachers with a bilingual extension to combine those two specialties.

Miriam Krinick, who turned 100 in November, was honored on Nov. 1 at Brooklyn’s PS 108, where she taught for 18 years, at the unveiling of a Little Yellow Library, a charitable donation to the school from the Kendra Scott Foundation.

Research shows a positive impact on students when teachers and families are able to work together effectively. Here are UFT Teacher Center tips and strategies to establish a solid relationship between home and school.

About 500 new UFT members had the chance to see “How to Dance in Ohio” at Teachers Night on Broadway on Feb. 1. “It was complete joy,” said UFT Vice President Karen Alford, who leads the union’s new member initiative. “The show spoke to all of us as...

Officially known as the second differential (C6 + PD), most members achieve the salary differential with the highest pay scale by taking 30 course credits beyond their bachelor’s and master’s degrees. But a lesser-known path to the top differential...

By accumulating college credits, paraprofessionals can significantly increase their pay. Whether your career path as a paraprofessional leads you to earn a bachelor’s degree or to earn a master’s degree and become a certified teacher, several UFT...

Since February 2022, the New York State Education Department has changed the requirements for a number of different state certifications. Read the following Q&A for the details.

The Progressive Redesign Opportunity Schools for Excellence (PROSE) program, which affords schools the freedom to experiment and innovate, is marking its 10th anniversary this school year. Nearly 300 teachers, chapter leaders and principals from the...

UFT President Michael Mulgrew says reducing class size and paperwork are the keys to moving the public schools forward.

Forty art educators representing all five boroughs had their work on display in January at El Barrio's Artspace PS 109 in East Harlem at the first New York City Art Teachers Association exhibit since the pandemic began.

A total of 67 UFT members have their work on display at the Museum of Modern Art. The exhibition, titled “The Art of the Educator,” is the result of a partnership between the museum and the New York City Art Teachers Association/UFT.

Sound homework policy should meaningfully support learning with overwhelming students or teachers. Veteran educators share their strategies for creating homework that’s worthwhile and effective in the age of artificial intelligence



The Bronx plan in the proposed DOE-UFT contract to help schools that face the most challenges will be open to up to 120 schools, not just in the Bronx. These schools will receive additional funds and strategic support to better address the needs of...