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Resolution on the New York City budget for Fiscal Year 2023
The UFT will urge the DOE to allocate funding to schools to allow them to restore critical programs and positions eliminated during FY2023, maintain or supplement current staffing levels at schools and to help them reach the smaller class size caps...
Resolution in support of the Writers Guild of America strike
The UFT fully supports the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America West in their decision to call a strike and their ongoing efforts to secure a fair and equitable deal for their members.
UFT statement on the Adams’ administration placing asylum seekers in school gymnasiums
UFT President Michael Mulgrew issued a statement regarding the city's decision to house asylum seekers in New York City public school gymnasiums.
Testimony regarding school policies related to discipline and and suspension and proposed state legislation
UFT President Michael Mulgrew and UFT member Jennifer Rosario, a bilingual social worker covering five Brooklyn high schools, testified on the need for the state to make sure resources reach the schools as part of any changes to state discipline...
Grow into your own
Wherever you are in your life’s journey, the present moment is the best time to reassess what you want, what’s important to you and what you hope to achieve.
UFT Releases Survey Results During Week of Action for a Fair Contract
Educators at hundreds of New York City public schools are holding contract actions today as results from a recent survey is released that show how DOE policies and the lack of educator autonomy stand in the way of teaching and learning.
Resolution in opposition to Governor Hochul's 2023 charter school proposal
The UFT strongly urges the Legislature to oppose the Governor’s proposal to increase the number of charter schools in the city and will continue to fight for fairness and equity for all New York City schools.
Resolution on mobilizing UFT members for action during the week of Earth Day, April 22, 2023
The UFT encourages its members to participate in the National Week of Earth Day Action by organizing creative actions and events in support of green school improvements, the teaching of climate change, environmental justice and sustainability.
Testimony on District 79 and Adult Education
The UFT submitted testimony to the New York City Council Education Committee’s Oversight Hearing on District 79 and Adult Education
Resolutions on NYC Council Endorsements
The UFT announced endorsements of 23 New York City Council candidates in this year's citywide local elections.
Resolution on District Attorney endorsements
The UFT endorses Melinda Katz in her primary for Queens District Attorney, Darcel Clark in her primary election for Bronx District Attorney, and Michael McMahon in his primary election for Staten Island District Attorney.
Daily meditation
Meditation can lower your stress level, reduce anxiety and depression, increase your ability to concentrate and bring a sense of calm and purpose to your life.
Sorangel Acosta, dual language teacher
As a student teacher, Sorangel Acosta was “amazed and mesmerized” that it was possible to respect both languages equally in a dual-language class. She tries to bring that experience to the 3rd-graders in her English/Spanish classroom at PS 280 in...
Strategies to spice up math instruction
I implemented random grouping, whiteboards and low-floor, high-ceiling questions in my 7th-grade math classroom to promote greater engagement. My classroom now is a place of student exploration, collaboration and discussion.
Leading the charge for safe staffing
UFT Vice President Anne Goldman, the head of the Federation of Nurses/UFT, writes that city hospitals are not required to have adequate staffing. The game of health is allowed to proceed knowingly shorthanded, without economic penalty and at risk to...
State budget update
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposal to lift the regional cap on charter schools and put the licenses for defunct charters back into circulation resurfaced in the final weeks of state budget negotiations after former Mayor Bloomberg and other Wall Street...
Back in person in Brooklyn
As the pandemic subsides, the Retired Teachers Chapter’s Brooklyn section, like other sections, is welcoming retired members back for line dancing, crocheting, seed beading and other in-person classes while it continues to offer remote classes, too.
Training her sights on cancer research
Retiree Peggy Keyes establised a model train museum to raise money for pancreatic cancer research in honor of her husband, who died of the disease.
Be ‘guardians of civility’
The RTC Executive Board voted to allow the UFT president and the Aetna health care plan presenters to speak with an extended Q&A period at our March and April meetings, deferring other normal business. Many members who wanted information without...
Building our power through activism
We are at a stronger place as a union than we were a year ago. We are using the muscle of activism. We have engaged our communities in a conversation about what is important to us as a profession. We have used our superpower — the power to educate —...
Restoring workers’ rights in Michigan
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signed legislation to repeal the state’s right-to-work law, making it the first state in nearly 60 years to roll back a law that allows workers to not pay union dues or fees.
State to take over Houston public schools
Sparking anger and dismay among Houston educators and parents, Texas officials have announced a state takeover of the city’s public school district, the eighth-largest in the country.
Taking action in Albany
Persuading lawmakers to oppose the governor’s proposal to substantially increase the number of charter schools operating in New York City topped the agenda for the nearly 900 UFT members and public school parents who traveled to Albany on March 13 to...
LA school support staff win strike demands
Following a three-day strike that shut down the Los Angeles school system, the second largest in the nation, the union representing more than 30,000 teacher’s aides, bus drivers, school cafeteria workers, custodians and other support staff reached a...
Powerful tools for special needs students
Assistive technology can be a game changer for special needs students. The following resources can supplement any assistive technology you may already use in your classroom.
STEM for beginners
A lunchtime LEGO club conceived by two paraprofessionals grows into an award-winning career and technical education STEM program at Fairmont Neighborhood Elementary School in the Bronx.
A revolutionary teaching tool
ChatGPT, a new artificial intelligence tool launched in November 2022, has the potential to be a game-changer for both students and teachers.
Cumulative Absence Reserve
Cumulative Absence Reserve (CAR) is the formal name for the bank of “sick days” earned by UFT-represented employees who work for the city Department of Education (DOE). All full-time, school-based UFT members may earn up to 10 CAR days for the full...
Fighting for lower hospital costs
Union leaders including UFT Vice President for Non-DOE Employees Anne Goldman, spoke in favor of hospital pricing transparency before a hearing on legislation to address the issue.
Para’s allergy alert
A student-friendly book and seminar on food allergies was created by Fatima Straughn, a paraprofessional at MS 45 in the Bronx, as a way to teach young children about the effects of food allergies.
Prep to trim classes
The state's new class-size law designated the 2022-23 school year as a planning year, but there is little evidence the city Department of Education has done any planning to implement it. In fact, the city’s recent budget proposal and co-location...
Don’t defund schools
It is a crucial year for New York City public schools as educators continue to help students recover from pandemic learning loss and isolation while welcoming some 14,000 newly arrived migrant children. But for the second year in a row, Mayor Eric...
‘No debate’ on class sizes
UFT President Michael Mulgrew told the Delegate Assembly on March 15 that, despite Mayor Eric Adams’ comments to the contrary, the city must comply with new class-size requirements that have been funded by the state.
‘Building their brains’
A social worker and an instructional coordinator from the city DOE's Division of Early Childhood Education provide crucial support to 3K and pre-K teachers at PS 7 in East Harlem.
Making educators’ work visible
As part of their fight for a fair contract, educators across the city on March 30 set out to make their heavy workload visible to their school communities and to the city during a citywide grade-in.