Educators who are serving or who have served in the U.S. military qualify for special leaves of absence and may be eligible for special benefits

October 17, 2007 Randi Weingarten President United Federation of Teachers 52 Broadway – 14th Floor New York, NY 10004 Dear Ms. Weingarten: This letter will confirm certain mutual understandings and agreements of the parties. The parties agree to...

The UFT is backing Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams for mayor and other candidates for citywide and borough offices and City Council in the Nov. 2 general election in New York City.

A literacy initiative that focuses on getting students reading on grade level by 3rd grade is the top priority of the city’s Academic Recovery Plan unveiled on July 8 by Mayor Bill de Blasio. The plan details exactly how the city will spend $630...

In an effort to support and boost attendance, a new six-month pilot program and partnership between the UFT's United Community Schools and Clean Rite laundromats will give students and their families at five schools in four boroughs easy access to...

The UFT fought alongside our state affiliate, NYSUT, for amendments to some of the state regulations that govern certification so that educators are not penalized by the interruptions caused by the pandemic.

Retired elementary school teacher Loretta Nardone never outgrew her childhood love of dolls. Instead, she took her collection of dolls from around the world into her classrooms, where she incorporated them into lessons about different cultures and...

Strategies such as journaling, reader’s notes and social-emotional prompts can help students make the leap to making inferences from the fiction and non-fiction they read.

I have developed five simple strategies for building genuine and affectionate relationships with my students quickly and efficiently early in the school year.

A weekly Proofreading Puzzle gives you another opportunity to check in with your students, makes learning visible and develops some of the same skills needed for close reading.

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s plan to lift the state’s charter school cap is out of step with the wishes of state residents. A new poll of registered New York voters found that 79% oppose plans to increase the number of charter schools in New York City and...

A coalition of parents and teachers at PS 28 in the Mount Hope section of the Bronx, drawing on the expertise of UFT organizer Betty Zohar, formed in December to prod the police and local officials to clean up the school's entrance, where drug users...

October 17, 2007 Randi Weingarten President United Federation of Teachers 52 Broadway – 14th Floor New York, NY 10004 Dear Ms. Weingarten: This letter will confirm certain mutual understandings and agreements of the parties. The parties agree to...

Randi Weingarten President United Federation of Teachers 52 Broadway – 14th Floor New York, NY 10004 Dear Ms. Weingarten: This letter will confirm certain mutual understandings and agreements of the parties. The parties agree to jointly support...

The DOE’s failure to adequately staff our schools is unacceptable. We have long known that our related service providers were stretched thin, but the numbers from the survey show how untenable the DOE has let the situation become.

If you are planning to create lesson plans related to the DOE's Climate Action Days or want to integrate the topic of climate change more regularly in your classroom, there are many high-quality materials online. 


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.

There is a room at IS 391 in the Bronx with color-changing lights, soft bean-bag chairs, a gurgling fountain, books and fidget toys.
“We needed a calming place where students could come for counseling, and students and staff could just sit and self...

The federal threats to collective bargaining, Social Security, health care and education funding loomed large at the 53rd annual New York State United Teachers Representative Assembly in Rochester in early May.

UFT members can save money by taking advantage of these discounts on merchandise and services that the union has negotiated on their behalf.


UFT retirees have access to a broad array of social, educational, legal and economic services through the Retired Teachers Chapter.

In July, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced a plan to import the worst part of Medicare Advantage — prior authorizations — into traditional Medicare. Prior authorization requirements will be established for certain traditional...

Every election is important, but one could argue that the general election on Nov. 5 is the single most important election in our lifetime. As union members and public school educators, we have a clear choice: Kamala Harris.
We are also supporting...

Retired special education teacher Hope Kirsch has turned her educational knowhow into a rewarding second act as a lauded special education attorney post retirement.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew delivered testimony before the New York State Senate & Assembly Committees on Finance, Ways & Means and Education regarding the proposed FY25 Executive Budget.

In spite of the challenges presented by COVID-19, the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) has recognized more than 180 students from New York City’s public high schools and presented each with a $5,000 Albert Shanker college scholarship.

Teachers often go above and beyond for their students, but for Seanelle LeeSang, a teacher at IS 68 in Brooklyn, teaching is an opportunity to go the extra mile for the planet, too.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew submitted testimony before the New York City Council Education Committee’s oversight hearing on remote learning failures in New York City public schools.

When I was a high school student, nothing pleased me more than sitting down with a blank planner, color-coding my class assignments and creating a detailed to-do list of tasks I could check off as I completed them.

Enhanced student achievement, based upon high standards and expectations, must be the driving force behind every activity of New York City public schools. To accomplish this, we must reinvent schools so that decision-making is shared by those closest...

Two factors have contributed to the increase in bullying in recent years: the pervasiveness of social media and lingering stress from the pandemic. But no matter the reason, the surge has prompted educators to address the issue more urgently. 


The class trip for 1st-graders at PS 234 in Manhattan to Battery Urban Farm in lower Manhattan was a feast for the senses. The Battery Conservancy created Battery Urban Farm to teach students, residents and visitors about sustainable farming and...

"Pete the Cat" author Eric Litwin led early childhood educators in a merry dance as they practiced how to engage the city's youngest learners in a love for reading during the 16th annual Early Childhood Conference held at the UFT headquarters.

Approximately 30% of New York City schools don’t have libraries, and there are only 250 certified school librarians throughout a system with more than 1,800 schools. School libraries are needed more than ever.

The historical curiosity of 1st-graders at Manhattan's PS 4 is sparked when co-teachers Lizette Lantigua and Yomayra Gomez take them on a class trip to the 260-year-old Morris-Jumel Mansion, Manhattan's oldest surviving residence.