Course registration and credit card processing is completed immediately. The time it takes for the charge to show up on your credit card is generally 1-3 days, dependent on the policies of your credit card/merchant bank. Each college has different...

You may be interested in an alternative teacher certification program specifically designed for career changers. While you must meet all coursework and other requirements, these programs offer a time-shortened, intensive preparation program operated...

A Staten Island paraprofessional presses for passage of the "RESPECT" check, reminding the public that she and her colleagues are as deserving as any of greater compensation.

To become a full-time paraprofessional for the New York City Department of Education (DOE), you must first become a substitute paraprofessional, and serve at least 25 days in that role. You must also have the New York State Teaching Assistant...

A leave may be denied because of incomplete medical documentation, not meeting eligibility requirements, not providing timely notice of the need for a leave, the health condition is not sufficiently serious, or a leave is determined not to be...

The UFT Delegate Assembly authorizes the union's Executive Board to consider, make or modify political endorsements during the summer in order to have a timely impact on any such campaigns.

Services include but are not limited to: immediate access to a full-time social worker to assess the health and wellness needs of the caller, on-going support from the helpline social worker, assistance with planning a leave of absence, health...

Your pension is based on a complex formula that includes such factors as your date of appointment, your years of service, your age at retirement and your final average salary. You are entitled to an individual preliminary pension consultation any...

We strive to have all applications processed as soon after the date of retirement as possible, but due to a high volume of applicants, please allow for up to one week's processing time. You will receive a welcome packet once your SHIP enrollment is...

It’s unclear whether the pharmaceutical corporations like being called Big Pharma. Nicknames for monopolies, such as Ma Bell for AT&T, were comforting in an earth mother sort of a way. But in senior circles, Big Pharma is uttered with contempt.

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.

When we as teachers take the time to get to know our students' needs, interests and values, we create a learning environment that is more meaningful and relevant to their lives.

George Altomare, a founder of the UFT who led with insight, devotion and a great deal of heart, died on Aug. 20, at age 92 after a long illness. He loved teaching and dedicated his life to improving public school education for New York City students...

Retired special education teacher Patricia Garone took her athleticism to a whole new level after she retired in 2016 at age 59. Since then, she has completed eight Half Ironman triathlons, two Full Ironman triathlons and dozens of other races.

Every Friday after school at PS 340 in the Kingsbridge Heights section of the Bronx, 20 students march into the school cafeteria and prepare to attack each other with swords. They are participants in the school’s first-ever fencing club, launched in...

Online forms of classroom assessments can be huge timesavers for educators by providing quick data, instantly compiling student answers and even reducing the amount of grading.

Ira Faber, coordinator of the Retired Teachers Chapter's Suffolk section on Long Island, has seen an uptick in attendance at Si Beagle courses since they became virtual during the pandemic.

CookShop, the federally funded nutrition education program of the Food Bank For New York City, helps children, teens and adults develop the nutrition knowledge and cooking skills to make healthy food choices on a limited budget, and fosters...

As a school counselor, I recommend that classroom teachers do these four things to support students in their social-emotional growth. 


Paraprofessionals play an instrumental role in schools as part of a team providing educational and support services to children. Here are some of the rights and responsibilities that paraprofessionals should know about.


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.

For the first time since the pandemic began, retirees in September had the option of attending the RTC general membership meeting in person at UFT headquarters and are easing back into in-person events while keeping Zoom options open.

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.

“Twenty eyes are better than two” is a refrain that swim team members at John Adams HS in Queens hear from their coach, physical education teacher Alex Navarrete, encouraging them to watch out for one another’s safety. They found out how true it is...

A school counselor and social worker at IS 206 in the Bronx developed an innovative way to address their students' social-emotional needs following the pandemic: a student lounge complete with music, games and items meant to encourage socialization...

Here's what you need to know about making extra income after retirement from the New York City DOE.

Maria Dela Cruz and her fellow math teachers at Newtown High School in Queens fuel their students' interest in the subject by participating in a national math competition whose live and virtual aspects pique students' desire to go all out to best...

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


Retired teacher David Ginsberg brings "hope to anyone and everyone" in his Asheville, North Carolina, community with the help of Chula, the 2-1/2-year-old dog he has trained since she was a puppy to be a therapy dog. The trainer and his dog are...

If you’re dreaming of a summer getaway, now’s the time to go! Whether you travel near or far, you’ll benefit in many ways from a change of scenery and change of pace. What matters most is getting a break from your usual routine by seeing and...

Learn how to enroll and update your information.

Make no mistake, the escalating cost of health care is a national issue that requires federal intervention. But in the meantime, we must figure out a way to stabilize the cost of our own health benefits so we can avoid premiums for at least the next...

Active status is defined as being on any one of the following: on payroll, using CAR days or sick time, on an annual leave, on a paid leave, on Parental Leave on an unpaid leave for a pregnancy-related condition on an unpaid leave due to a medically...

When you return from a leave of absence, in most cases you return to your school or worksite. In some cases, you may be excessed while on a leave, if you were the least senior person in your license area and your school experienced a drop in...