We begin the lesson, a short story by Edgar Allen Poe. It is September 11, a Tuesday, 8:45 a.m., the sky is clear and blue, the air crisp and clean, a stellar September morning by all accounts. As we read on, I stand at my desk, textbook in hand...

My third graders were working on a writing project when the classroom phone rang. The office said to pack up one of my students because she was going home. I no sooner got her packed up when the phone rang again and two more students were going home...

September 11, 2001 marked my third day of teaching in a public school. In the beginning days of school, there were many announcements being made over the intercom reminding teachers to begin their lessons, to bring down attendance, and to say goodbye...

I was presenting a library orientation lesson to a 2nd grade class, when another teacher came in and asked me to turn on the TV because "something terrible was happening in Manhattan." I turned on the TV and turned it away from the class and watched...

UFT members work every day to make a difference in people's lives. On September 11, 2001, in the face of horror and uncertainty, we were there to make a crucial and, in many cases, a life-saving difference. Teachers, nurses, school counselors...

Each year, the UFT recognizes outstanding paraprofessionals who have made contributions to their school, their community and their union. Please use the link below to nominate a full-time paraprofessional for this award. The nomination deadline is...

More than a thousand UFT members and their families marched up Fifth Avenue in the annual Labor Day Parade, and then gathered for food and games at a barbecue at the Robert F. Wagner Middle School on the Upper East Side.

Forgot your UFT.org password? Click the login link at the top of the page and click on Forgot Password. An email will be sent to you with a link. Login into your personal email account (i.e., Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) Click the link to reset your password...

Make sure you can receive UFT.org email messages. Receiving and opening an email message from UFT.org is an important part of the sign-up and password-reset processes. If you're not receiving emails from us, it's possible that your email host is...

Kids are kids, whether the calendar says 1890, 1910 or 2019.

So when 4th-graders from Brooklyn’s PS 10 took the “Sweatshop Workers” tour at the Tenement Museum on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, it’s no wonder they were fascinated to learn about the immigrant children who had lived there.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew joined Mayor Bill de Blasio, Chancellor Richard Carranza and a classroom full of students for an algebra lesson at Bronx Leadership Academy II on Sept. 5, the first day of the new school year.

New York City parents can now protect their personal information from charter schools seeking to poach children from the public schools they attend.

It was the first day of school for 1.1 million children and their educators and families across New York City on Sept. 5, 2019.

The UFT is welcoming students and teachers back to New York City’s public school this fall with a radio campaign highlighting recent public school successes.

A downpour couldn't stop UFT members from dancing at the West Indian Day Parade in Brooklyn on Monday, Sept. 2, 2019.

Teachers must be given sufficient time to prepare their classrooms, which is usually at least half a day.

For teachers and paraprofessionals, the first two workdays before students return are both 6 hours and 50 minutes long. For other titles, Tuesday follows regular work hours and Wednesday is six hours and 50 minutes.

Items purchased under Teacher’s Choice must be appropriate for educational use in the classroom or for other professional assignments, such as art materials, special paper, learning aids, musical instruments and more. If supplies to mitigate the...

Members will receive reimbursement for classroom expenditures made within the annual spending period at the amount allocated for their job title. Then, they must submit an accountability form with receipts to the school to show the entire amount has...

Teacher’s Choice, initiated by the UFT over 30 years ago, allows school staff members to exercise their professional judgment to purchase supplementary supplies and materials to improve the educational experience for their students. Teacher’s Choice...

Your evaluator must conduct an Initial Planning Conference with you no later than the last Friday in October. This in-person conversation between you and your evaluator should take place at a mutually agreed upon time. This conference is an...

As in previous years, evaluators will base their ratings on eight components of the Danielson Rubric: 1a: Demonstrating knowledge of content and pedagogy; 1e: Designing coherent instruction; 2a: Creating an environment of respect and rapport; 2d...

The UFT and DOE have collaborated to develop new joint training sessions regarding the evaluation system. All employees--teachers, administrators, and other evaluators--will receive the same training so everyone is on the same page regarding...

Each year, beginning in March, the Consultation Committee should meet to review and discuss the School-Based Options that your school would like to create or restore. After consultation with the principal, the chapter leader should hold a union...

The required minimum number of evaluations will be fewer for the vast majority of teachers. If you are a tenured teacher, the number of observations your principal or other evaluator will conduct depends on your overall rating from previous school...

Mike Sill is the UFT’s secretary and also serves as the director of personnel, payroll and special projects. Elected to office in 2019, he is serving his second term within UFT leadership. Mike received his bachelor’s degree in English from...

Brewing Wellness is a podcast created by the UFT's Member Assistance Program to support the mental health and well-being of our members.

Brewing Wellness is a podcast created by the UFT's Member Assistance Program to support the mental health and well-being of our members.

You have our condolences. There are a number of steps you need to take. You can find out what to do when a retiree passes away on the UFT website. If you have further questions, please contact the UFT-RTC Pension Department at 212-598-9536.

The UFT maintains five borough offices where you can call or walk in to ask a question or have a problem addressed. You can find a list here, with hours and addresses. In the borough offices, you will find: Salary representatives to help you with...

If you aren’t sure whether or not you are already a member, look at your pay stub. If the deduction code says “UFT,” it means you are a member. If you are not a member, joining is very simple. Active DOE employees, retirees and charter school...

For DOE employees, dues are currently set to .85 of one percent of the maximum contractual salary of your title at Step 8B plus 20-year longevity, plus added amounts for the union’s state and national affiliates. So, all the members who are teachers...

UFT members’ dues pay for the full array of services that your union provides to support you and your career — everything from professional support services and development to help you be better at your job to negotiating and enforcing the contract...

Check the current dues schedule on the UFT website or call the UFT at 212-331-6311 to find out your dues amount. The website dues section also explains how your dues are calculated.

Yes, you can. You can join the union by filling out our online enrollment form. If you have any questions or run into difficulty with the online union enrollment process, please call the UFT at 212-331-6311.