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How do I join the UFT and enroll to become a member?
Active DOE employees, retirees and charter school employees whose school has a UFT bargaining agreement may enroll in the UFT online. If you have any questions about enrollment eligibility or run into difficulty with the online union enrollment...
Am I eligible to join the UFT?
You can enroll in the UFT if you are a New York City Department of Education pedagogue, paraprofessional, hourly group or retiree, or if you belong to one of the charter or private schools, hospitals or non-profit organizations in which employees...
I stopped receiving UFT mail, including the New York Teacher. What do I do?
To find out if we have your correct address on file and to update it if we don’t, the quickest way is to log in to the UFT website and go to "My Account" in the top right corner. From the My Account page, you can access our online change of address...
How do I get a new copy of my UFT membership card?
If you never received or lost your UFT membership card, you can request a replacement, but keep in mind that the UFT-Mobile app contains a digital version of your membership card with your UFT member ID number and a QR code for scanning. If you would...
I am the guardian/Power of Attorney for a UFT member. How do I update the member’s contact information?
Requests to add or update a secondary address must be made by email to membership [at] uft [dot] org (membership[at]uft[dot]org) or via mail. You must provide a copy of the legal document in which you are appointed as guardian or Power of Attorney when requesting any change of personal...
How do I change my name on record with the UFT?
You must provide a legal document (marriage certificate, etc.) for proof of name change. If you receive Welfare Fund benefits, you should fill out the fill out the Welfare Fund’s Change of Status Form on the UFT website to change your name. If you...
I am a UFT retiree and am a “snowbird.” How do I update my secondary address on file with the union?
From the “My Account” page of the UFT website, you will also find a link to Change of Status/Update your Information form to update your secondary address. Requests to add or update a secondary address can also be made by email to membership [at] uft [dot] org (membership[at]uft[dot]org)...
How can I update my personal information (primary address, primary phone number, primary email) on record with the UFT?
You can update your personal information directly on the UFT website or the Member Hub. You must be a registered user on the UFT website to do so. If you haven't registered yet, see instructions on how to do so. To update your email address only, log...
How can I update my personal information (primary address, primary phone number, primary email) on record with the Federation of Nurses?
You can update your personal information directly on the UFT.org website. You must be a registered user on the UFT website to do so. If you haven't registered yet, see instructions on how to do so. To update your email address only, log in to the UFT...
Are there any limits on a parent’s right to refer their child for a special education evaluation?
No. Parents may request an initial evaluation at any time (including prior to or during the implementation of Response to Intervention strategies) to determine if their child is eligible for special education services, unless the student has received...
Can staff members request a reevaluation for special education services?
A student’s teacher or related service provider may make a referral for a reevaluation. Additional information about reevaluations can be found in the Reevaluation section of the DOE’s Special Education Standard Operating Procedures Manual.
Can staff members request that a child be initially evaluated for special education services?
A teacher, or other professional staff member, may request that a child be evaluated by completing the Request for Referral form (in SESIS). After receiving the request, the principal must take one of two actions within 10 school days: (1) request...
What is the timeline for completing initial evaluations for special education students, requested reevaluations and three‐year mandated reviews?
The DOE has 60 calendar days to evaluate a child after receiving parent consent and 60 school days from consent to evaluate to provide the placement recommended in the initial IEP. If the child is receiving special education services, the DOE must...
Are mandated providers, including special education and general education teachers in ICT classes, allowed to cover other duties during provision of service time?
No. Professionals who are obligated to provide services as mandated on IEPs (including special education teachers, general education teachers in ICT classes, related service providers, and paraprofessionals) must serve each student as mandated and...
What is Chapter 408 and what does it require for a student's IEP?
Chapter 408 refers to state law and corresponding regulations requiring that: each provider responsible for implementing a student’s IEP (including general and special education teachers, related service providers, and other service providers), be...
What does it mean when an ICT class is “out of compliance”?
In New York City, the maximum number of students with disabilities in an ICT class may not exceed 40% of the total class register. State regulations limit the total number of students with disabilities in an ICT class to 12. The 40% limit and total...
What are the required components of a successful ICT program?
ICT is an instructional model that allows students with disabilities to be educated with age‐appropriate peers without disabilities in the general education classroom with the support of a special education teacher to deliver specially designed...
How do you functionally group special needs students?
For special class, SETSS, ICT, and related services, students with disabilities must be grouped by similarity of individual needs, so that the provider may address the needs of each student in the group. Each student’s characteristics in the...
When students are recommended for special class or ICT for less than the full school day, how should they be programmed for the remaining periods?
For all subjects for which a student’s IEP does not recommend special education services, the student must receive instruction in a general education class with his/her peers who do not have disabilities. See more information: http://www.uft.org...
When is it appropriate to amend an IEP after the annual review without an IEP team meeting?
In general, only minor changes in the IEP should be made without an IEP team meeting. Changes in the student’s program recommendations and changes that require the participation of the school psychologist on the IEP team cannot be made without a...
How does the IEP team arrive at appropriate service recommendations?
All special education program and service recommendations are made by the IEP team during the IEP meeting. All members of the IEP team, mandated or not, may participate in the meeting in full. IEP teams are expected to reach their decision through a...
Who must participate in an IEP meeting?
Participation requirements differ based on the purpose of the meeting; refer to the IEP Team section of the DOE’s Special Education Standard Operating Procedures Manual (SOPM). When a general education teacher is a required participant in an IEP team...
What’s the difference between a letter in my personnel file and a counseling memo?
A counseling memo is designed to advise you of a rule or policy. It cannot include or threaten disciplinary action, as a letter in the file can. Counseling memos can be used as part of a disciplinary process only to show that you were notified of the...
Can I grieve a letter that has been put into my personnel file?
Material in your file can be grieved under two specific circumstances: if the letter was written outside the contractual time frame (time limits are specified in the contract) if the underlying substance of the letter violates a specific contractual...
Do I have to sign something if a letter has been put into my personnel file?
Yes, your signature acknowledges that you have seen it, nothing more. It does not mean that you agree with the content of the letter.
How do I rebut a letter in my personnel file that I believe is inaccurate?
You have the right to attach a response to material that is placed in your file. You do not have to attach your response right away. It is important that you take the time to carefully respond to what is written and review it with your chapter leader...
How do I file a grievance?
If you believe your contractual rights have been violated, you should contact your chapter leader for advice and assistance. The chapter leader will enter your grievance in the UFT grievance system and provide both you and your principal with a copy...
Is filing a grievance the only way to resolve an issue with a school administrator?
Not at all. Before filing a grievance, it is always a good idea to speak with your chapter leader about resolving the issue informally. Our contract also provides for a number of other ways to resolve issues including the operational process for...
What are grievances used for?
The grievance procedure is there to protect your rights and ensure that the contract is adhered to. You can file a grievance in order to remedy a violation of the UFT/DOE contract or DOE regulation, circular or established practice. Your chapter...
What is the summative conference? When will it occur? How can it impact my evaluation?
The summative conference is a face-to-face conversation between teacher and evaluator conducted between the last Friday in April and the last Friday in June. This gives you an opportunity to talk about the observations that occurred throughout the...
What if I have not received all my observation results for the Fall Window -- can I still be observed in the Spring?
It depends. They cannot observe you until you have received the required Fall observations. This means that if there were more than the required number, but you have not yet received the results for the additional observations, they can observe you.
When will my classroom observations take place? What are the “windows”/time frame for evaluation?
Administrators can observe teachers for evaluative purposes at any time after the Initial Planning Conference and then through the first Friday in June. In addition, half the required minimum number of observations must take place in the fall term...
Do I have to set teaching goals or select a particular area to focus on at my Initial Planning Conference (IPC)?
No, but you can, if you would like to discuss that with your evaluator. Teachers have sole discretion for setting goals and/or selecting an area of focus.
What is the Initial Planning Conference (IPC) and how does it affect my observations and evaluations for the year?
An IPC is an in-person conversation with an evaluator conducted at a mutually-agreed upon time no later than the last Friday in October. The IPC gives teachers an opportunity to discuss previous evaluations, current classes, and plans for the coming...