New Educator To-Do List

Here are some items to take care of right away and others that will help you prioritize and stay on track.

Your formal and informal observations should have been conducted by June 3.
Your summative end-of-year conference must take place by June 18. If you haven’t had your conference by then, speak to your chapter leader. See more about teacher evaluation »

You should receive your program for next year by the end of the school year. If you are a probationary teacher, it’s important that you have an assignment in your license area; your tenure could be delayed if you teach out of license. You are entitled to one unassigned preparation period and a duty-free lunch period every day. You should be scheduled for no more than three consecutive teaching periods and four consecutive working assignments (including professional activities) in a day. Speak to your chapter leader if you have concerns about whether your program follows contractual guidelines. Reorganization grievances must be filed within two days of learning of your program assignment.
Thinking about transferring? The Open Market Transfer System allows you to apply for a position at another school. It is open until Aug. 7 on the DOE’s Department of Human Resources website. Visit the Open Market Transfer System page to search for open positions and fill out an application.
If you plan to resign from the DOE effective the first day of school in the 2026–27 school year, you must give 30 calendar days’ notice by submitting a letter of resignation. According to the DOE, any employees who resign without providing 30 calendar days’ notice will be given a problem code in their personnel file that will flag them for review should they wish to return to teaching in the future. Learn more »

Enroll in the Tax-Deferred Annuity (TDA) program. It’s a good idea early in your career to start making voluntary contributions to a
Tax-Deferred Annuity, which allows you to save additional money for your retirement. Taxes are deferred on your TDA contributions until you withdraw the money as income.

If you receive your regular, recurring paychecks via direct deposit but receive paper checks for per-session work, per-session checks issued as of June 16 and later will be directly deposited into the bank account currently used for your regular paycheck. If you are already receiving per-session payments via direct deposit or wish to have per-session payments deposited into the same account as your regular paycheck, no action is required. If you would like to change your direct deposit account, go to the DOE payroll portal.
The UFT salary schedule lets you earn thousands of dollars more each year as you gain experience (through salary steps) and as you earn additional education credits (through differentials). Make sure you’re getting all the pay you deserve, and find out how to increase your earning power using the UFT Salary Checkup tool. Log into the Member Hub to give it a try.
The UFT’s Member Assistance Program (MAP) provides free and low-cost wellness services, short-term counseling, workshops, support groups and continuing education courses, all designed to care for you while you care for our NYC communities. To set up an appointment with a counselor, receive a referral for outside mental health resources or learn how MAP can support you, please contact MAP at 212-701-9620 or via email at mapinfo [at] uft [dot] org (mapinfo[at]uft[dot]org).

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Connect with the UFT by participating in Union Power Points, a program that encourages members to participate in the union beyond their particular schools and worksites. It’s a chance to find fun activities and events, connect with other members and earn points for staying involved. Learn more at www.uft.org/union-power-points.