Yes. The New York State Board of Regents voted to eliminate the general core in liberal arts and sciences (LAS) requirement for certification, which included coursework in the following areas: artistic expression, communication, information retrieval, concepts in history and social sciences, humanities, a world language other than English, scientific and mathematical processes, and written analysis and expression.

The general core in liberal arts and sciences will no longer be a certification requirement as of April 27, 2022. For more information, see the NYSED website. 

If a paper check is lost, stolen or mutilated, a stop payment must be placed on it. To report a stolen, mutilated or lost check contact the DOE Check Management Unit at 718-935-2219 or send an email to CheckManagement@schools.nyc.gov. You must include your name, file/EIS/EID number, mailing address, phone number and personal email address.

The DOE will stop the check and you will receive an affidavit from OPA-FISA that you must complete, have notarized and return to OPA-FISA. Once OPA-FISA determines the check has not been cashed, a replacement check will be issued. This process may take up to six weeks.

Members who receive letters of discontinuance should file an appeal through their borough office. See the hours and locations of UFT borough offices. 

Anyone who has been discontinued should ask to copy everything in their personnel file. Teachers are allowed to view their personnel files and make copies of any items.  In addition, gather documents that can be used to support your appeal, such as letters of commendation, observation reports, positive emails from parents, unit plans, lesson plans, parent outreach logs and any other materials that demonstrate your effectiveness. 

School-based DOE parking permits expire on November 1. Members can apply for parking permit renewals through the DOE’s parking permit self-service portal when it opens each September through early October (the portal works best in Google Chrome). UFT members are permitted to use on-street general parking (OSG) and itinerant on-street parking (OSI) if there are DOT-designated, on-street parking spaces at their school. 

Once you submit an application through the portal, the DOE will deliver parking permits to your school by November 1. You must turn in your expired permit in order to receive a new one.

For additional information, see the DOE's parking permit web page. 

Yes. Under state law governing public employees, the terms of an expired contract stay in effect until a new agreement is reached.

As of Sept. 28, 2022, the state Education Department created a new Students with Disabilities (All Grades) certificate that permits teachers to teach students with disabilities in pre-K through Grade 12 in New York State public schools. The Students with Disabilities (Grades 1-6) and Students with Disabilities (Grades 7-12) certificates will be phased out.  

Teachers who now hold a Students with Disabilities certificate in a particular grade band (Birth-Grade 2, Grades 1-6, Grades 5-9 or Grades 7-12) or the Permanent Special Education certificate will not be required to obtain the new Students with Disabilities (All Grades) certificate. But teachers with these certificates may want to consider obtaining the new certificate, since it will allow for greater flexibility to teach students with disabilities in all grades.

For requirements for this new certification see the NYSED website , and their FAQ for more information about the new certificate as well.

In addition to ASPDP courses, teachers may also qualify for A+ credit for coursework taken to achieve additional certification in one or more of the following designated areas:

• Special Education
• Health
• Bilingual extension
• TESOL certificate inclusive of additional content area certification
• Secondary Content Area Additional Certification for those who hold a Special Education or ESL Certificate
• *18 credits in content areas for those teachers with a SWD generalist seeking a content extension
• School Building Leader

For more information about ASPDP courses, see the FAQ on the DOE website. 

A Health Benefits Transfer Period for city employees, such as DOE staff, is held once each year, usually in November. During this period, all employees may transfer from their current health plan to any other plan for which they are eligible, or they may add or drop optional rider coverage to their present plan. 

If you do not wish to make any changes to your health plan, no action is required. All changes submitted during the open enrollment period will take effect as of Jan. 1. 

Download the form to make a change in your health benefits and then submit the form with all required documentation to your payroll/personnel department. See guidance from the Office of Labor Relations for more information about open enrollment. 

Following a title change (e.g., from paraprofessional to teacher or another role), employees may transfer days from their old bank to their new bank by filling out a CAR Transfer Request form . The school payroll secretary processes the form to transfer days to your new bank. 

The DOE provides eligible paraprofessionals with a 40-day paid leave of absence to complete student teaching requirements if paraprofessionals are enrolled in a program to earn credentials to become full-time teachers as there are instances when colleges and universities will not accept work as a paraprofessional in place of student teaching.

The number of student teaching leaves granted by the DOE per year will not exceed 100 (50 leaves for the fall and 50 leaves for the spring). These particular leaves of absence are by application only. Applicants must receive approval before they can begin their leave of absence.

For more information about the paraprofessional student teacher leave of absence program, or pathways to teaching programs for paraprofessionals, visit: Teach NYC Programs.