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Frequently Asked Questions

You can search the FAQs on our website by keyword or category above. 

A list of the most commonly asked questions.

What are the responsibilities of a School Leadership Team (SLT)?

School Leadership Teams meet at least once a month during the school year at a time convenient for the parent members of the team. SLTs establish many of their own bylaws and procedures, so each school may have different policies in place for the election and selection of members, meeting times, filling vacancies, number of members, etc. 

An SLT is responsible for developing the school’s Comprehensive Educational Plan (CEP) and ensuring that it is aligned with the school-based budget. SLTs also provide an annual assessment to the community district or high school superintendent of the principal’s record of developing an effective shared decision-making relationship with the SLT members during the year.

Who serves on a School Leadership Team (SLT)? How do members get chosen/selected?

School Leadership Teams are established in each school. The principal, chapter leader, and Parents Association (PTA) president must serve on the committee. SLTs must include other parents and staff (pedagogic and/or non-pedagogic) from the school. SLTs also may include students (a minimum of two students is required in high schools) and representatives of Community Based Organizations (CBOs).

Parent and staff members must be elected; other members may be selected. Every SLT develops their own bylaws to decide their method of election and selection of members, which happens on a yearly basis. 

Who supervises preschool children during their lunch?

The Pre-K Center Handbook recommends that the school programmer stagger the teachers’ and paras’ lunches so that one of them can be present during lunch.

Are there any regulations/rules about how physically large a classroom has to be in size?

Guidelines state that classrooms should be large enough to give each student a minimum of 20 square feet of space, exclusive of wall cabinets, heat sources and other permanent architectural features. The only exceptions to these rules are for classrooms containing students with physical disabilities and kindergarten children, both which require a minimum of 35 square feet. 

Non-standard and sub-divided rooms with less than the required number of students on their register may be eligible for an exemption to these regulations, but each circumstance must be officially approved by the DOE.

What rights do nursing mothers have to express breast milk while at work? What help/accommodations are made to meet their needs?

In accordance with section 206-C of the New York State Labor Law, the Department of Education has implemented procedures to meet the needs of nursing mothers in the workplace.

If you want to use break time to express breast milk at your workplace, you must contact your principal or manager as soon as possible, to notify them, arrange a break schedule, and find the location designated for expressing milk.

Please be aware of the following regulations:

  1. School employees may use non-instructional time or break periods, including lunch breaks, to express breast milk for up to three years after child birth.
  2. Each break to express breast milk shall last approximately twenty minutes, plus time for the employee to walk to and from the lactation room, although an employee can elect to take shorter breaks.
  3. Employees who wish to express breast milk at the workplace must notify an appropriate DOE employee as soon as possible.
  4. Employees are not entitled to absent themselves from their work areas for expression purposes without prior approval. When an employee needs to change a previously agreed upon schedule, the employee must obtain approval to do so.
  5. This benefit is available to employees within the basic workweek as well as during any additional time worked, including per session hours. An employee may be required to work before or after her regularly scheduled work hours to make up the amount of time used during paid break times to express milk, so long as the additional time requested falls within regular DOE work hours.
  6. An employee may be required to postpone a scheduled time to express breast milk for up to thirty minutes if she cannot be spared.
  7. The lactation room or location identified for expressing breast milk must be private and in the same building as the employee’s work space.
  8. Affected employees should be notified that they are entitled to this benefit. If you feel that you are not being given appropriate accommodations, then school-based staff should contact the HR Director at their Borough Offices and central staff should contact their personnel liaison.

For an overview of rights of nursing mothers in the workplace, please visit InfoHub: https://infohub.nyced.org/nyc-doe-topics/human-resources/employee-safety-and-health/rights-of-nursing-mothers-in-the-workplace

What is the class size limit for music instruction courses?

In elementary and middle/intermediate schools, the contract is silent on class sizes for music instruction. It is the Union’s position that no class in elementary school should exceed 32 students (25 for kindergarten and 18 for pre-K) or 33 students in middle/intermediate school, with the exception of Title I schools.

In high schools, the class size limit for required music classes is 50, which applies to performance courses like band, orchestra, chorus and music survey classes. However, for specialized instruction classes that are neither required for graduation nor performance courses, the standard high school class size limit of 34 students applies. Music classes limited to 34 students are analogous to subject classes in their content and instruction.

How are A+ courses graded? Is there a grade I need to receive in order to be granted credit for a class?

Approved A+ classes are graded according to the grading policy of the provider/instructor. You must pass a course in order for it to count towards the second salary differential. 

Can I take any A+ course I want or do they have to be in my subject area/grade level for credit to be granted?

All A+ courses are aligned with the Chancellor's priorities and meet high-quality standards. Teachers may take any A+ class they wish.

How frequently will the ASPDP catalog be updated, and how far in advance can I see the full catalog? Will the same courses be offered each semester? How can I find out when new classes are added?

ASPDP offers courses over three semesters: Fall, Spring, and Summer. The course catalog for each semester is published shortly before the semester begins. Sign up to receive the ASPDP newsletter for updates on when the catalog is published. Courses offered through ASPDP will be accepted for A+ credit.
 
In order to ensure that we are providing the highest quality and most relevant courses aligned with the current Chancellor’s priorities, course offerings will change from semester to semester and we cannot guarantee that a course approved for A+ will be approved every semester in the future. 

My salary differential application wasn’t approved. How can I appeal the decision?

For salary differential application questions, contact the Office of Salary Services through HR Connect at 718-935-4000.