Yes. Through Feb. 1, 2024, school counselors received provisional and permanent state certification. As of Feb. 2, 2024, school counselors will be issued initial and professional certification instead. Both certifications will continue to be recognized. Members with a valid provisional certificate will still be able to obtain a permanent certificate after Feb. 2, 2024.

The state has also established extensions for Bilingual Education and Supplementary Bilingual Education for school counselors who hold an initial or professional certificate. Requirements include 12 semester hours and courses in sociolinguistics and psycholinguistics, similar to requirements for classroom teachers.

For more information, see the NYSED website. 

The total number of years of experience hasn’t changed (two years for a permanent certificate and three for a professional one), but the state has changed its definition of a “year of experience.” A minimum of 180 days over a 12-month period in an educational setting is still mandated, but as of March 30, 2022, the state now permits a variety of part-time experiences that add up to 180 or more days of full-time experience in a 12-month period. The new definition no longer requires periods of continuous experience or teaching experience in the subject area of the certificate sought.

Eligible educators can deduct from their federal income taxes up to $300 of unreimbursed expenses for books, supplies, computer equipment (including related software and services), other equipment and supplementary materials they use in the classroom, according to the IRS. The educator expense deduction is an "adjustment to gross income," so you can use it whether or not you use the standard deduction or itemize deductions. 

To be eligible for this deduction, you must work for at least 900 hours during a school year at a school that provides elementary or secondary education as a teacher, instructor, counselor, principal or aide. See more about educator deductions via the IRS. 

If you are married, filing jointly, and both spouses are educators, you can deduct up to $600, but not more than $300 each. For courses in health and physical education, expenses for supplies are qualified expenses only if they are related to athletics. You should keep documentation, such as receipts or canceled checks, for any deductions you take.

You may also deduct your union dues from your state income taxes if you itemize deductions on your state tax return form, but not on your federal taxes, as a result of the 2017 federal tax law changes.

The DOE school year payroll calendar  lists pay periods for different payroll banks. Different job titles are paid through different banks: 

• H-bank: Full-time school nurses, therapists, audiologists, sign language interpreters, education analysts/officers, associate education analysts/officers and administrative analysts/officers.
• Z-bank: All job titles listed above, but Z-bank is for hourly workers, not full-time.
• Q-bank: Full time pedagogues (teachers, secretaries, guidance counselors, psychologists, social workers, lab specialists), paraprofessionals and substitute paraprofessionals.
• Per-session/per diem: per session pedagogues and substitutes, including F-status employees.

You may update your permanent home address and/or other contact information by logging in to the TRS website. Any updated information that you provide to TRS through their website will take effect immediately. 

As an alternative, TRS in-service members and retirees may also use this form to update their address with TRS. Upon receipt of this form, TRS will update its records with your new permanent home address and/or other contact information and will direct all future communications to the home address and/or other contact information that you indicate in “Part B.”

TRS will send you a written confirmation of all changes whether you use the online or paper form.

Beneficiaries who are receiving monthly benefit payments should instead file the “Beneficiary’s Change of Address Form” which is available on the TRS web site. 

No, they do not apply to DOE authorized parking spaces, at signs that read read "Department of Education," for employees with valid DOE parking permits, on school days, during times listed. 

No, they do not apply to DOE authorized parking spaces, at signs that read read "Department of Education," for employees with valid DOE parking permits, on school days, during times listed. 

The federal SECURE Act 2.0 has raised the age at which individuals must begin taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) from their retirement accounts to 73, as of January 2023. The RMD age has increased to 73 for people who turn age 72 after 2022 and age 73 before 2033. For people who turn age 74 after 2032, the RMD age will be 75.

The SECURE 1.0 Act in 2019 increased the RMD age to 72 (for people born on or after July 1, 1949). Prior to the SECURE Act 1.0, the RMD age was 70 1⁄2.

See more information about important rules, dates and benchmarks related to RMDs. 

CTE teachers can now apply for salary differentials through the DOE's salary application system (DOE login required). Learn more about how to qualify for CTE differentials and areas of specialization. »

In-service DOE employees can access their W-2, 1127 waiver and 1095-C tax forms online on the NYCAPS Employee Self Service web page. DOE employees must choose the option for electronic delivery of their tax forms through NYCAPS and then will receive them via email by the end of January. The deadline to do so is usually right after the new year. If you previously chose electronic delivery, you do not have to re-enroll. The tax forms will be mailed to all other employees at the address on file at the DOE.

Regardless of how you receive your tax forms, you can always download and print copies via NYCAPS. See instructions on how to download and print your W-2 in NYCAPS ESS »

Your W-2 includes per-session and/or parental leave monies. UFT members who received parental leave payments from the UFT will not receive a UFT-issued W-2 on those earnings. Those earnings will be documented on their DOE W-2 form instead.

​​​​​​​Members who are not on payroll, including retirees, will have their tax forms mailed from the city Office of Payroll Administration (OPA).

All members whose documents are lost or incorrect, should complete a W-2 Duplicate Request and Information Correction Form and email it to W2unit [at] schools [dot] nyc [dot] gov (W2unit[at]schools[dot]nyc[dot]gov). 

Below are links to NYC OPA websites that our people may find helpful:

• https://www.nyc.gov/site/opa/taxes/tax-frequently-asked-questions.page
• https://www.nyc.gov/site/opa/taxes/w-2-wage-and-tax-statement-explained.page

See the most recent DOE payroll memorandum for more details.