Most secondary school teachers and elementary teachers in eight-period schools are programmed for a professional period, for which they elect a professional activity. (You are required to select a professional activity and to work on it.) You select your activity from a menu appropriate to your grade level that is specified in Article 7 of your contract. If you want to participate in an activity not listed on the menu, you can do so with the permission of your principal. Your principal is required to meet with your chapter leader to consult on the number of positions and qualifications for each menu item. If your principal fails to consult, the chapter leader should notify his or her district representative and file a grievance.
If you are assigned homeroom or AM/PM bus duty, you are fulfilling the responsibilities of the professional period; your professional period becomes one for you to use like a preparation period.
With the ratification of the 2023 contract, teachers now have 14 new options on the menu for how they can spend their time during C-6 periods. These items are in addition to the options now on the menu. See the new expanded list
To see what the contract says about professional activity options, read articles 7A6, 7B8, 7B4 and 7K3.
Read more guidance on professional activity periods »
See also Compensatory Time Positions, School-Based Options.