Elementary Schools. Most schools are programmed for either seven or eight periods per day. In seven-period schools, you are scheduled for a daily duty-free lunch period and five preparation periods per week. In eight-period schools, in addition to the daily duty-free lunch period and preparation period, you receive one professional period per week. Schools may use an SBO to change the number of periods in a day but principals cannot do it unilaterally. Unlike most SBOs, which need to be voted on every year, the number of periods in the school day remains the same unless an SBO vote is held to change it. If you believe you have been given an incorrect assignment, speak to your chapter leader immediately about filing a grievance.
With the 2023 DOE-UFT contract, elementary teacher programs should have no more than three consecutive teaching assignments and no more than four consecutive working assignments (including professional activities) wherever administratively possible. In addition, elementary school dismissal must be structured so that UFT-represented employees do not perform dismissal duties beyond their instructional day.
JHS/IS/MS Schools. You should receive your teaching program no later than five school days before the end of the school year. Your teaching program must consist of a maximum of 25 teaching periods, five preparation periods, five professional periods and five duty-free lunch periods per week. In Title I schools, senior staff members who qualify must be programmed for 22 teaching periods, eight preparation periods, and five duty-free lunch periods. If you think you qualify for the additional preparation periods, you should check with your chapter leader. Your chapter leader also can help you file a grievance if your teaching program does not follow contractual guidelines (e.g., more than three teaching periods in a row, four working assignments in a row, etc.). You must do so within two school days from receiving your program.
High Schools. You should receive your teaching program no later than the end of school on the next to last day of the term. Your teaching program must consist of a maximum of 25 teaching periods, five preparation periods, five professional periods and five duty-free lunch periods. However, if you have a reduced teaching program (e.g., a compensatory-time position), you receive one preparation period for every five periods you teach. Speak to your chapter leader to file a grievance if your teaching program does not follow contractual guidelines (e.g., more than three teaching periods in a row, four working assignments in a row, etc.). You must do so within two school days from receiving your program.
Special education teachers. Now that the 2023 DOE-UFT contract has been ratified, the DOE will issue guidance that schools with professional-activity periods should, to the extent possible, prioritize assigning special education teachers to the following professional activity assignments: 1) performing student-assessment activities (including portfolios, IEPs, performance tests) and 2) common planning time.
Grievances regarding teacher programs must be filed within two days from knowledge, so speak to your chapter leader as soon as you believe that your program does not follow contractual guidelines.
See what the contract says about teacher programs by reading articles 7A2, 7B4, 7C1 and 7K2.
Also see Professional Activity Options, Professional Activity Procedures.