UFT Exec Board Meeting Notes 1/6/25
Continued curriculum concerns, class size law implementation progress, impact of special education committees, library book contracts...
Open Mic Period:
Speaker: Christina Gavin
Position: Delegate at Midwood High School and School Librarian
Concerns were raised by Christina Gavin regarding the critical challenges faced by school librarians due to inadequate funding, delayed vendor contracts, and bureaucratic hurdles in the book ordering process. These issues have a significant impact on library services, the work of librarians, and the educational experience of students. They include:
Inadequate Library Funding
Delayed Vendor Contracts
Disruption of Library Services
Bureaucratic Delays
Pressure on Librarians and Staff.
Onerous Ordering Procedures
Approaching Deadlines
Speaker: Katrina Thomas
Position: District 17 Chapter Leader
Katrina highlighted the crucial role of the Special Education Committee in advocating for students with disabilities and ensuring that their educational needs are met. The committee's proactive approach to identifying and addressing compliance issues demonstrates its effectiveness in improving the quality of special education services within the school district.
Importance of the Special Education Committee
Communication: Fostering open dialogue between educators, administrators, and the UFT.
Transparency: Ensuring transparency in the implementation of special education services.
Accountability: Holding schools accountable for adhering to special education regulations and best practices.
Addressing Compliance Issues:
Katrina provided an example of how the Special Education Committee in her district successfully addressed an issue of ICT classrooms being out of compliance (one teacher instead of the required two).
By raising this concern with the principal, the committee demonstrated the committee's authority and the potential for formal action (a special education appeal) if the issue remained unresolved.
Positive Impact on School Practices: The principal's acknowledgment of the Special Education Committee's authority and commitment to resolving compliance issues indicates a positive impact on school practices and a willingness to collaborate with the UFT.
Presidents Report:
President Mulgrew reported on the Progress on Paraprofessional Substitute Shortages: The union successfully advocated for the processing of 1,600 new substitute paraprofessionals. Schools are now urged to fill these positions.
Success of Class Size Reduction Campaign: Over 750 schools applied for class size reduction funding, exceeding expectations. The funding will be prioritized for Title 1 schools.
Goal of Reaching 60% of Schools with Lower Class Sizes: The ultimate objective is to achieve lower class sizes in nearly 60% of the school system without exemptions.
Legislative Priorities: Securing continued funding for class size reduction and teacher recruitment are top legislative priorities.
Empowering Teachers: The UFT advocates for less administrative burden on teachers and a focus on evidence-based curriculum. A recent disagreement over the literacy program exemplified this pushback against data analysis tasks being placed on teachers.
Math Curriculum Concerns: There are concerns regarding the expanding math program.
Congestion Pricing Lawsuit: Our (UFT) lawsuit against congestion pricing continues. The argument centers on the financial burden it places on workers and its questionable environmental impact.
Question Period:
Ibeth Meija followed up with a question to the library contracts: Could the UFT put pressure on the DOE and the city to push through the library book contracts. If so, how?
Leo Gordon, VP of CTE High Schools responded with clarifying information about procurement in the city and how it connects with the library contracts. Contracts are given to schools on a yearly basis. Those contracts do not line up with the beginning of school or the end of school and so, what's happening is there are situations where contracts will end in October, which takes 3 to 4 months for them to get new contracts done. This is a problem citywide. The library area is not different than anything else. They've made leeway in technology and things, and we will continue to work with them. There is an overlap in some contracts. We're working to make sure that that overlap can still happen. It's not library specific. It's citywide.
Edward Calamia, - high school executive board member posed a question regarding pension credit for teachers who work summer school. Calamia observed that many teachers work summer school for extended periods and inquired whether it would be possible to earn additional pension credit for this extra work.
Tom Brown, a member of the UFT Executive Board, UFT Assistant Treasurer and Chairman of the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) Board, responded that state law prohibits earning more than one year of pension credit per year of work, regardless of the number of hours worked. He explained that pension credit is calculated based on the typical school year (September to June) and includes a prorated amount for teachers who leave mid-year.
Brown further clarified that while teachers cannot earn extra pension credit for summer schoolwork, they can potentially increase their final average salary by filing for "multiple employment membership." This allows teachers to include income from other jobs, such as per session activities and jobs those at community colleges, in their pension calculations, leading to a higher overall pension benefit.
3) Nick's question focused on the potential impact of a new state law requiring all high school students to complete a personal finance course. He expressed concern that this mandate might: Overburden the already packed high school curriculum, lead to a standardized, "one-size-fits-all" curriculum, result in ineffective instruction, and create unintended consequences.
Mary Vaccaro, VP of Education, acknowledged Nick's concern about the potential for a state-mandated personal finance curriculum to disrupt the existing high school curriculum.
She explained that the UFT has been advocating against the DOE's claim that they did not mandate the implementation of certain curriculums, despite evidence to the contrary.
Vaccaro emphasized the UFT's commitment to supporting teachers by providing resources and training through the Teacher Center. She encouraged members to identify specific curriculums that require support, such as "Amplify," which the UFT has been actively working with which does not mean endorsing, with that work designed to support our members around Amplify.
Vaccaro highlighted the importance of the Teacher Center in providing quick turnaround solutions for teachers, even if they don't address all the challenges. She invited members to suggest other curriculums that the UFT could investigate and provide support for through the Teacher Center.
Report Period:
Speaker: Karen Alford, VP of Elementary Education
"Preschool to Prison Pipeline" Documentary Screening:
Karen announced an upcoming screening of a documentary on the "preschool to prison pipeline."
The screening is intended for educators working with young children (Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade).
The event will feature the documentary creator, Dr. Baptiste, and a subsequent "talk back" session with cast members.
The goal is to raise awareness of the "preschool to prison pipeline" and to explore strategies for disrupting it to ensure student success.
Flexibility in Curriculum Implementation:
Karen highlighted a new document issued by the Division of Early Childhood that provides greater flexibility in curriculum implementation.
This document addresses concerns raised by early childhood educators regarding the developmental appropriateness of some books suggested in the "Creative Curriculum."
The document allows teaching teams to:
Modify the suggested books while maintaining core curriculum objectives.
Incorporate books that address diverse perspectives and cultures.
This change reflects the efforts of early childhood educators who advocated for greater flexibility in curriculum choices.
Acknowledgment of Key Contributors:
Karen expressed gratitude to Zakiya Rock and Teresa Bellow, who were instrumental in initiating the "Preschool to Prison Pipeline" documentary project.
CTE Awards and Program Update Announcement:
This report by Leo Gordon, VP of CTE High Schools, highlights two important deadlines for CTE (Career and Technical Education) programs:
CTE Awards Nominations:
Nomination Deadline: This Friday, 1/10/25
Who Should Submit: Chapter leaders or representatives from CTE schools with CTE programs
Award Ceremony:
Date: Wednesday, February 26th
Location: The Sheridan (increased capacity to 1,000 attendees)
CTE Program Update in STARS:
Deadline: January 16th
Importance: Accurate information in STARS is crucial to secure funding for CTE programs. Schools have lost funding in the past due to outdated information.
Who Should Update: A programmer or work-based learning coordinator at the school (not typically the CTE teacher)
Chapter leaders are requested to communicate this deadline and its importance to relevant personnel at their schools.
Family Day:
Dashana Barker, Executive Board Member at Large, announced the 3rd annual UFT Family Day on Saturday, March 29th.
The event will feature two sessions: 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM and 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Registration opens February 3rd with a capacity of 1200 attendees per session (first come, first served).
Family Day activities include food, music, bouncy houses, information booths from various UFT departments (Welfare Fund, Pension Services, etc.), and pet adoption opportunities.
Professional Committee Events:
Rashad Brown, Executive Board at-Large, provided updates on upcoming professional committee events:
African Heritage Committee meeting on January 21st at 4:00 PM (ahc@ufc.org for more information).
UFT Dinner Dance on February 7th (tickets recommended).
Black History Film Series throughout February (every Thursday except vacation week, culminating with a film about Ella Baker on March 6th).
Labor Solidarity and Winter Break:
Sean Rotkowitz, Executive Board at-Large, highlighted UFT members' participation in recent labor actions:
Picketing alongside Starbucks workers in NYC.
Supporting the Amazon Labor Union strike in Staten Island.
Sean also credited the UFT for successfully advocating DOE around closing schools on 12/23 thereby extending the break for families, students and staff.
AFT Latino Caucus Toy Drive:
Danny Rodriguez, Executive Board at Large, reported on a successful toy drive held by the AFT Latino Caucus at the Bronx Row office on January 3rd.
The drive collected toys for two shelters in the Bronx and Queens and served as an opportunity to celebrate Three Kings Day (including a discussion of its cultural significance and post-Christmas shopping discounts).
Legislative Report:
Venecia Williams, Executive Board Member, provided a brief overview of upcoming legislative events:
Mayor Eric Adams' State of the City Address on Thursday, January 9th at the Apollo in Harlem.
Governor Kathy Hochul's State of the State Address on Tuesday, January 14th in Albany.
Governor Hochul's announcement of a new child tax credit of $1,000 per household, including newborns and children under 4.
UFT Borough Office Meet and Greets:
Legislative meet and greets will be held at UFT borough offices in Brooklyn and the Bronx.
Contact: Greg Monty (Brooklyn) and Angelina Gonzalez (Bronx) for details.
UFT Lobby Day:
Save the date: March 10th, 2025 for the UFT Lobby Day.
Additional Announcements:
Appreciation for attendees and participants at a recent UFT event (details not specified).
Meeting Adjournment and Upcoming Schedule:
The next Executive Board meeting is on Monday, January 27th.
Possible Attendance at Upcoming Events:
An unidentified member (possibly Danny) plans to attend a congestion pricing event virtually on Wednesday, January 15th due to a break in their bargaining calendar. They will also try to attend a UFT event on Tuesday or Thursday, January 14th or 16th.
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