UFT Delegate Assembly 1-15-2025 Unofficial Minutes

Delegate Assembly – 1/15/25

President’s Report – Lot of small informational things to report on. Beginning of budget process at City and State level. AFT collecting money for disaster relief for schools. Any school staff and people affected in California by the fires. New president in five days.

• National issues
  • MM met with CEC presidents. Biggest concern is how new administration will affect our public school system. Worried about book banning, what we can and can’t teach. MM explained that it’s clear what the law says. State in charge of school system. When they did Race to the Top, they didn’t go near any of the titles (Title 1, 2, 3). The fear currently is that they’re going to tie the title money (specifically Title 1) to adopting their policies. We have contingencies set up. State, AFT, congressional delegation. Contingencies on different issues if they arise. We’re good at moving when we need to move and shift quickly when things are going badly. Different than last time this administration was coming in. People around Trump are more about fixing the country and not getting crazy, but some things you see on TV are crazy. The main piece we’re working with – DOE has done training with principals – is ICE agents coming into schools. We have had many discussions. No formal agreements. Not in anyone’s interest to say schools shouldn’t be safe zone at all times. We will wait until after next Tuesday. I do not believe it (ICE) will happen at this point. As soon as we learn more we’ll get that out. First and foremost, schools are safe zones. We have to work through these issues. If schools are not safe zones, you’ll be arresting hundreds and thousands of teachers. It’s always teachers and staff protecting students. In our DNA. Talking with parents.

• State Issues
  • State of the State was yesterday. It was an agenda and State proposal we should be proud of. Working with middle-class folks. Increasing child tax incentives, housing programs, helping people get down payments for houses, subways and crime in NYC. Wants to increase presence in the subway system by 1600 NYPD and/or State Troopers. Need to deal with mental health crisis in our City. We want someone who wants to deliver for the people. 
  • Gonna hear a lot on cell phones. Close to cell phone ban with NYSUT last year. Our administration chose not to at last minute. We then pivoted to State. Had several things – can’t be a burden on school itself in terms of instruction. Has to be when students come in and when they leave. Something we need to do as a school system. Not just about discipline but about how much damage they’re causing children in terms of mental health. Some schools do this. Students angry when it first happens. After a few months, they’re not so angry anymore. Phones cause stress during school day. Lot of bullying, discussing hot topics amongst students. 
  • Money for education: Large pot of money for foundation aid. Money for class size.

• City issues
  • State of the City – Budget process starting now. City initial budget presented tomorrow. Will be like budget they do every year. “The sky is falling, City is broke” despite billions in reserves. They don’t believe anyone can read documents. Audacity to make cuts. These folks are out to lunch. Money is in documents they file. They’re assuming migrant costs in the billions of dollars. The number of migrants that have come into our school system since last April is a couple of hundred. But they’re going to do it and we’ll fight with them.
  • City election season. 12 open City Council seats. This City Council has stood up to Mayor at times. When it comes to education, they’ve been very good. There’s going to be a change in City Council leadership because of term limits. Comptroller’s office is open race. Don’t know if Mayor will be open race or closed election. Petitioning begins in February, ends April 4th. Need volunteers. People who do vetting during interviews give us recommendations. Based on education, workers rights, union rights.

• Union issues
  • Field reps from NYC met with (MISSED THIS PART). Meeting this past Friday. Literacy policies. Brought everyone together to make sure everyone understood UFT and Chancellor letter. “There shall be no spreadsheets” – Means stop doing spreadsheets. Stop wasting teacher’s time. Told CLs if they have any issues, you need to put them in consultation notes. You now have more authority and rights at school level but don’t matter if you don’t utilize them. Will go to district consultation. We have responsibility to utilize power when we negotiate things. 
  • Friday of this week, Chancellor will be meeting with HS and MS Math teachers about IM. Chancellor said we think we’re straightening literacy out but math we’re having a real problem with. Usually every Chancellor says it’s wonderful. Working with UFT to fix this. MM – “I’ve never heard that since being in office.”
  • Paraprofessionals: CLs should get paraprofessional on their consultation committee. ⅓ people in person have paraprofessional openings in their school. 1600 paras processed in the last month and a half. If you don’t have paras, you’re putting stress on rest of staff – teachers, other paras, etc. We need to get our building staffed properly. The DOE is horrendous at training paraprofessionals when they come in. It’s up to us to try to fix this. Paras usually won’t even get a bathroom key. Paras need to be trained. Massive turnover because of pay and because they’re not properly trained. We are getting money from State at percentages we’ve never seen before specifically for staffing of schools. 
  • Special Education: 900+ schools identified this problem: If ELL or ICT teacher calls out, no substitute. We need to do something about it as a Union. Use CC or Spec Ed committee. If they say they can’t get the subs, that’s unacceptable. Can’t tell us you can’t get the subs because as long as we keep saying nothing about it, DOE will make sure there’s no subs. Put this in consultation or Spec. Ed. committee. Plan can’t be “I called Sub Central.” There are schools who have sub plans and own pool of substitutes. They use people in the community to do sub work. 
  • District 75 weekend: New dept at DOE called DIAL – Division of Inclusive and Acceptable Learning. We’ve been through too many of these. Always fixing special ed. Compliance issues through the roof. Not hiring. Not enough OTs/PTs, social workers, paras. They hired 1600 paras because we pushed it. Otherwise, do not hire. D75 people know DIAL is coming. Everytime we look to make special ed better in NY, they say we need to reduce number of children in D75. They say this because they look at per pupil cost in D75. D75 should require most money per kid in NY. Nobody talks to D75. D75 has learned over decades to figure it out and function on their own. It should never be that way. So, they took spec ed away from spec ed department, gave it to teacher and learning department, got rid of that department, and gave it to DIAL. 
  • Congestion Pricing: Did not get injunction by judge. But judge found there was complete validity in constitutional and environmental question. Hot topic in Albany. They did not do environmental impact study. Did a quick assessment which was not approved by EPA. EPA said in a letter that “how they did this was suspect” They seem to think they’re experts in environmental protection. Assuming new administration may look at this differently.
  • Increase in eyeglasses.
  • TRS for all for all titles in BERS. OTs/PTs spearheaded this thing. Doing in-person informational sessions. 
  • Class Size:  Going to get a lot of money from State for class size. 800+ schools put in for class size money. Possibly 900. We’re reaching out to last 30 schools. DOE wants to close it. Can’t do it. Have to agree together. Need to look at teachers and staff members needed. Schools submitting how many teachers/staff they’ll need. Money will be recurring. Come every year and not get diminished unless we have an economic calamity. We’ll see how many staff will be requested. Don’t know if we can fund all the school’s plans. If school does not have enough space, school is granted 5-year waiver. Up to school. Decisions must be made at school level.
  • Raise kicks in January 18th. 3% raise on 1/18. We fought hard. City was very reluctant. We will see it in our paycheck on February 15th retroactive to 1/18. Tell your staff.
  • $700 retention around 5/1.
  • City is going to be a mess. Need to prepare for political roller coaster for City. Mayor’s race will take over everything. Next month at this DA, will share legislative agenda. Funding and 55 for Tier VI will be pushed. We want additional tax credit to reimburse us more for supplies. Teachers in other countries are revered. We cannot fill our positions. We’re having harder time staffing schools. We’re having a more difficult time. If a market can’t recruit workers, they should pay us and treat us better. We can’t do this work unless we hold DOE’s feet to fire about staffing our schools appropriately. Schools get lump sum money and are told that they have enough to be fully staffed, class size mandate, etc. When principal questions it, they’re told by DOE “You have the money you need.” Inappropriately staffing of schools (ex. 5 APs for 600 kids) should not be principal’s decision. Consultation needs to make sure they’re getting what they need to from Literacy. If not, file grievance.

Staff Director’s Report

• UFT Election season upon us. Nominating 2/12. Due back 3/17
• Teacher’s Choice forms due back to secretary by 1/17.
• African Heritage dance at Anton’s in Queens.
• UFT Black History film series in 2 weeks – 1/30 and 2/6 (Vandross doc). 2/27, 3/6. 
• UFT Asian American Heritage Lunar New Year Banquet on 1/28 at House of Joy in Chinatown. 
• Happy Birthday to Dr. King. 
• Next DA is 2/12.

Question Period

Delegate from the Bronx: Has there been any updates on new personnel memo written for COVID 19? A lot going on with vaccinations not being covered.

MM: We’re only union getting COVID days. Issue is if someone’s having problem with something, contact [email protected]. We based our legal argument with them on the fact that COVID rights need to last to the end of this fiscal year (7/1/25). If there’s an issue individually at school, let Sill know. Lots of strange bugs going around right now. Other unions didn’t fight for COVID days. Puts us in difficult position. Not giving it up without a fight.

District 11 Bronx, Delegate: Clarification with spreadsheets. Principal thinks it’s a vague statement. Asked to fill out data trackers with scores for every assessment for math tests, ELL unit assessments that school has access to. Progress monitoring daily with math cool downs, exit tickets, etc.

MM: Your principal sounds like a complete nutjob. He doesn’t understand you have to modify for your students. We will address this tomorrow. Actually, addresses as we speak. Please send email to me.

CL, PS156 District 3: CL for a while. Come here because it’s my job and I want to be informed. You do President’s Report. Last DA I was very disturbed at how when you’re doing your report, people are interrupting. I was taught it’s not what you do but how you do it. Can we have some civility in this process of what we do? The yelling, disrespect. How can we bring civility back to what we do and be on the same page to get things done?

MM: I understand what you’re saying. Everyone here voted in and represent number of people. We have a representative assembly. It’s like Congress for U.S. We want civility. This is not a body about politics – about business of union. Next month, should be clear rule – no politicking in the DA. You have right to say what you want but not at expense of others.CWe’re an education and healthcare union. I will uphold a person’s right to speak but will uphold rights of others to say you have spoken enough. It’s like when 1 or 2 children disrupt an entire class. Lots of people with different political agendas. Majority of folks are smart, understand we need to get to business of union.

District 24, CL: Parents of IEP students are not always happy because City can’t find providers that students need. How can we help parents get providers their kids need?

MM: Need parents to file complaints. Incumbent on City to hire. City needs to talk to CUNY about hiring people. System needs a lot of work.

Delegate: Clarification. I’m a para representative. Do I need to be present for consultation committee?

MM: Each school has right to create consultation team as they deem fit. I make recommendations to schools. Believe a para should be on every consultation committee. When CCs became prevalent in contract, there was never language on how they are put together. DOE has come to us and at points wanted us to let principal have voice in people on CC. We said no. When I was CL, we had a representative from each department. No way to force it. We are recommending highly to every chapter to have para on every consultation committee.

Resolution for next month’s agenda: MISSED TITLE. We are faced with threat from outside educational system. Non-member individuals and external orgs are attempting to infiltrate our elections. These actions are unacceptable. Posing direct threat to sovereignty and autonomy our members have fought for. Such interference undermines the very essence of our union’s democracy. Voting in favor of this resolution is crucial. Must take a stand that power to guide our unions lies solely with those. Emphatic declaration to protect union’s independence. Reinforce UFT’s independence and integrity. Our moment to affirm that our governance remain in rightful hands of its members. Anyone who is non-member, individual, or organization.

Halabi: Point of Info. Non-member individual and group. Clarification on the name of person/group?

Alicea: Point of Info. Constitution says that no other should have voice in UFT. Are we saying that stakeholders such as parents and educational advocates should not have a say in our union? Second question: We’ve asked for stability, now you’re poking at me, Maggie. Second. Who decides what interference is and who will adjudicate this interference?

MM: If this comes to floor, people can debate about it. Speaker against on the line.

Griffin Lane (CL, District 2 Manhattan): I speak against motion without greater specificity. Should be voted down and put forward with more specificity. 

Peter Lamphere (Co-CL): I don’t think we need to pretend that we don’t know which groups and individuals are being talked about. Proud member of DSA and was offended to see literature outside claiming it was controlling one of the election slates. Mic cut.

514 to 428 online, 156 to 134 in person. 54%. Motion Passed. Will be on next month’s agenda.

Motions directed to the agenda

Agenda #1: Proposed Amendment (Resolved): UFT will advocate to establish trained and compensated teacher-led curriculum committees at school and district levels to ensure curriculum is teacher driven and aligned with state’s culturally responsive framework.

836 YES, 72 NO (online), 256 YES, 19 NO in room. 92% Amendment passed.

AGENDA ITEM #1 – RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF TEACHER VOICE IN THE USE OF P-12 CURRICULA

Whereas the New York City Department of Education mandated that school districts use one of three literacy curricula in grades kindergarten to five based on the Science of Reading, each of which incorporates a formal assessment component, and

 Whereas many secondary school algebra teachers have been required to use the Illustrative Math curriculum, a new math curriculum with different terminology, processes, and pacing to which many students are unaccustomed and therefore students lack the necessary foundations, and

Whereas there is a place in our schools for curricula that are research-based and developmentally appropriate, and

Whereas administrators in schools and central DOE have harped on “fidelity” to the curricula, regardless of the readiness of actual students or the recommendations of its educators, and

Whereas the diversity of our students within schools and across schools is what makes the New York City public schools great, and

Whereas teachers constantly make instructional decisions based on their own assessments of students’ educational experiences and learning styles, and

Whereas each teacher’s ability to implement instructional strategies and incorporate appropriate activities in their classrooms are integral parts of the professional responsibility of our members, and

Whereas one UFT member is worth at least 100 consultants,

Resolved that the UFT continue to support and defend a teacher’s right to adapt the curriculum to benefit their students and to use teacher-created assessments based on their own knowledge of students’ work, which enables the teacher to evaluate both the skills of students and the efficacy of the curriculum and instruction, and be it further

Resolved that the UFT oppose the administrative and bureaucratic evaluation of “fidelity” or “integrity” or other related catchphrases to a curriculum based on prescriptive pacing calendars that do not recognize differences in students or schools, and be it further

Resolved that the UFT Teacher Center continue to assist and support teachers in all aspects of the Science of Reading, especially the assessment component, and be it further

Resolved that the UFT will continue to fight for the professional autonomy of our members and against administrators who value DOE vendors more than UFT members.

YES: 736, NO: 42 (online)  YES: 262, NO: 7 (in room) – 95% Resolution passed as amended

AGENDA ITEM #2 – RESOLUTION TO ENSURE EQUITABLE FUNDING AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION FOR CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS

WHEREAS, Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs provide essential pathways to career success and economic mobility for thousands of New York City students, and

WHEREAS, CTE programs have demonstrated significant positive outcomes, including higher graduation rates, increased college enrollment, and better career preparation, with CTE concentrators having a graduation rate 10 percentage points higher than the national average, and

WHEREAS, despite their proven effectiveness, many CTE programs face chronic underfunding, inadequate resources, and outdated equipment that does not align with current industry standards, and

WHEREAS, inequitable funding patterns have disproportionately affected CTE programs in historically underserved communities, limiting access to high-quality career preparation for students who could benefit most, and

WHEREAS, the cost of maintaining industry-standard equipment, securing qualified instructors, and providing necessary materials for hands-on learning experiences continues to rise, and

WHEREAS, high-quality CTE programs require ongoing partnerships with industry professionals, regular curriculum updates, and continuous professional development for educators, therefore, be it

RESOLVED that the UFT calls upon the New York City Department of Education and the New York State Education Department to establish dedicated funding streams for CTE programs at the federal and state levels that ensure equitable distribution of resources across all boroughs and communities, and be it further

RESOLVED that the UFT advocates for additional funding at the federal and state levels, beyond Carl Perkins funding, specifically for CTE programs to cover essential equipment, materials, professional development, teacher externships, and industry certification costs, and be it further

RESOLVED that the UFT will work with the CTE Advisory Committee, comprising educators, industry partners, and community stakeholders, to implement these initiatives, with periodic public reporting on progress to ensure accountability and prioritize equitable resource distribution to historically underserved communities.

YES: 788, NO: 14 (online). YES: 261, NO: 3 (in room). 98%. Passed. 

AMENDMENT TO AGENDA #3: “And related service providers” wherever it says “special education teachers” 576 YES, 39 NO (online) 242 YES, 5 NO (in room) 95% support.

AGENDA ITEM # 3 – SUPPORT FOR ADDITIONAL TIME FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS TO WORK ON IEPS

WHEREAS, special education teachers are responsible for creating and maintaining IEPs which requires detailed, individualized progress monitoring to ensure that students with disabilities receive appropriate support and accommodations; and

WHEREAS, the process of writing, reviewing and revising IEPs is time-consuming and involves collaboration with parents, general education teachers and other specialists, requiring significant attention and focus; and

WHEREAS, many special education teachers are already managing heavy caseloads, balancing teaching responsibilities, lesson planning, specially designed instruction, behavioral management and other administrative tasks, leaving limited time to complete IEP -related work during the school day; and

WHEREAS, research shows that providing teachers with dedicated time for writing IEPs can improve the quality of the IEPs, ensure better outcomes for students with disabilities, and reduce teacher burnout, which ultimately enhances job satisfaction and retention of special education teachers, and area experiencing significant staffing shortages; and

WHEREAS, while special education teachers can use the Other Professional Work time to complete this work, this time is often needed to collaborate with teacher teams for co-planning and not all schools have a schedule with Other Professional Work time; therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the UFT work to achieve an agreement with the DOE that special education teachers be permitted to select the professional assignment of “perform student assessment activities (including IEPs)” and that this choice will be honored if selected; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the UFT will continue to fight for additional time during the school day for special education teachers to work on IEPs to ensure that students with disabilities receive the best possible educational experience and so that teachers can fulfill their professional responsibilities effectively.

YES: 680, NO: 26 (online) YES: 256  NO: 2 (in room). 97%. Resolution Passed.

MOVED TO NEXT MONTH (TIME): AGENDA ITEM #4 – OBSERVATIONS FOR TENURED TEACHERS RETURNING FROM LEAVE

WHEREAS, according to DOE guidelines, the number of observations for tenured teachers is determined based on their prior ratings as follows

• HE in the prior year: minimum of two informal observations
• E in the prior year and HE, E or S in the year before that: minimum of two informal observations
• E in the prior year and D, I or U in the year before that: minimum of three informal observations
• E in the prior year and No Rating in the year before that: minimum of one informal and one
• formal observation
• D in the prior year: minimum of one formal and three informal observations
• I in the prior year: minimum of one formal and four informal observations
• No Rating in the prior year: minimum of one formal and three informal observations; and

WHEREAS, tenured teachers who are on a leave of absence for a year do not receive a rating, which then places them in the category to receive additional observations (three informal and one formal) upon their return; and

WHEREAS, this practice disproportionately impacts teachers on leave for reasons such as child care, line of duty, restoration of health, among other approved leaves; and

WHEREAS, it is inequitable to change the number of observations for teachers based on circumstances such as having a child or recovering from an injury sustained while working; therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the UFT will advocate for tenured teachers who receive a “No Rating” due to their leave of absence to have their observation requirements determined based on their most recent full-year rating (within the prior three years) rather than arbitrarily increasing their minimum number of observations.