Use contractual tools to confront curriculum issues at your school

The issues with the DOE’s rollout of the HMH, Illustrative Math and early childhood curricula have mounted this school year. We will continue to prod the DOE at the chancellor’s level consultation to address our serious concerns, but chapter leaders should also use the consultation process and the operational issues resolution process to engage in a parallel push at the school level so we have documentation we need to prove the extent and depth of the issues facing our members. If your principal or the consultants providing curriculum training say that teachers are not allowed to adapt the curricula or adjust the pacing calendar to meet their students’ needs, you should bring up that issue at your next consultation meeting. It’s our position that the technology that students need to access the new curriculum must be provided as part of schools’ contractual obligation to provide appropriate and sufficient basic instructional supplies. If your students do not have the necessary technology, file an operational issues complaint. If members in your school are required to do unnecessary paperwork related to the new curriculum and the assessment of student learning, you should file an operational issues complaint.

ACTION YOU NEED TO TAKE: Place curriculum issues on the agenda at your next consultation meeting with your principal and, when appropriate, file an operational issues complaint.

Union urges action on special education failures

The UFT has asked the state Education Department to hold the city Department of Education accountable for its continued failure to provide mandated special education services to students. The union believes the situation has gotten worse, not better, in the roughly four years since the state put the DOE under a corrective action plan. The problem is tied to the shortage of paraprofessionals and related service providers, particularly in District 75. Since the DOE has proven incapable of providing precise information, we are asking you to report on special education violations and unfilled positions at your school. We will use the data you provide to hold the DOE's feet to the fire in the weeks ahead.

ACTION YOU NEED TO TAKE: If you have not already done so, please complete the chapter leader survey on special education. We need all schools to report back to us. The survey closes at midnight this Friday, Oct. 25.

Organize a Thanksgiving coat drive at your school

Let's make sure students in need have new apparel to stay warm this winter. Consider organizing a winter clothing drive at your school to collect NEW winter coats, sweaters, scarves, mittens, gloves and hats ranging in size from toddler to adult. Members can also make a monetary donation toward the purchase of winter apparel for New York City public school students living in temporary housing. You can drop off donations at your UFT borough office or bring items to the Nov. 13 Delegate Assembly. If your school or worksite has collected many items, we can also arrange to pick them up. If you have any questions, please contact Jeannette Noriega at JNoriega [at] uft [dot] org (subject: ) (JNoriega[at]uft[dot]org).