No sooner are we back from vacation than some critics are saying we should end the summer breaks to avoid a slide in learning. Their arguments ignore the benefits of summer vacations: enrichment, unstructured play and family time for kids – and rejuvenation for teachers.

“What I love about this program is that we recognize that complexity and treat each teacher with dignity,” she said. “And what I have learned is that the earlier we get in to help and the longer we stay, the greater the results.”

U.S. students scored in the middle of the pack among the 44 countries and regions participating in the first-ever international assessment of students’ creative problem-solving skills.

Almost four years after winning their historic first contract, family child care providers represented by the UFT began negotiations in September for a successor agreement with the state.

Three busloads of UFT members joined some 10,000 students, parents and educators in Albany on June 8 for the massive One Voice United rally organized by New York State United Teachers, the UFT’s state affiliate. The crowd stretched across the Empire State Plaza to speak out against insufficient education funding and the focus on high-stakes testing.