New York TeacherFebruary 13, 2026

Volume LXVII, Number 4

More than 50,000 UFT members have entered into Tier 6 of the New York State pension system since it was added over a decade ago. They will receive pensions unequal to earlier tiers when they retire — unless members band together and rally state lawmakers to fix Tier 6. Members are taking action on the issue to Make It Visible, Make It Human, and Make It Loud.

Cover Story

Members ‘Make It Visible’

Members returned from winter break eager to get to work on fixing Tier 6, which stripped important benefits for new hires when the pension tier was forced into state legislation by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in April 2012.

The UFT in December launched its “6” Days campaign to “Fix Tier 6 in ’26.” And on Jan. 6, to “Make It Visible,” members at more than 600 schools across the city wore blue, created Fix Tier 6 rally walls, signed up for further campaigns and shared their efforts on social media.

On Feb. 6, they continued to “Make It Human,” sharing personal stories about what fixing Tier 6 would mean for their lives (see facing page).

The campaign will rev up on March 6, when UFT members and public sector union workers across New York “Make It Loud,” before members head to Albany on March 8 to rally and lobby…

Latest News

News Stories

City must ‘build’ capacity

The UFT is taking aim at the School Construction Authority as it forecasts that when New York City public schools enter year four of the phased implementation of the state’s class-size reduction law, they will fall slightly short of the 80% compliance the law requires -- largely due to a lack of space.

News Stories

Union takes its case to Albany

The UFT told state lawmakers during budget hearing in Albany that it wants them to deliver on a number of priorities key to best serving New York City educators and the students they serve, including fixing Tier 6, revising the state education funding formula, increasing family child care providers’ compensation and expanding the community schools network.

Feature Stories

Computer science teacher Andy Jordan leads students in his robotics intensive at ember, the usual bell schedule at The Young Women’s Leadership School of Astoria.

Freedom to explore

For two weeks in December, the usual bell schedule at The Young Women’s Leadership School of Astoria didn’t signal a rush from algebra to English or history to science. Instead, students at the 6–12 all-girls school in Queens spent their school days immersed in single projects — building competition-ready robots, designing makeup artifacts that explore cultural identity, crushing dried insects to make medieval pigments, storyboarding stop-motion films frame by frame, and more.

The pause from regular classes was intentional and all thanks to the Progressive Redesign Opportunity Schools for Excellence (PROSE) program of which TYWLS of Astoria is part. PROSE was established in the 2014 DOE-UFT contract and affords schools the freedom to…

Social study of old New York

Queens 8th graders explore themes of cultural identity, community and adaptation through the stories of families who lived in New York City tenements during a class trip to the Tenement Museum.

Students perform with the Rockettes on stage

"Jewels” sparkle at Radio City

Middle school teacher Rachele Domond and paraprofessional Daquan Harris of the Catherine and Count Basie Magnet School for Multimedia and Performing Arts, in Jamaica, Queens, took on the roles of choreographers and proudly watched their middle school dance troupe make history as they joined the Rockettes on stage at Radio City Music Hall.

Member Spotlight

Chapter Leader Shoutout

Katrina Thomas, PS 289, Brooklyn

Discarded plastic bottles inspired Katrina Thomas, the chapter leader at PS 289 in Brooklyn, to take the initiative to raise money to build a kindergarten in Ghana.

Samuel Berck takes a photo at a public schoolyard. He is standing and wearing a black N95 mask

What I Do

Samuel Berck, math teacher at Rikers Island

District 79 math teacher Samuel Berck instructs incarcerated students at the East River Academy at the Rikers Island jail complex. 

Around the UFT

Clinicians Appreciation Day

Nearly 1,300 attendees gathered online and at UFT headquarters for the 20th annual UFT Clinicians Appreciation Day for a mix of professional development, networking and for the first time, an awards ceremony honoring the School Psychologist and School Social Worker of the year.

Your Rights and Benefits

Know Your Benefits

Sabbaticals

UFT members who are teachers or other pedagogical staff — including school counselors, social workers and school psychologists — are eligible to take a sabbatical leave to enhance their teaching skills, restore their health if they are ill or achieve state certification in a shortage area.

Know Your Rights

Per-session activities

Learn all the rules and know your rights with regard to "per-session" activities done outside regular classroom hours.

Your Well-being

Fourth-graders in Mrs. Toomey and Mrs. Barone's ICT class show love for PS 41 on

Cultivating love

In this Valentine's Day season, it is worth remembering that there are various types of love around us all the time, all worthy of celebration. Rather than being dependent on a romantic partner, love is something each of us creates from within, every day. Part of cultivating love is noticing the love we already have and finding ways to deepen that joy.

You Should Know

Grants, Awards & Freebies

Grants, Awards & Freebies

See our list of current opportunities for educators to receive funds and recognition for their hard work and dedication.

Q&A on the Issues

Fixing Tier 6

Get answers to all your questions about the Tier 6 New York State pension tier and why the UFT is fighting so hard to "fix" it.

Secure Your Future

Your pension options

Learn about your pension benefit distribution options.

Opinions

President's Perspective

UFT President Michael Mulgrew at the negotiating table

Time to lay it on the line with lawmakers

President Michael Mulgrew reminds members the UFT stays in the fight for the things that matter to educators, students, their families and our communities. As the budget process gets underway at the state and city level — the UFT is geared up to fight for its legislative priorities once again. 

VPerspective

Teacher Center coach Samantha Hall at PS/IS 295 in Jamaica, Queens, conducts a professional learning session.

UFT Teacher Center: partner in pedagogy

UFT Vice President for Education Mary Vaccaro says there is a need for teachers to be work alongside coaches in their classrooms: standing hip-to-hip, modeling and instructing students. The UFT Teacher Center fulfills that role with quality professional development and pedagogical resources. Educators should not hesitate to reach out.

Editorials

Provide for providers

The UFT welcomes New York mayoral and gubernatorial support for expanding 3-K and pre-K and launching a new 2Care program to care for the city's youngest children, but argues that the city's home-based, family child care providers must be fairly compensated for such goals to be achieved successfully.

Editorials

Protect U.S. workers

The UFT urges U.S. senators to pass the Protect America’s Workforce Act to give federal workers the right to collective bargaining and safe workplaces and a way to redress grievances.

Editorial Cartoons

An editorial cartoon of a child pouting in bed as his mother makes him go to school even though Trump is trying to shut down the Department of Education.

School’s still in session despite U.S. DOE troubles

"I don't care if they're closing the Department of Education... you still have to go to school!"

Comments

Teaching Resources

Learning Curve

Partnering with paraprofessionals

When teachers and paraprofessionals are on the same page, the classroom becomes a place of unity and students are the beneficiaries. Teachers across the city discuss the benefits of forging strong, healthy relationships with the paraprofessionals with whom they work.

Linking to Learning

Creating classroom content with AI tools

Find about a variety of educator-friendly AI tools with tips on how to use them to create classroom resources, including Notebook LM, Suno and others.

Teacher to Teacher

Behavior-management tips from a District 75 educator

Behavior-management techniques commonly employed in District 75 special education classrooms can be used to address and de-escalate student behavior in general education settings as well. Longtime District 75 teacher Nina Krisel Berke shares four behavior-management tools.

Building Your Career

Inside My Classroom

Cristina Cappiello and Arielle Schwartz, co-teachers at MS 245 in Manhattan take a photo while wearing capes and holding a copy of "The Giver".

Getting into character

Middle school teachers Cristina Cappiello and Arielle Schwartz showcase an inventive way to teach the classic novel "The Giver" in their classroom at MS 245 in Manhattan.

New Teacher Articles

Shake off the winter doldrums

The cold, short days of late winter can drain even the most enthusiastic teachers and students. Seasoned educators know that keeping kids — and themselves — engaged and energetic requires some strategic planning. Here are a few tips from veterans to lift your spirits and keep your students eager to learn.  

New Teacher Profiles

A portrait photo of teacher Laeticia Charles

Turning hallways into happy places

Queens middle school teacher Laeticia Charles offers a sense of emotional connection and safety to the students she teaches in her second year at MS 137, elevating her students' academics in the process.

Retired Teachers News

RTC Chapter Leader Column

Leading from the front

We have all watched what has been unfolding in our cities: the mass deployment of federal agents to terrorize immigrant communities and advance a white nationalist agenda. We have seen our neighbors and public school students kidnapped by ICE agents outside federal courthouses, mere blocks from our union headquarters. We have seen recorded images of deputized thugs killing American citizens for the crime of not following orders. We are saddened, appalled and angered. We have come to realize that the only “institution” on which we can truly depend to preserve a democracy that works for every one — not just the few — is ourselves: We the people, standing together, families and neighbors, keeping watch, bearing witness…

RTC Information

Required minimum distributions

UFT retirees who are turning 73 in 2026 and have a tax-deferred annuity (TDA) account have to begin making annual withdrawals from their TDA (called a required minimum distribution or RMD).

Health Insurance Claim Form on a clipboard with a calculator and credit card

RTC Information

1099 tax forms

The Teachers’ Retirement System issues 1099 tax forms each January to people who received distributions from TRS in the previous year.