New Educator To-Do List

Here are some items to take care of right away and others that will help you prioritize and stay on track. 

Your union rights and benefits

Each spring, teachers request classroom assignments through the program preference process, indicating what they would like to teach in order of priority for the following school year. If you’re a K–6 teacher, you should receive a preference sheet from your administration by mid-March; if you’re a high school teacher, you should receive it by the end of April. As a probationary teacher, you should ask for an assignment in your license area; your tenure can be delayed if you teach out of license. Before submitting your preference sheet to your principal, make a copy of it for your records.

The weight of student debt can be a heavy burden, and exploring your options and applying for the right programs can be complicated. Luckily, you don’t have to face it alone. The Student Debt Relief Program, an exclusive member benefit brought to you by the UFT, is here to help. The Student Debt Relief Program runs webinars every month to help members tackle their debt; register online to attend an upcoming session. 

It’s important that the UFT have your up-to-date mailing address, email address and phone number so you receive important information about your union rights and benefits. You can update your address online in the “My Account” tab or in the UFT Member Hub. If you need assistance, call the UFT at 212-331-6311.

If you or your partner is about to give birth or you are planning to adopt or foster, you can attend one of the union's free virtual Pathways to Parenthood workshops to learn about your parental leave benefits as a UFT member. 

Salary and finances

You can access your W-2, 1127 waiver and 1095-C tax forms online on the NYCAPS employee self-service web page. If you asked for electronic delivery of your tax forms, you should have received them via email. Otherwise, the forms will be mailed to your address on file at the DOE. All in-service members can download and print their forms from the employee self-service page. Your W-2 includes any per-session and/or parental leave pay you received in 2024.

As you prepare to file your taxes, remember that eligible educators can deduct from their federal income taxes up to $300 of unreimbursed expenses from 2024 for books, supplies, computer equipment (including related software and services), other equipment and supplementary materials they use in the classroom, according to the IRS. The educator expense deduction is an “adjustment to gross income” so you can use it whether you use the standard deduction or itemize on your tax return. You should keep documentation, such as receipts or canceled checks, for any deductions you take. UFT members can deduct union dues from their state taxes if they itemize deductions on their state tax return. If you are not sure whether you are entitled to a deduction, or you have any other questions regarding your tax returns, consult a tax adviser.