Contract 2023: Districts 75 & 79

District 75

Special Education Committee

In District 75 schools, the principal will meet with the District 75 special education committee once at the beginning of each school year and once at the end. The principal and the committee will discuss (a) issues regarding available space and staffing at the main school and each cluster site to support students in crisis; and (b) special education compliance issues, including teacher and paraprofessional programming, and, if possible, they will try to resolve these compliance issues at the school level.

Functional Grouping of Students

In the spring, prior to the creation of the program for the next school year, the principal or their designee will meet with the teachers during a non-instructional period to hear their recommendations regarding the functional grouping of students with IEP mandates.

Assessments

The DOE will issue annual guidance to schools regarding best practices for ensuring continuity of instruction during the administration of SANDI, ABLES and NYSAA exams.

Here is the DOE guidance issued in November 2023:

The administration of assessments and data analysis throughout the school year are critical to monitoring student growth and instructional planning. Schools should work to maintain continuity of instruction during the administration of SANDI, ABLLS and NYSAA and continue to create the best possible learning environment during the administration of these assessments The following is a non-exhaustive list of possible staffing options for instructional support and continuity of instruction during assessment periods: (i) utilization of additional substitute teachers or paraprofessionals or F-status employees; (ii) realignment or reassignment of out-of-classroom teachers to support administration of the assessment and/or coverage; or (iii) assignment of coverages (i.e. during preparation or professional periods, which are compensated per the contract) or teaching staff with availability in their teaching program.

District 79

Site Vacancies

The DOE must now post potential vacancies for the following term in the alternative high school programs at the administrative office of each program 45 days before the end of the term — down from 60 days — so those postings will more accurately reflect the actual vacancies in the new term.

Graduation Criteria

The UFT and the DOE will establish a joint committee to discuss new graduation criteria for students enrolled in transfer schools and to determine what, if anything, needs to be brought to the State Education Department. District 79 members believe new graduation criteria such as a project-based assessment, rather than Regents exams, would better reflect what their students have learned.