No, and here’s why: 

Virtual learning is described in the 2023 MOA with the goal of becoming “the first major public-school system to develop, implement and expand high-quality virtual instruction and related services, for all students who choose this option.”

The Department of Education defines credit recovery as “intensive instruction in a student’s identified area(s) of deficiency only. In credit recovery, students do not retake the full course. They instead work with a NYCDOE subject-certified teacher to relearn and master the areas in which they need support.”

Virtual learning classes should be full courses and not credit recovery. To be credit bearing, virtual classes bearing must address NYSED commencement-level learning standards and provide the opportunity for 54 hours of instructional time per credit under the supervision of a NYCDOE subject-certified teacher, who determines student competency of learning outcomes for the course.

The General Rules for Virtual Learning outlined in the 2023 MOA specify that:

-All virtual assignments shall be posted. No staff will be involuntarily assigned to teach a virtual class.

-Virtual instructional periods may combine synchronous, asynchronous and small group instruction.

-All students participating in virtual learning will be part of a class and a school.

-All participating staff will be provided with pre-assignment and on-going training.

-All virtual classes and related service sessions shall be compliant with current SED regulations, IEP mandates and Board Academic policy.

-Article 15 of the Teachers’ Contract and the 8/23/16 “Pro Rata Teaching Assignment” agreement shall apply to virtual assignments.

-Teachers will only be assigned to virtual learning assignments for students that have opted to participate in virtual classes.  

The Federation of Nurses have started using texting as a method to send important updates to our members. 

To sign up, Use this link while on your mobile device (you’ll be asked to grant access to your text messaging app) or text "FON" to #86366. You'll need to provide the email address where you received this UFT email to verify your information.

Please note that this is a one-way form of communication and we are unable to respond individually to texts sent in response to our messages. 

To reach the Federation of Nurses, contact the office directly at 212-420-7981 or by email at nurses@uft.org. 

Enteral formulas are liquid food products that are specially formulated and designed to increase the amount of various food elements and nutrients that will maintain proper physiological function of the body process. They may also be used to correct an existing deficiency.  

New York State law regarding coverage of enteral formulas is not applicable to the Welfare Fund. However, we will cover specific formulas for our in-service members providing the following guidelines are met: 

1. Members requesting access to these formulas will be subject to the Fund's prior approval process. 

2. The formulas are for oral home use and have been prescribed by a physician or other legally authorized health care provider. These formulas are distinguished from nutritional supplements taken electively. They are not covered if they are administered via nasogastric tube, via feeding gastrostomy or via needle-catheter jejunostomy since the patient's health insurance plan usually covers it with prior authorization. The patient should contact their health plan. 

3. The patient's provider must send a letter of medical necessity to the Welfare Fund's Pharmacy program that states that the enteral formula is clearly medically necessary. This means that the formula has been proven effective as a disease-specific treatment regimen for those individuals who are or will become malnourished or suffer from disorders, which if left untreated, cause chronic disability, mental retardation, or death. 

4. The formulas must be the patient's sole source of nutrition and for specific diseases, which include, but are not limited to: 

• inherited diseases of amino-acid or organic acid metabolism; 
• Crohn's disease; Phenylketonuria Disease (PKU)
• gastroesophageal reflux with failure to thrive; 
• disorders of gastrointestinal motility such as chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction;
• multiple severe food allergies. 

5. Coverage for a calendar year for any covered individual shall not exceed seven thousand, five hundred dollars ($7,500.00).

6. Quantities are limited to 30-day supplies per dispensing and are considered non-preferred brand (Tier 3) for co-payment purposes (see more information about prescription drug tiers). 

The New York City Council created Teacher’s Choice decades ago after intense lobbying by the UFT. Teacher’s Choice is not guaranteed from year to year; the UFT has to lobby for funding for the program in every year’s city budget. Teacher’s Choice is not part of the DOE-UFT contract.

Classroom teachers, paraprofessionals, school counselors, social workers and psychologists, occupational and physical therapists, school nurses, school secretaries, lab specialists, reading coaches and single shepherds all receive funds through Teacher’s Choice at varying amounts per job title. Recipients must be in active service as of Nov. 1 to receive funding that same school year. 

Teacher’s Choice will not reimburse purchases of furniture, fees for trips or performances, gifts for students, computer accessories for home use, power tools, appliances or equipment that requires special wiring or installation, among others.

Also see what types of purchases are allowed »

Members receive their Teacher’s Choice allotment as part of their regular paycheck, not as a supplemental check, usually in mid-to-late November each year. Since Teacher’s Choice is treated as a post-net payroll adjustment, the funds are nontaxable.

If you receive Teacher’s Choice funds in your paycheck and do not submit an accountability form with receipts by the January deadline, the DOE will take back the money from a future paycheck.

If you do not wish to participate in Teacher’s Choice, you should submit a Request for Non-participation (opt-out) form to your school by the deadline indicated for that particular school year. 

Items purchased with Teacher’s Choice funds are the property of the DOE. These purchases must remain at your school for use in your classroom or office assignment; they cannot be taken to a different location if you transfer to a different school. However, software and supplies for personal or DOE-assigned computers may be used at home. Staff members who provide services at more than one location may bring purchased items to any site where they deliver services to students.