| Administrative
Period |
Periods during which a
teacher is scheduled for activity other than teaching or class preparation.
|
|
| Arbitration |
A process by which a dispute is referred
to an impartial third party for a decision. |
|
| Attrition |
A reduction in numbers of employees
in specified job categories based on resignation, retirement, or
death. |
|
| Basic
Educational Support |
The minimum numbers of books and other
supplies needed to conduct classes without impairment. |
|
| Blue Book |
Another term for the booklet "Parent
Associations and the Schools." This booklet, which is published
by the New York City Board of Education, explains the rights and
duties of parent associations that operate within the public school
system. The latest version was issued in June 1998. |
|
| Bumping |
The process of displacing another
employee who has been excessed by budget cuts or program changes.
The ability to bump another employee is based on seniority. |
|
| Captive
Lunch |
A term referring to the policy of keeping
children in the school during their lunch period for reasons of
safety and to prevent truancy. |
|
| Certified Provisional
Teachers (CPTs) |
Teachers who hold state provisional
or permanent certificates but who have not obtained a city
license. |
|
| Cluster Teacher |
Teacher in the elementary schools who
is specially assigned to teach classes in music, art, science, health
education, or the fundamental skills (such as reading), and who
covers classes to provide a preparation period for the regular classroom
teacher. |
|
| Collective Bargaining |
The process of negotiation between management
and organized labor, which results in a collective bargaining agreement,
that is, a union contract. |
|
| Collective Bargaining
Agreement |
The contract agreement between management
and organized labor that spells out terms and conditions
of employment, such as wages and hours. |
|
| Common Branch Subjects |
Any or all the subjects usually taught
or included in the daily program of elementary schools,
such as arithmetic. |
|
| Curriculum |
All of the courses offered in a school
or all of the courses in any one subject. |
|
| Discharge |
Termination of employment, usually for
disciplinary reasons. |
|
| Double Seniority |
An incentive that allows teachers to
accumulate special seniority credit for the purpose of transfer
for time spent in Chapter 1 schools. Only the period of employment
before 1987 counts for double seniority. |
|
| Excessing |
A term that refers to a situation in
which there are too many employees for the available positions because
of budget cuts. An excessed employee may bump or displace another
employee with less seniority. |
|
| Extracurricular |
Activities that are outside the curriculum
or regular course of study but under the supervision of the school,
for example, dramatics or athletic activities. |
|
| Grievance |
A complaint filed by an employee about
unjust, discriminatory, or oppressive working conditions or a violation
of the union contract. |
|
| Homeroom
Classes |
Classes in which children assemble at
least once a day for administrative purposes, for example, taking
attendance. |
|
| Individualized
Education Plan (IEP) |
An individualized education plan must
be provided to each child with a handicapping condition,
mandated by federal law. Each IEP takes into account the particular
needs of the child. |
|
| Layoffs |
The end of employment, sometimes only
on temporary basis, because there is a lack of available work or
for budgetary reasons. |
|
| License |
Common term used for state or city certificate
required for teachers to be fully appointed to a position in the
New York City schools and eligible for full salary, benefits, and
tenure. Under New York State law, however, teaching is not a licensed
profession. |
|
| License Area |
The subject area in which a teacher
is licensed to teach, for example, a teacher may be licensed to
teach mathematics in high schools. |
|
| Limited English Proficient
(LEP )Students |
Pupils scoring at or below the 40th
percentile on Language the Assessment Battery (LAB) Test.
This term has been replaced by the term English Language
Learners (ELL). |
|
| Longevity Increases |
Increases in pay given to employees
who have completed lengthy terms of service in employment, which
are beyond the standard salary schedule. |
|
| Mainstreaming |
The policy of educating children with
handicapping conditions, with or without related aids and services,
with general education students. |
|
| Paraprofessional
/ Para |
A teacher’s classroom assistant.
The word can also be used more widely to describe an employee who
assists a professional, such as family workers. |
|
| Patronage |
The power to appoint to office or to
grant other favors, or the act of appointing or granting favors,
especially political ones. |
|
| Per-Session Work |
Work performed by a teacher after regular
school hours. There are limits set on the amount of per-session
work or overtime that a teacher may work per year. The limit in
the 1990 UFT contract is set at 270 hours per year. |
|
| Preparation Time / Prep
Time |
Time given to teachers to prepare for
classroom instruction during the school day. |
|
| Preparatory Provisional
Teachers (PPT) |
Teachers who have not completed all
the requirements for provisional state certificate, but who hold
only a temporary state license. PPTs have three years to complete
the requirements for state and city certification. |
|
| Related
Services |
Transportation and those developmental,
corrective, and other supportive services required to assist a child
with handicapping conditions to benefit from a special education
program. |
|
| Salary
Schedule |
A listing of employee salaries, usually
by steps, which is based on job duties, qualifications, and length
of employment (also referred to as longevity). |
|
| School-Based Management/Shared
Decision Making (SBM/SDM) |
A process found in some schools by which
members of the school community, including teachers, parents,
and administrators, work together to identify important issues,
define goals, develop policies, and implement programs in the schools
to improve the educational program. SBM/SDM was a term used under
Chancellor Fernandez. More current and related initiatives are called
School Based Management, Comprehensive Education Plans and Whole
School Reform. |
|
| School-Based Option
(SBO) |
An option within the teachers' contract
which allows schools to change provisions of the contract
in four areas: class size, rotation of teacher
assignments or classes, teacher schedules, and/or
rotation of paid coverage for the entire school year. June 2002
-- In the new contract, only 55% of the U.F.T.'s voting chapter
members at a school (down from 75%) are needed to change a contract
provision for that school. |
|
| Seniority |
A status achieved by length of service
on the job. Seniority gives priority to the holder over other employees
with shorter service, in retaining employment, transferring to other
schools, and other conditions of employment. |
|
| Special Education |
Programs for students with mental, physical,
emotional, or learning disabilities. |
|
| Steps |
The various components of a salary schedule
which show how pay will increase according to certain factors such
as length of service. |
|
| Teaching
Periods |
Those periods of time when a teacher
is actively involved with a student in the act of teaching. |
|
| Tenure |
A status granted to a teacher, a principal,
or other civil service worker who has completed certain requirements,
such as length of service requirements, which gives the employee
permanent job security. An employee with tenure may only be removed
for the most serious causes. |
|
| 3020-a Proceedings |
A due process procedure used for handling
complaints about teachers, principals, and other school administrators. |
|
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