DEPT. of ED. & UFT LINGO TRANSLATIONS



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.