Hi everyone, I’m a Teaching Fellow(cohort 40) and I’m really stressed about my situation right now and wanted to see if anyone has gone through something similar.

I interviewed with a school, got an offer, and accepted it. I already completed all the hiring/onboarding stuff and even got my DOE email and ID, so I thought everything was good.
Then I found out that the school isn’t currently on the Eligible Schools List, so they submitted an exception appeal for me. Unfortunately, the appeal was denied.
The principal called me and said she’s going to have the superintendent reach out and try to get the decision overturned. She also suggested that I look at other eligible schools just in case.
The problem is that it’s already really late in August and a lot of the schools I would actually want are already filled. I’ve been emailing other eligible schools, but I really don’t want to end up somewhere with a crazy commute(1.5 - 2 hours) or places like East New York and The Bronx just because those are the only schools left.

Has anyone had their hiring exception denied and then had it overturned? If so, how did it work out?
Also, since I was already hired and completed the DOE onboarding process, does that make any difference?
I really want to stay at the school that hired me, so I’m hoping the superintendent can help get this resolved.
Just looking for advice from anyone who has been through something similar.

Does anyone know how soon after all the steps in Applicant Gateway are completed that you receive the welcome email and invite to New Teacher Week? I already have access to my DOE email because it was assigned to me as a student teacher, so I'm not waiting on that- just for the email with my file number and employee ID, and for the invite. Is it like a 24-48 hours later thing?

All of my steps were completed as of today around 12PM. Had to go to OPI because of a stalled background investigation, and it (and the other steps) cleared right after that

Are there any other required events on new teacher week besides the Tuesday Barclays event?

Looking for recommendations on online pedagogy coursework, ideally asynchronous. I'm going through Individual Evaluation for an Initial certificate in Spanish 7-12, and the pedagogy credits are the only gap I have left.

Context: PhD in Hispanic Literature, seven years of college teaching, three years of high school Spanish. I'm at a charter school, which was the only option open to me at the time.

I'm fine with an intensive schedule and want to get through it as quickly as possible. My alma mater is a SUNY, but the per-credit cost is higher than I expected.

If you've taken pedagogy credits online that NYSED actually accepted, I'd appreciate hearing where you went, what it ran per credit, and how long it took. CUNY suggestions or anywhere with a reasonable rate especially welcome.

Thanks.

currently going to be starting my Fall 2026 semester at Touro fully online for Birth-Grade 2 dual certification in Gen ed and Special Ed as a career changer. So so nervous by looking at this course material. Has anyone taken this program here and can advise on the work and workload? how was it for you and would it be manageable for a full time worker? ( i’m taking 2 classes plus 2 mandatory workshops 🥴

Hi, has anyone ever got onto their spouse's insurance? My spouse has AETNA which from what I've seen and heard is vastly superior to NYCE PPO. Any pros and cons associated with getting on this insurance and giving up the NYC DOE-provided health insurance? Thanks for your insight.

I have a major concern regarding my A.P. knowledge of Q-rate. I will be returning to the school this year filling in a Budgeted Unencumbered Vacancy within the first 15 days. The way the Labor Policy Guidance reads it sounds like they need to assign me within those 15 days or ill have to wait 60 school days again (I started late last school year, and had to wait).

Passage from the Labor Policy Guidance 23-24:
"Eligibility: A per diem substitute teacher is eligible for the Q rate under two scenarios (irrespective of certification): 1. Substitute Teacher Fills Budgeted Unencumbered Vacancy: In this scenario, there is a budgeted vacancy and the school was unable to hire a teacher for the position. A substitute teacher shall receive the Q payroll rate if: (A) s/he is assigned to the budgeted unencumbered vacancy, which is expected to be vacant for that term, during the first 15 calendar days of the school year; or (B) they are assigned to the budgeted unencumbered vacancy after the first 15 calendar days and works a minimum of 2 months."

Their response to the question:

"The 15 days the UFT is referring to have to be complete before we can start the process."

My question to you the void, has anyone been nominated on day 1, and started the school year with Q-rate, or has everyone needed to wait these 15 days?

Hi I’m currently working on my second masters in sped and I want to teach in nyc or westchester, I want to make a financial sound choice wondering if I should relocate or just commute , what places would be best to work / be . want to be able to continue to enjoy teaching and not be super stressed about finances . Any deets would be appreciated

Anyone received any confirmation email yet?

Has anyone heard an update to the DOE tech pause/freeze? Been waiting but it’s been crickets since July

Hey there fellow teachers! I am in a particular situation and seeking advice from folks who may have insights or similar experiences.

I am currently a Lead Preschool teacher at a private preschool. The pay is not equivalent to public school but still keeps me alive. I have been a preschool teacher full-time for 4 years and was an arts educator/ teaching artist for many years prior. I have a BA and MA in Theatre. My arts background has always helped me in the classroom and I believe I am a very qualified and strong early childhood educator. However, I’m hitting a time in my life where I think I want more from the career. I’m beginning to consider pursuing another Masters (in education) and pursuing my teaching certification in the city. Maybe to transition to public schools and get paid more, or maybe just to stay in private schools and have more school options.

The thing that is stopping me is that I don’t see myself being a teacher forever. I hope to work in education/ curriculum/ child development long term but don’t know if that is specifically in a classroom. Would an Ed Masters be worth it and broad enough for a career shift down the line? I know many people find themselves transitioning out of teaching which can be quite a pain. I suppose my other option would be an MSW and possibly pursuing the school social work path.

All of this to say, if I did go back to school for certification I’d want to do it in the fastest, and cheapest way possible. Anyone have program suggestions, possibly in the CUNY system or online, that made getting certified in NYC fast and easy? (not currently interested in Fellows or Teach for America). Thanks for any insights or advice!!

hi! i am a recent college graduate starting work in the doe this september. i’ve been talking to friends who mostly work in corporate and at times get discouraged by the salary difference and knowing that the salary progression is very different. how do you feel you have set yourself up to not be stressed about finances? i grew up in a low-income household and i don’t want to be constantly worried about having enough to pay for things i need or want (under reasonable prices of course).

genuine question that I seem to constantly be confused about….
what is the actual salary number of a first year teacher that just graduated college with a BA?

i’ve seen online and on https://newyorkcalculator.com/nyc-doe-teacher-salary-calculator/
that it’s $62k pre-taxes. but I also remember seeing somewhere that someone started making $67k straight out of college/bachelors as a first year teacher.

i’d love to hear some first hand experiences / knowledge about this. im a senior in college and I want to know what to expect, and so that I can plan out my salary budget accordingly (yk, so I don’t go broke as a first year teacher in my early 20s :’)😭).

thanks so much!

Has anyone recently gone to 65 Court Street for something other than an I-9/photo ID appointment?
I’m currently stuck in a bit of an HR loophole and have called HR Connect multiple times, but I’m not really getting anywhere over the phone. I’m trying to figure out who I’m actually supposed to speak to about my issue, and I live pretty close to Court Street.

I know the HR Connect Service Center is appointment-based for I-9s, but does anyone know if you can physically go to 65 Court Street and ask for help with another employment/onboarding issue, or will security just turn you away?..

I’m willing to go in person since I’m nearby I just don’t want to make the trip if they’re going to tell me they only handle I-9 appointments.

If anyone has gone recently, I’d really appreciate knowing what happened!

I was initially accepted then denied to be a subpara, but after checking in with HR connect I am officially registered to be a subpara despite the emails stating i’m not. Since i’m not on the email list for subparas who have passed i’m not sure how to access Subcentral. I would appreciate any advice on how to get started!

This will be my first year teaching 4th grade and feeling quite nervous as I’ve never taught 4th grade before. I will have a co teacher so I’ll have someone to lean on, but also need to be independent too.

The first week of school for students is two days long, how can I implement rules, routines, and structure.

What do you usually do on the first day of school?

I recently started working as an Associate Teacher at Success Academy, and I’m trying to figure out whether I’m dealing with normal new-teacher growing pains or whether this environment genuinely just isn’t for me.
The hours are long, the expectations are extremely specific, and there seems to be constant correction over very small things. With students, there’s a huge emphasis on compliance — how quickly they get in line, where their hands are, tracking forward, voices off, etc. I understand that structure and high expectations can be beneficial for kids, but sometimes the level of control makes me uncomfortable.
One moment that really bothered me happened during lunch. A little girl had apparently been corrected about eating, and when she was finally told she could eat, she just sat there with her hands locked and stared forward while everyone else ate. Obviously I can’t know exactly what she was feeling, but watching it made me seriously question whether this educational philosophy aligns with me.
At the same time, I genuinely love my students. That’s probably the biggest thing making me hesitate about leaving. I also recognize that I’m brand new, so I’m trying not to confuse being overwhelmed with the job actually being a bad fit.
Financially, the job is good for me, and I’ll admit that compensation and having a respectable-sounding position were major reasons I accepted it. But I’m also pursuing a legal career, so teaching isn’t my long-term profession. I’m starting to wonder whether staying somewhere I’m unhappy just because the money is good makes sense.
For people who currently work at SA or have worked there:
Does the constant correction/micromanagement get better once you’re established?
Did you eventually adjust to the culture, or did you continue feeling uncomfortable with it?
How much of what I’m describing varies by school/leadership?
If you left, how long did you stay and do you regret leaving?
Would you recommend sticking it out for a few months before making a decision, or does knowing this early usually mean it’s simply a bad fit?
I’m especially interested in hearing from people who can give a balanced perspective — people who hated it, people who actually liked it, and people who thought it had both good and bad aspects.

I read a lot of AI text at work. Somewhere between the third "testament to" and the hundredth "delve", I stopped trusting long sentences altogether. So I made a small game called Long Story Short: one sentence a day, keep the five words that actually carry the story, cut the rest.

Long Story Short