PreK-12 Teachers

Note - updates on the impact of the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) outbreak on certified educators and members of PreK-12 local unions will be linked here.
 
Click here for results of our board of education (BOE) union coalition return to school survey (Jan 11, 2022).
 
Click here for Department of Public Health (DPH) guidance on mandatory school employee vaccinations (Jan. 4, 2022).
 
Click here for the state Department of Education (SDE)'s COVID-19 self-test kits distribution plan (Jan. 3, 2022).
 
Click here for the federal education department website's COVID-19 resources page (Dec. 30, 2021).
 
Click here for the SDE website's COVID-19 resources page (Sep. 14, 2021).
 
Click here for our national union's COVID-19 resources for PreK-12 teachers (Aug. 14, 2021).
 
Click here for our legal counsel's memo on COVID-19 and employment rights (Jul. 27, 2020).
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AFT Connecticut represents PreK-12 educator in school districts across Connecticut and is a proponent for public schools at the local level in members' districts and in the state legislature. From contract negotiations to student testing to pensions, our federation works to protect teachers' rights and provide professional support for members serving PreK-12 youth.
 
Click here to access our PreK-12 Council's open Facebook group. *
 
Click here to access Share My Lesson’s free resources for educators.
 
Click here to access Donors Choose and help teachers in need of supplies for their classrooms.
 
* requires approval to participate; does not require FB user account to access.
 

Realizing Historic Wins to Secure a "Better Future"

Fri, 04/29/2022 - 3:30pm
Lawmakers in late April approved significant investments in the state workforce, capping union members' efforts aimed at successor contracts. Our latest quarterly collective bargaining report showcases seven affiliated public employee locals and their wider coalition's landmark achievement - their first such agreements without concessions in more than a decade. Together they demonstrated how a seat at the table yields much more than pay raises and better conditions.
 

Making Gains "at Every Step of the Salary Scale"

Mon, 01/31/2022 - 6:30pm
The recent pattern begun last year of affiliated local unions negotiating contracts with solid pay increases has over the past 90 days continued to be repeated. Our latest collective bargaining report features one such affiliate whose leadership overcame historic inequities to win a ground-breaking new agreement in negotiations with their employer. Members' personal progress will additionally benefit the community they serve as the provisions promise to stabilize the workforce for years to come.
 

Urging Action for a "Safe, Healthy Return to the Classroom"

Fri, 12/31/2021 - 12:30pm
Leaders representing over 60,000 public education employees across Connecticut are urging immediate implementation of new, strict, consistent protocols and safety standards in our schools. Our Board of Education (BOE) Union Coalition is calling on state and district officials to take specific additional steps ahead of students’ return from winter break. Action is needed now as the COVID-19 omicron variant continues transmitting at the highest levels since the start of the pandemic.
 
Click here for the coalition's updated core principles.
 

Encouraging Teachers to "Share Your Story" and Celebrate the Profession

Fri, 11/19/2021 - 1:30pm
State and local union leaders are engaging with rank-and-file members in support of a new multi-media project designed to raise educators’ collective public profile. The online platform, "Teachers of Connecticut," was in August launched to amplify the voices of practitioners across the state with an initial series of stories from the classroom. News outlets have since helped further raise public awareness with coverage of featured educators.
 
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