General Information
TAs are salaried employees and are paid on the payment schedule issued by the district (approximately a bi-weekly schedule), regardless of absences or days off.
TAs may use professional development courses for salary advancement. See the Professional Development page on this site for additional details.
Service time as a TA does count toward time on the district seniority list.
Service time as a TA does count toward time in the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS).
Work Day / Hours
The TA workday was extended to 7 hours and 15 minutes. By law they are required to have a duty free, 30 minute lunch when working for 6 hours or more. It is possible that the length of time for a TA’s lunch differs between buildings, with some having a 40 minute lunch like some teachers do. Please note: 40 minutes is in excess of the legal minimum, and is not a contractual obligation.
TAs should not have a prep period as they are hired to provide instruction to students at the guidance of the cooperating teacher. The cooperating teacher should be preparing the instructional materials that TAs will need to provide their instruction.
It can be assumed that TAs will have approximately 10-15 minutes throughout their day for a short break / use the restroom like other staff.
Classroom Coverage
Be sure to keep a record of the time you are required to provide classroom coverage. Record the dates, time and if it was for a half or full day or classroom coverage. Always be sure to review your pay statements to make sure that your compensation for this additional time is accurate. Payment for classroom coverage as per the 2020-24 TA contract will appear on your pay statement under the designation: CLASSROOM COVERAGE (as of 2020).
Professional Development and Salary Advancement
Carefully read page 12 of your contract to understand the requirements and guidelines for salary advancement as a teaching assistant.
Read Board of Education policy numbers 9200 and 9201 to understand additional requirements and guidelines for salary advancement as established by the Board of Education. These board policies are located on the district’s website and can be accessed via the following links.
Certification
Certification information on the NYSUT website
Certification information on the New York State Education Department website
Tenure Portfolio
Teaching Assistants are not required to create a portfolio in order to be considered for tenure.
Retirement
Your contract has detailed retirement information regarding announcement dates, sick day buy out, health insurance in retirement and much more. It is important that you read and understand all of this valuable information as you start planning for retirement. Reach out to your building representative regarding any general questions and contact human resources at district office with any specific retirement questions.
The Teachers' Retirement System or TRS, provides each member with a comprehensive annual profile detailing their potential retirement benefits. Even early in your career it is important that you understand the information provided. If you do not understand a particular part of your profile do not be embarrassed, ask for help. Reach out to your building representative with your questions. If they are unable to help you, contact the SCTA Member Benefits Committee at southcolonieteachers@gmail.com.
As you near retirement, it is absolutely necessary that you contact TRS directly and set up an appointment with a representative from their office. Their staff are extremely knowledgeable and helpful, and they will give you the time needed to make sure you feel comfortable and secure as you transition into this wonderful chapter of your life. It is recommended that you contact TRS approximately 5-7 years prior to your retirement to begin working with their staff. You can, and are encouraged to reach out to them even earlier with questions and concerns or even to set up intermediate meetings along the way to retirement. You can locate all the necessary contact information on the TRS website.
All information about NYSUT on this website has been approved and provided by NYSUT. Additional information is available at https://www.nysut.org.