NYCDOE Sabbatical Applications Open – Take One if You Can
On a full year study sabbatical you get 70% of your pay while taking 16 credits. You come refreshed, rejuvenated, and, frankly, a better teacher.
Learning: it is very different being a student than being a teacher. The new perspective is valuable.
Content: you can learn more in your content area, or explore something related.
Money: July 2021 is at full pay. August is at 70% – until the next July 2022 which is still at 70%. Finally August 2022 would be 100% – so that’s 12 months at 70%, 2 months at 100%. Also, the tax taken go down considerably.
Rights: This is an amazing contractual right. People should use it.
Me: I took a sabbatical 2013-2014.
- I learned stuff that I applied to the classroom. I learned stuff that was fun. I was reminded what it was like to be a student. And I still correspond with two of my professors.
- I made my schedule Tuesday/Thursday – which left me with long weekends for short trips, and college breaks for long trips. I spent more time with friends, with family. I went to Pittsburgh, Toronto, the Galapagos, Morocco, Chattanooga… I think I went to Florida and Maine…
- I did feel the paycut, but not by much. The drop in taxes made much of it up.
- Do it? A few people say they get bored. I don’t get that. The vast majority of people I know who have taken them think they were amazing and are glad they did.
More info?
- Timeline – I posted below
- The full memo – Sabbatical Memo 2021-2022 FEB 9th UFT and CSA (2A)
- Workshops – UFT borough offices run them. Call and ask when the next one is (now – since the application period is open)
Here’s the timeline:
Full Year (2021-2022) Sabbaticals (16 Credits Required) Application Dates:
February 12, 2021 Application period open.
March 17, 2021 Final date for employee to submit application via SOLAS.
March 24, 2021 Final date for Principal’s recommendation to Superintendent in SOLAS.
April 14, 2021 Final date in SOLAS for Superintendent to inform employee if (a) coursework is not rigorous and job-related and/or (b) taking of the sabbatical will create a hardship for the school. All communications will be handled via SOLAS.
April 28, 2021 Final date in SOLAS for employee to resubmit coursework to Superintendent, if applicable.
May 5, 2021 If applicable, Superintendent informs employee in SOLAS that resubmitted coursework is not rigorous, job-related or if taking the sabbatical will cause a hardship.
May 5, 2021 Final date for Superintendent’s determination in SOLAS.
September 30, 2022 Submission of official transcript(s) required for Study Sabbaticals. (See Section 2D for details)
JD2718 
Can you tell what classes/ program you did for the one year sabbatical?
Absolutely – although that’s a few years ago now.
At Queens College I took
Logic (text was Enderton, professor was Russell Miller)
Number Theory (no text, John Horton Conway, retired, was there, a treat. He died during the COVID-19 surge in April of 2020)
Combinatorial Analysis (Text was Mazur, and it is on my desk now, professor was Chris Hanusa who put great effort into his teaching, but the enthusiasm came naturally – I loved this course)
Cryptography (was there a text? Kent Boklan taught it. The 25% of the material I have retained is absolutely fascinating)
And at Lehman College
Algebra, or Modern Algebra, or something like that. A first course about groups. With Mel Nathanson.
Hi, this is my fourteenth year in the DOE, and I would love to take a sabbatical for next year. My question is, how does this timeline work? Do you apply to universities first? or only after your application for a sabbatical is accepted? Thank you!