UESF/American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Educator Leaders Program
Apply now: The UESF/AFT Educator Leaders Program Application
| All UESF members are invited to apply — Counselors, Nurses, ParaEducators, T10s, Speech Language Pathologists, Family Liaisons, School Psychs, Teachers, Social Workers, Central Office staff, etc. Not yet a member? Fill out the UESF membership form. Stipends for participants. Ongoing support; and access to AFT’s nationwide online community of educator leaders engaged in this work. The AFT Teacher Leaders application form essay & two letters of support are due by 5pm September 23, 2024. The Educator Leaders Program brings together a selected group of certificated and classified union members and empowers them to assume active leadership roles in their schools, unions and communities. These educators then serve as catalysts to build their profession and strengthen their union and its connection to the community in order to generate support and understanding of public schools. Educator Leaders will continue to use the skills they develop in the 8 month paid program throughout their careers. AFT brochure: From Practice to Policy Program Goals: Participants will be able to (1) understand and engage in local action research to create avenues of change in educational practice and discuss education policy with guest speakers; (2) complete assigned tasks between meetings; and (3) attend and fully participate in the required monthly meetings. Please contact Diana Momiye Mueller at ELP@uesf.org with questions. UESF Educator Leaders’ Research Topics – Cohort 2023-24 ⧫⧫ How do the current paraeducator contract hours in San Francisco Unified School District impact team building and collaborating with case managers to support and implement Individual Education Plans? ⧫⧫ What changes, if any, have SFUSD school psychologists noticed in parent and stakeholder perceptions and acceptance of the ED eligibility since SFUSD implemented use of the term Emotional Disability? ⧫⧫ How do we create a more equitable teaching environment for Educators, Pre Kindergarten and Transitional Kindergarten students that participate in Inclusion or Mainstreaming within the General Education Classroom in the San Francisco Unified School District? ⧫⧫ What is the relationship between school nurse performance evaluation and school nurse job satisfaction in San Francisco Unified School District? ⧫⧫ What happens with retention and morale when the San Francisco Unified School District acknowledges the skills and duties of their paraeducators? ⧫⧫ How do San Francisco Unified School District’s parental and long-term illness leave policies affect educator well-being and decision-making? ⧫⧫ How can effective communication positively impact teamwork and collaboration at Ruth Asawa School of The Arts high school in San Francisco Unified School District? ⧫⧫ What are community members’ perspectives on the potential impact of San Francisco Unified School District’s decision to put algebra in the eighth grade? ⧫⧫ What could be the impact of moving towards a workload model for Elementary School Resource Specialists in San Francisco Unified School District? ⧫⧫ What happens when there is a bridge of awareness and learning between General Education and Special Education at Alamo Elementary School in the San Francisco Unified School District? What UESF Educator Leaders have to say about the program – Cohort 2023-24 “This program helped me understand how to take a question, analyze, research and find solutions that can solve a priority within my school district. With my recommendations, I now have actionable items that I can collaborate with my union to change district policy for the better.” Emily Patterson, Special Education Content Specialist, K-5 “Through this program, I was able to conduct research in one of my areas of professional interest and I was able to use the research findings to push relevant policy makers to create change. The opportunity was truly empowering!” Alexis Lyon, School Psychologist “My experience in the AFT Educator Leaders’ program was quite enlightening. I was able to connect with educators who’s common goal was to provide a more equitable learning environment for both parties involved. As I listened to my colleagues, I began to notice a theme in regards to how we educate students, which helped to drive my research in this project. Overall, we want the best for all families, including ours. This is definitely a program that every teacher should become more involved in.” Dana McIntyre, General Education Transitional Kindergarten Teacher, John McLaren “Participating in the program allowed me to interact with SFUSD colleagues with whom I would not have the chance to in the normal course of my work. I enjoyed learning about and with them. I appreciated how passionate everyone is in improving the learning experiences of school-age children and the working conditions of educators!” Genevieve Evenhouse, School District Nurse “The Educator Leaders program provided the support I needed to tackle a challenging topic and ensured my recommendations were rooted in realistic, achievable goals. It taught me how we construct policies and who constructs them so I can advocate for change and get results.” Daniel Ryan, ParaEducator, Access The Arc 2019-2023 UESF Research Topics 2019-2023 Testimonials |
