LEAP to Teacher

The Murphy Institute for Worker Education’s LEAP to Teacher (LTT) at the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies is a specialized set of support services designed to empower UFT members to become more effective in their schools and more impactful in their communities. As you consider enrolling in a graduate or undergraduate program in Education or other fields of study, the LTT program can assist you from the pre-admission stage through graduation at our partnering City University of New York (CUNY) colleges.

The Murphy Institute’s LEAP to Teacher program provides United Federation of Teachers (UFT) members working for the New York City Department of Education (DOE) with a set of free, ongoing support services in pursuing their education and advancing their careers in any field of study, including education. This program is a collaboration with the UFT, the Murphy Institute for Worker Education at the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies, and four participating City University of New York (CUNY) colleges: Brooklyn College, College of Staten Island, Lehman College and Queens College.

LTT was created in the mid-nineties to meet the needs of UFT para-educators attending Queens College. It was housed under the umbrella of the Queens College Worker Education Labor Education and Advancement Project (LEAP), established in 1984 to meet the needs of union members and to create a space within CUNY to give labor a voice, to address labor issues from an academic perspective, and to prepare future labor leaders. The program provides a student-friendly environment that meets the needs of adult learners as evening students and union members. In 2006, The Queens College Worker Education program joined forces with the Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies to better reach and serve union members throughout all of CUNY. In 2018, the Institute underwent an exciting expansion and became its own entity, now called the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies (SLU).

Throughout all of our transitions, the LTT program has remained true to its original mandate and has been a vital component of CUNY’s growth. There are now four LTT programs across CUNY at the following collaborating senior colleges:

• Brooklyn College
• College of Staten Island
• Lehman College
• Queens College

With the exception of Queens College, which is based out of its own Murphy Institute office, the LTT program is housed in the college’s schools of education. There is an LTT Coordinator on every campus that will assist you with your educational needs at the graduate or undergraduate level, and all staff members are committed to helping you and providing you with the services needed to achieve your academic goals. Additionally, most campuses offer flexibly scheduled, one-on-one tutoring support with writing and math specialists.

College Entrance Support

• Free CUNY entrance exam preparation classes
• Pre-admission advisement
• Credit bearing Enhanced English and Math classes

College and Career Support

• Academic advisement (from admission to graduation)
• Tutoring, writing support, workshops
• Career advisement

Funding College

• Assistance with financial aid and grant opportunities
• Information on DOE vouchers and reimbursement program

NY State Teacher Certification

• Counseling on NY State requirements for teacher certification
• Free NY State teacher certification preparation workshops and courses

For more information, please attend one of our monthly open house events (button on the left), or contact one of our site-coordinators to schedule an appointment at the college of your choice.