– LEAP to TeacherCUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies

LEAP to Teacher (LTT) provides a specialized set of support services designed to empower UFT and DC37 school and daycare workers to become more effective in their schools and more impactful in their communities. The LTT program can assist you with pursuing your undergraduate or graduate degree in any field of study, from the pre-admission stage through graduation. Offered across NYC at the designated partnering City University of New York (CUNY) campuses.

Contact
Program Manager
Sheryl Smith
sheryl.smith@slu.cuny.edu
646-313-8531

What is the LTT Program?

The Murphy Institute’s LTT is a supportive program works in collaboration with the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies (SLU) and our participating CUNY colleges. The LTT’s mission is to empower participants to become more effective in their schools and more impactful in their communities. The variety of LTT services are specifically designed for UFT and DC37 paraprofessionals, teachers, daycare workers, and other school personnel. Participants can pursue undergraduate or graduate degrees to advance their careers in teaching or any other field of study. The program is offered at: BMCC, Bronx Community College, Brooklyn College, College of Staten Island, the CUNY School of Labor & Urban Studies (non-teaching degrees), Lehman College , Medgar Evers and Queens College.

Eligibility

To be part of the LTT program and receive free services, you must be:

A UFT or DC37 school or daycare worker
Attending or planning to apply to an undergraduate or graduate program at one of the LTT partnering CUNY colleges.

Prospective Students
To learn more about the LTT program and its services, attend one of our monthly LTT open house sessions or fill out the inquiry form, and our program specialists will contact you to set up a zoom or in-person meeting to answer your questions.

What Does LTT Offer?

College Entrance Support

College and Career Support

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

Funding College

SLU LEAP to Teacher Scholarship: This scholarship was created to assist Paraprofessionals/Teaching Assistants employed with the NYC Department of Education. Applicants must be admitted and enrolled graduate students in a teacher shortage area at one of the LEAP to Teacher collaborating CUNY colleges.
Assistance with financial aid and grant opportunities.
Information on DOE vouchers and reimbursement program.

NY State Teacher Certification Exam Prep Workshops

Educating All Students (EAS)
Combined Early Childhood and Childhood Multi-Subject (CST) grades K-6^th
Content Specialty Test (CST) – Students with Disabilities

Historical Background

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 create a space within CUNY dedicated to addressing labor issues from an academic perspective and preparing future labor leaders.

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 these transitions, the LTT program has remained true to its original mandate of providing an adult-friendly environment catered to the specific needs of evening students and union members.

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

Video Testimonials