The WTU is the collective bargaining unit for educators in DC Public Schools. Educators in other LEAs (ie, public charter schools) located in the District of Columbia are not eligible for WTU membership.

It’s simple. Open our Membership Guide then log-in to PeopleSoft at https://ess.dc.gov and complete the steps to join the WTU.

Members of the WTU Retirees Union are eligible for a range of benefits, including dental and vision insurance through the Union. Retiree members are also encouraged to participate in a variety of activities and trips that provide opportunities for fellowship. You can obtain an application for membership in the WTU Retirees Union by clicking here.

In order to earn certification to teach in public schools in Washington DC, prospective teachers must satisfy the requirements for initial licensure, which include completing a bachelor's degree and teacher preparation program, passing the required educator testing, and completing a criminal background check.

The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) is the state education agency that oversees teacher licensure and credentialing. The following links should help guide you through the licensing process.

OSSE Application for Licensure Renewal

OSSE Directory of State-Approved Educator Preparation Programs

OSSE Educator Credential Renewal Requirements

OSSE Educator Licensure Exams Information

Please help us ensure we have your current personal contact information on file. Email [email protected] to update your contact information.

As a member of the WTU, you have exclusive access to medical, legal and other benefits as well as support should you become unemployed, sick, disabled, or have need of family leave.  Learn more here.

The WTU contract with DC Public Schools is the best place to start. You can find the contract here.

The educators in DC public schools formed the Washington Teachers’ Union (WTU) because they realized that by working together collectively and speaking with one voice, their voice would be much stronger than each teacher talking for themselves alone. Dues are utilized to support the WTU’s mission to advocate for the social and educational justice for the students of the District of Columbia and to improving the quality of support, resources, compensation and working conditions for the public servants and proud teachers who educate our students in D.C. Public Schools. Dues are not utilized for political activities.

As a member of the WTU, you have exclusive access to medical, legal and other benefits as well as support should you become unemployed, sick, disabled, or have need of family leave.  Learn more here.

The WTU only endorses candidates who share our vision and commitment to public education and make our endorsements based on their views on public education. The WTU’s political activities are administered through the Committee on Political Education or C.O.P.E. You can read more, including how join the C.O.P.E., here.

WTU is prohibited under federal law from using dues dollars to support political activities.

The WTU’s professional development program is designed by teachers, for teachers. WTU’s professional development courses are all research-based, peer-to-peer and solution-driven. All WTU courses are aligned to the DCPS IMPACT Teaching and Learning Framework and Essential Practices Standards 1 through 5. You can learn more about upcoming Professional Development opportunities here.

The WTU offers regular Union Leadership Institutes (ULIs) that give all members the opportunity to learn and develop leadership skills and to acquire the detailed knowledge needed to be an effective teacher representative to help ensure the voice of teachers are heard. Educators can become a member of a School Chapter Advisory Committee (SCAC), a Local School Advisory Team (LSAT), or join one of many other committees or teams. Members can also become a Building Representative, a Delegate to the WTU Representative Assembly or a member of the Executive Board. Full descriptions of School-based leadership positions are available here.

The Washington Teachers’ Union has a staff of highly trained Field Representatives who advise the Building Reps and SCAC teams, help enforce the WTU-DCPS contract, continually strive to strengthen educator-administrator collaboration, and when necessary, process grievances.

If you believe that you have been subject to unfair labor conditions or your contractual rights have been violated, please contact your Field Representative.

The Washington Teachers’ Union established the Committee on Political Education (WTU-COPE) to lead our political activities designed to promote justice and equal opportunity for all. Workers have achieved much by acting collectively to set an agenda and then elect politicians who will help us achieve our goals.

Contributions to COPE are strictly voluntary. Click here to learn more about how you can join the COPE committee or contact [email protected] for more information.

Pre-paid legal services are available to current members of the Washington Teachers’ Union. A description of the services our partners provide are available here.

You can find open positions in DC Public Schools here.

Click on the Login button on the top right-hand corner of the WTU website. Can't remember the password? Please reach out to your Building Representative. Remember, these pages are only available to WTU Members.

A direct link to download the form is also located here.

Nomination and Election notices are here. Since these forms are available only to WTU members, you may be asked to enter the WTU password before accessing these forms. Can't remember the password? Please contact your building representative.

First obtain a copy of the your individual retirement record (IRR) from the Office of Pay and Retirement Services (OPRS) by sending an email to [email protected] and request your IRR also referred to as the SF-2806.

Active employees can view W-2 information online in PeopleSoft or opt to just receive it in the mail. To enable this action, you must submit your consent to receive your W-2 online. Once you are logged into PeopleSoft, select Self Service > Payroll and Compensation > W-2/W-2c Consent. Please ensure that your pop up blocker is enabled. Once you have decided on your preferred method to receive your W2, you can obtain a copy in one of two ways:

1. Online: If you opted to receive W-2 forms online, you can obtain your W-2 in PeopleSoft. To download your form, select Self Service > Payroll and Compensation > View W-2/W-2c Forms. Please ensure that your pop-up blocker is enabled.
   
   
2. Mail: Contact the DC Government Office of Pay and Retirement Services (OPRS) at (202) 741-8600 to request a duplicate. Human Resources does not have access to view/print employee’s W-2 forms.

WTU's Dental and Optical Benefits

All DCPS employees in the WTU bargaining unit are entitled to dental and optical benefits through the Union. It is administered through the DCPS Benefits team.

• Dental Benefits

The WTU offers two dental plan options: In-Network Only and PPO provided by United Healthcare Dental.

• Optical Benefits

Optical benefits are provided by United Healthcare Vision. Enrollment in these plans is automatic for ‘Employee Only’ coverage. However, if you need to add dependents to your Dental or Optical coverage, you must complete this in PeopleSoft during new hire enrollment, open enrollment, or 31 calendar days after a qualifying life event. For more information on these benefit plans and enrollment information for both Dental and Optical coverage, please contact the DCPS Benefits team at [email protected] or (202) 442-4090.

Contacts for Dental and Optical benefits are provided below:

Dental Plan United Healthcare

Dental 800.445.9090 https://www.myuhcdental.com

Optical Plan United Healthcare

Vision 800.638.3120 https://www.myuhcvision.com

Open your browser and go to start.dc.gov. Under featured applications, you will see the following:

• PeopleSoft From Work - https://pshcm.dc.gov/
• PeopleSoft From Home - https://ess.dc.gov

** Note - you cannot access your direct deposit and tax forms using PeopleSoft from the Home link.**

Open your web browser and go to start.dc.gov. Under featured applications, you will see the following:

• Outlook Web Access (Email): https://outlook.office365.com/

LOA requests are submitted with the DCPS LOA Team through Quickbase. You can access Quickbase using the following steps:

• Open your web browser and go to start.dc.gov. Under "IT Services," you will see Quickbase. Once on the Quickbase website, you will log-in using your k12.dc.gov credentials (email) and password. 

After you log into Quickbase, you will look for the database called "DCPS' Leave of Absence Requests." This will allow you access to all required forms and provide information on what type of pay and leave you my use during your leave period.

Step One: Log into our In-Network PeopleSoft website (pshcm.dc.gov) from a secure DC Government network (i.e. at a DCPS school or Central Office).

Step Two: Select Self Service > Payroll and Compensation > Direct Deposit.

Step Three: Add a new Direct Deposit Account. Please ensure that you are using a voided check and not a deposit slip when entering your banking information into PeopleSoft.

Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the WTU and DCPS, lessons plans are available for review by the principal at any time upon request. Also, teachers shall not be required to submit daily, weekly, unit or long-range lesson plans on a regular basis. Requiring teachers to turn in weekly lesson plans goes against the CBA. Below, I have included articles from the CBA regarding lesson plans and when you can require teachers to submit weekly lesson plans:

23.18 Lesson Plans 23.18.1 Daily, unit, and long-term lesson plans shall be required of each Teacher and such plans shall be available for review by the principal/Supervisor at any time upon his/her request. The Supervisor shall be permitted to make a copy of the lesson upon request. It is understood that lesson plans are used as a guide to the Teacher in structuring the learning experiences of pupils. The system-wide template prescribes the minimum required elements for a lesson plan. No Teacher shall be required to provide more detail than that which is required in the system-wide template.

23.18.2 Teachers shall not be required to submit daily, weekly, unit or long-range lesson plans on a regular basis. However, if the Supervisor determines as a result of the DCPS evaluation process that a Teacher has an average score of less than 2.5 in Planning domain of the Teaching and Learning Framework, then the Supervisor may require the Teacher to submit daily lesson plans for review and comment until such time that the Teacher’s planning has satisfactorily improved. In such cases, the Supervisor must suggest how the lesson plans can be improved.  

23.18.3 Lesson plans do not determine a Teacher’s effectiveness; therefore, they shall not be used in isolation to determine a Teacher’s effectiveness.

Your lesson plan should contain the following components:

1. Standard
2. Objective
3. Assessment
4. Essential Question
5. Guided Instruction
6. Independent Practice
7. Assessment Closure

Instructional coaches are members of the school's leadership team but they are ET 15 teachers and therefore do not have the authority to collect lesson plans or evaluate, report on, discipline, or reprimand other ET 15 teachers.

The dues adjustment voted on by our membership last fall was made on your January 26^th paycheck. Academic year 2023-24 rates will increase to $39.72 (FY24). This initial catch-up plan will take place over a three-year period and is required by the WTU Bylaws and Constitution. Moving forward, dues adjustments for (FY25) $40.81, (FY26) $43.97 and successive annual dues increases will be effective on October 1^st of every fiscal year as required by the WTU Constitution and Bylaws. Dues adjustments will support union activities as we strive to provide members with efficient member services, professional development, and address long-overdue building maintenance issues.

Time records for pay for coverage shall be submitted by the local Supervisor or his/her designee in accordance with the same timeline requirements for regular Teacher pay. Teachers shall receive their pay for coverage compensation on a biweekly basis through a process approved by DCPS and WTU.

Article 23.17.6

To download a copy of the DCPS ADMINISTRATIVE PREMIUM PAY AUTHORIZATION form, please click here.

The open enrollment/change period for the WTU leave banks for returning WTU employees is each year June 1^st through August 31^st.  For newly hired WTU members, you have one year from your date of hire to enroll in the leave banks.

Yes, the waiting period is 90 days from your date of enrollment.

You may opt out during the open enrollment/change period of June 1^st through August 31^st.

No, you must wait to enroll during the next open enrollment/change period for the leave banks.

Yes, the fee is a donation of 8 hours of your personal sick leave accrual per leave bank you are enrolled in.

Starting June 1^st through August 31^st of year the link to enroll in either of the Union’s leave banks will be sent via email in the “Morning Brew.”  Also, the “Morning Brew” emails are available in the Members-Only section of www.wtulocal6.net.

Please call the WTU Membership and Benefits team at 202-957-1477 or email [email protected].

No, FMLA leave can be continuous and/or intermittent leave and is approved based on the information in the medical certification provided from your physician.

DC FMLA

To be eligible for DC FMLA you must be with the District for at least one (1) year and work at least 1000 hours within a 24-month period. DC FMLA provides a maximum of 16 weeks, 640 hours, or 80 days of unpaid job-protected leave. Federal FMLA is one amount to be used for both medical and family leave.

Federal FMLA

To be eligible for Federal FMLA, you must be with the District for at least one (1) year and work at least 1250 hours within a 12-month period. Federal FMLA provides a maximum of 12 weeks, 480 hours, or 60 days of unpaid job-protected leave. DC FMLA is two separate amounts, 640 hours for medical leave and 640 hours for family leave.

While on leave of absence you are eligible to use a combination of leave types based on if you are on medical leave or family leave. You may be eligible for the following types of leaves (Note some of the leave requires separate enrollments and are not automatic benefits.):

• Your personal sick leave
• Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML)
• WTU Sick leave Bank
• WTU Maternity/Paternity Leave Bank
• The Standard (DC Government short-term disability benefit)

Each calendar year period is based on a rolling calendar year and if eligible for both Federal and DC FMLA, the leaves will run concurrently.

Sick Leave hours are advanced as follows:

• ET 15 (10-month): 96 hours (12 days)
• ET 15 (11-month): 108 hours (13.5 days)
• ET 15 (12-month): 120 hours (15 days)

Note: Members of the WTU in EG 09 positions are not eligible for Sick Leave at this time.

All members of the WTU in EG 09 positions earn General and Annual Leave, based on years of service.

Employees with:

• 0-2 years of service earn four (4) hours per pay period
• 3-15 years of service earn six (6) hours per pay period
• 16+ years of service earn eight (8) hours per pay period

Note: Members of the WTU in ET 15 positions are not eligible for General and Annual Leave.

Up to 32 hours (4 days) per school year of your Sick Leave that you are advanced can be used as personal (general) leave.

Yes, unused Sick Leave shall be carried forward from year to year.

No, Sick Leave is not transferable and has no cash value; therefore, you will not receive the cash value of any remaining Sick Leave upon separation from employment.

Active employees can view W-2 information online in PeopleSoft or opt to just receive it in the mail. To enable this action, you must submit your consent to receive your W-2 online. Once you are logged into PeopleSoft, select Self Service > Payroll and Compensation > W-2/W-2c Consent. Please ensure that your pop up blocker is enabled. Once you have decided on your preferred method to receive your W2, you can I obtain a copy 1 of 2 ways:

Online:  If you opted to receive W-2 forms online, you can obtain your W-2 in PeopleSoft. To download your form, select Self Service > Payroll and Compensation > View W-2/W-2c Forms. Please ensure that your pop-up blocker is enabled.

Mail:  Contact the DC Government Office of Pay and Retirement Services (OPRS) at (202) 741-8600 to request a duplicate. Human Resources does not have access to view/print employee’s W-2 forms.

WTU Dental & Optical Benefits

As a member of the WTU, you are entitled to Dental and Optical benefits through the union, that are administered through the DCPS Benefits team. The WTU offers two Dental plan options: In-Network Only and PPO provided by United Healthcare Dental.

Optical benefits are provided by United Healthcare Vision. Enrollment in these plans is automatic for ‘Employee Only’ coverage. However, if you need to add dependents to your Dental or Optical coverage, you must complete this in PeopleSoft during new hire enrollment, open enrollment, or 31 calendar days after a qualifying life event. For more information on these Benefit plans and enrollment information for both Dental and Optical coverage, please contact the DCPS Benefits team at [email protected].gov or (202) 442-4090.

Contacts for Dental and Optical benefits are provided below:

Dental Plan United Healthcare

Dental 800.445.9090 https://www.myuhcdental.com

Optical Plan United Healthcare

Vision 800.638.3120 https://www.myuhcvision.com