…as NY Mayor, Schools Chancellor kick off 2019 Education Council Elections
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza kicked off the 2019 Community and Citywide Education Council election on Thursday, urging parents to run as part of their effort to empower and elevate the voice of parent leaders, which includes their ongoing five-borough parent forum tour.
According to the Mayor’s Office, Education Councils are a critical way for parents and families to get involved and help shape their school communities. Parents can go online to learn more about the structure and roles of the Education Councils. This website includes information on eligibility guidelines, key dates, and frequently asked questions. Applications can be submitted online from Thursday through March 6.
“Parents know our education system the best. They see first-hand what’s working and what isn’t and nobody’s perspective is more important. When it comes to representation on local educational councils, run, parents, run!” said Mayor de Blasio.
“The only way to create lasting change in our schools is to empower communities. That’s why I’m calling on all parents to run for an Education Council seat and make a difference for our children, regardless of the language they speak or what zip code or even country they are from,” said Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza. “I also encourage our PA and PTA officers to get involved and exercise their key role in these elections by attending forums, meeting with all the candidates and most importantly, voting this spring.”
“I’ve seen firsthand these last few months how passionate New York City families are about their school communities, and I’m so excited for parents across the city to take advantage of this amazing opportunity. Parent leaders are central to advancing our Equity and Excellence for All agenda, and I’m looking forward to our continued partnership with Education Council members in the coming years,” said Deputy Chancellor for Community Empowerment, Partnerships and Communications Hydra Mendoza.
The DOE has made working with school communities and parent leaders a priority. The Mayor and Chancellor recently embarked on a five-borough parent empowerment tour to hear first-hand from elected and appointed parent leaders about their priorities for the school system. Education Council members were all invited to attend to share ideas and ask questions, along with PA/PTA board members.
Last year, the Chancellor appointed Hydra Mendoza to be the Deputy Chancellor for Community Empowerment, Partnerships, and Communications and further strengthen the infrastructure and systems for our parents to be empowered and active, particularly in historically underserved communities.
Chancellor Carranza kicked off the beginning of his time in New York City with a listening tour across all five boroughs, where he met with 1,900 parents.
Community and Citywide Education Council elections take place every two years. There are 36 Councils across the City, which are required by state law and Chancellor’s regulations, including 32 Community Education Councils (CECs), the Citywide Council on High Schools (CCHS), the Citywide Council on English Language Learners (CCELL), the Citywide Council on Special Education (CCSE), and the Citywide Council for District 75 (CCD75).
The 32 CECs are responsible for approving school zoning lines, holding hearings on the capital plan, and providing input on instructional and policy issues. Citywide Councils advise on and advocate for school policy affecting the specific needs of the students they represent. Each applicant for a CEC position must be a parent of a student enrolled in a district elementary or middle school [Pre-K-8], while applicants for the Citywide Council on High Schools must have a child in high school. Eligible applicants for the other three Citywide Councils must have a student receiving the respective services and programs. Parents serve two-year terms.
The DOE encourages all eligible Selectors to vote in this year’s elections. The following parent leaders are eligible to vote in the Education Council elections:
Community Education Councils: members are elected by the PA/PTA president, recording secretary, and treasurer of every school in the corresponding community school district.
Citywide Council on High Schools: members are elected by the PA/PTA president, recording secretary, and treasurer of every high school; each borough elects two representatives.
Citywide Council on Special Education: members are elected by parents of students with an IEP, nominated by each Presidents’ Council in NYC.
Citywide Council on English Language Learners: members are elected by parents of English Language Learners, nominated by each Presidents’ Council in NYC.
Citywide Council for District 75: members are elected by the PA/PTA president, recording secretary, and treasurer of every District 75 school.
In addition to the 9 elected members, each CEC includes 2 members appointed by the Borough President. Each of the citywide councils includes appointees from the Public Advocate, and CCHS includes two members appointed by the CCSE and CCELL respectively.
Information sessions were held in all five boroughs in partnership with the borough presidents, and additional presentations were offered to parents at Presidents’ Council meetings and other events throughout the city. At the recommendation of parent leaders, there will be conferences in all five boroughs for all candidates between March 18 and 21 to learn more about the roles. Interpretation services will be available at all Education Council election events.
Between March 25 and May 1, Presidents’ Councils will host forums for candidates to engage with the Selectors who will be voting online from May 2 through May 14. On May 21, the results will be posted on online. The Office of Family and Community Empowerment (FACE) will organize an all-day orientation for the newly elected Education Council members as well as ongoing technical trainings on their roles and responsibilities and leadership development programs.
