Education Council Consortium

Policy Agenda SOMOS 2024

Mayoral Control & School Governance

After more than 20 years and 3 Mayors, parents and students of NYC public schools need a new school governance system.  We propose that the State legislature take on a gradual, phased approach to transition from the current system of Mayoral control to a new system to be created by rightsholders.

Specifically we recommend:

• Enact a law that establishes a commission during the 2024 Session, with the commission to be convened by December 31, 2024
• Task the commission to develop a new governance system by June 30, 2026, with implementation beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, with the transition complete on June 30, 2030

We ask that such a commission invite a broad range of rights holders, including parents, students, teachers and administrators.  The task of developing a new school governance system cannot be left up to a handful of policy makers and academics: those of us on the ground, living the consequences of mayoral control, must be involved to ensure all ideas are carefully and thoroughly examined from multiple perspectives.

While we engage in the collaborative process of developing the new governance system, below are some of our top level recommendations for short term amendments:

• Reduce the number of PEP members so that Mayor has 9 or fewer appointees, while keeping the numbers of Borough President appointees and CEC elected members
• Require contracts above $5 Million be approved by the Comptroller as well as the PEP
• Explicitly include phase out or closure of zoned schools as changes in zoning that requires approval by Community Education Councils
• Explicitly require approval by Community Education Councils on proposals to change school utilization (co-locations, phase out, closures of any school)
• Reform the 2025 CCEC elections

Charter School Accountability & Transparency

There were more than a dozen bills in both houses calling for charter school accountability and transparency in the last session.  We applaud and support these efforts, and urge the legislature to create a comprehensive system of accountability and transparency for charter schools as soon as the new session starts.  The current charter school system does not allow anyone other than the charter authorizers to review enrollment and school performance.  The lack of transparency makes a mockery out of the public hearing process required for charter renewal and amendments.

For More Information on the ECC

Please visit our website at www.ecc-nyc.org or contact NeQuan McLean at nequanmclean@gmail.com.