Starting next week, parents and guardians can apply to run for a seat on one of the city’s Community Education Councils.

“CECs empower our families to make an impact on the way our schools function. It's one of the many avenues that we rely on to understand what works for our students from the people who know them the best,” Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos said during a press conference at the education department’s headquarters Wednesday.

The city has 32 Community Education Councils — one in each school district and four citywide councils, weighing in on high schoolers, students with disabilities and English language learners.


What You Need To Know

  • The city has 32 Community Education Councils — one in each school district and four citywide councils

  • Elections are held every two years, and in 2023, there were some complaints about how they were handled

  • That led to some recommendations from the city comptroller, but officials would not discuss that Wednesday

Members must have a child in public school, and are elected by their fellow parents. The councils are largely advisory, though they do vote to approve zoning boundaries for public schools in their district. 

Elections are held every two years. In 2023, there were complaints about low turnout and poor outreach in some districts — and about the influence of outside advocacy groups on the elections. 

Some parents argued the Department of Education acted unfairly in determining which groups’ endorsements were political. In an audit released in November, Comptroller Brad Lander called on the DOE to clarify those rules and make other changes ahead of this year's elections.

But despite saying they’d take on-topic questions, officials would not discuss the audit when asked by Daily News reporter Cayla Bamberger, with the department’s press secretary, and then the chancellor herself, referring to a written statement that had been released in November saying they took concerns seriously and would review the recommendations.

The councils courted controversy last year, over issues ranging from schools’ handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict to transgender students playing sports.

Two parents were removed from their posts for conduct education officials argued had violated rules prohibiting harassment and discrimination. One of them successfully sued to return to her seat, and both are entitled to run again.

It comes at a time when, nationwide, school boards are seeing increased influence by outsize groups focused on political issues.

“We want to make sure that all of our parents and, of course, our children know that New York City public schools is zero tolerance for hate. And we know that we need to very much support our families who are volunteering their time and being a part of these organizations,” Aviles-Ramos said.

Applications to run for a seat open Jan. 13, and close Feb. 16. Candidate forums will begin in late February, and parent voting will take place from April 25 through May 13.