Community Education Councils (CECs) are education policy advisory bodies responsible for, among other things, reviewing and evaluating their district’s educational programs, approving zoning lines, and holding public hearings on certain matters. See the Roles and Responsibilities page for a fuller description of what members do.
Each Community Education Council (CEC) consists of 12 voting members who provide hands-on leadership and support for their district's public schools:
- 9 are parents of children in pre-K through 8th grade, attending a district school or a pre-K program offered by a district school; these members are elected by parents of children attending these schools and programs.
- Of these 9, one must be a parent of a student with and IEP, and one must be a parent of a student who is an English Language Learner.
- 1 parent of a student attending a District 75 school or program located in the CEC’s district.
- 2 are residents and/or local business leaders appointed by the Borough President; and
- In addition, each CEC includes two non-voting high school seniors who live in the district and is appointed by the Community Superintendent.
- CECs must hold at least one public meeting per month, with the Community Superintendent, where the parents and the community may air their concerns.
CECs are established under, and their powers and duties are defined by, New York State Education Law. Their members are public officials who serve their communities as unpaid volunteers. Learn more about the CECs’ roles and responsibilities and see a list of current members.
To learn more about CECs, we encourage you to see them in action and to attend the monthly meetings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many CECs are there?
There are 32 CECs in New York City, one for each Community School District. Each CEC represents current Pre-K through 8th-grade students in DOE schools within its district.
Who is eligible to run for a seat on a CEC?
You are eligible to run if you are a parent of a student who currently attends Pre-K through 8th grade in a school under the jurisdiction of the community school district where you wish to serve on the CEC.
For the purpose of determining CEC eligibility, “parent” is defined in Chancellor’s Regulation D-140 as: A parent (by birth or adoption, step parent, or foster parent), legal guardian, or person in parental relation to a child. A person in parental relation to a child is a person who is directly responsible for the care and custody of the child on a regular basis in lieu of a parent or legal guardian.
Of the 10 CEC seats filled in the election, 1 is reserved for the parent of a child who is receiving special education services or received such services at any time (“IEP Parent”), and 1 is reserved for the parent of an English Language Learner who is currently in a Dual Language, Transitional Bilingual Education, or English as a New Language (ENL) program or was enrolled in such a program at any time (“ELL Parent”).
What if I don't meet these eligibility criteria?
If you do not meet the above criteria, you may still be eligible to serve as one of the two Borough President appointees on each CEC. Qualifications include being a district resident or business owner with extensive business or education knowledge and experience; additional requirements are listed in Chancellor’s Regulation D-140.
Find the Borough President Appointee application here
When is eligibility determined?
Eligibility is determined as of the date that an application to run for a seat on a CEC is submitted. Once elected, parent members are allowed to serve a full two-year term on the CEC even if they no longer have a child in a school under the jurisdiction of the Community School District