WHEREAS, Community Education Councils (CECs) were established in 2002 to ensure parent and community voice in public education governance;

WHEREAS, under New York State Education Law §2590-E, District CECs currently hold authority over school zoning decisions but do not have approval authority over School Utilization Proposals (SUPs), including school closures, co-locations, grade reconfigurations, and re-siting;

WHEREAS, these decisions have profound and lasting impacts on students, families, and communities;

WHEREAS, District CECs are composed of elected and appointed parent leaders and community representatives who are directly accountable to the communities most affected by these decisions;

WHEREAS, local councils bring a deeper understanding of district-specific needs, including overcrowding, cultural and language considerations, and neighborhood growth patterns;

WHEREAS, School Utilization Proposals have historically been based only on quantifiable data that are collected, ignoring information and data that exist within the school communities but not published in any citywide reports (such as how common facilities are shared among co-located schools);

WHEREAS, decisions regarding school utilization have historically been contentious and, frequently made without meaningful local approval, eroding public trust;

WHEREAS, the current structure of mayoral control concentrates decision-making authority in the central Department of Education without sufficient local checks and balances;

WHEREAS, co-locations of district public schools as well as of charter schools raise significant equity concerns related to resource allocation, access to space, and fairness for all students;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Community Education Council for District 8 (and, CEC 16) call upon the New York State Legislature to amend Education Law §2590-E to require District CEC approval for all School Utilization Proposals, including but not limited to:

● School phase-outs and closures

● Grade reconfigurations

● School re-siting

● Co-locations involving district and/or charter schools

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that such authority be implemented within a structured and accountable framework that ensures consistency, transparency, and data-informed decision-making;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the New York City Department of Education shall:

● Establish citywide standards aligned with class size mandates, utilization targets, and equity metrics that guide District CEC decision-making

● Require annual district planning collaboration among Superintendents, District CECs, and School Leadership

Teams, including transparent reporting on school performance, enrollment and anticipated utilization changes

● Ensure the Office of District Planning (ODP) works in partnership with District CECs, providing data on enrollment trends, building capacity, and student outcomes

● Provide mandatory training and certification for CEC members in budgeting, demographics, and capital planning prior to voting on major proposals

● Develop a shared data infrastructure, giving District CECs access to the same forecasting tools and datasets used by DOE planners

● Create structured and meaningful public engagement processes beyond one-time hearings to ensure informed and inclusive decision-making

● Require full transparency, including public release of rationale, alternatives considered, and projected impacts for all proposals;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the following safeguards be established to ensure system-wide coordination and

Accountability:

● The use of cross-district planning zones to address issues that impact multiple districts

● Default decision timelines, ensuring proposals move forward or trigger higher-level review if a District CEC fails to act within a defined period

● Implementation of pilot programs in select districts to refine and evaluate this expanded authority before citywide rollout;

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that CEC 8 (and CEC 16) affirm that meaningful community voice, transparency, and equity must be at the center of all decisions impacting public school communities and urges swift legislative action to ensure these principles are upheld.