Have you ever considered running for a seat on an New York City Education Council?

On January 13, 2025, the 2025 Community and Citywide Education Council Election season(Open external link) begins! If you’re a parent or legal guardian of a student currently attending a school or program funded by New York City Public Schools (NYCPS), you may be eligible to run for seats on the City’s 36 Community and Citywide Education Councils (CCECs). The deadline to apply is February 16, 2025. If elected, members will serve two-year terms from July 1, 2025–June 30, 2027.

What are Education Councils?

Education councils help shape policies and priorities for NYCPS. By law, each council has powers and duties concerning a range of matters, including, but not limited to:

• working directly with district superintendents
• reviewing educational programs
• approving school zoning lines
• making recommendations to improve services to NYCPS students

To learn more about each CCEC, read the 2025 CCEC Elections Guide. Translations are available on the Elections 2025 page.

Types of Councils and Eligibility Requirements

There are two different types of education councils that you may be eligible to join:

Community Education Councils (CECs)

The 32 CECs across the City(Open external link) are made up of volunteer parents and community leaders dedicated to supporting local district schools to improve student achievement. Your child must be a Pre-K through grade 8 student currently attending a district school in the Community school district where you wish to serve on the CEC. If your child attends a District 75 (D75) program in the CEC’s geographic district, you also qualify for a reserved D75 seat.

Citywide Education Councils

The Citywide Education Councils are policy advisory bodies responsible for advising and commenting on NYCPS educational practices that concern specific populations of students. Like CECs, these councils are made up of volunteer groups of parents and community leaders. There are four Citywide Councils, each representing a particular student group:

• Citywide Council on High Schools: Your child must currently attend a public, non-charter high school in NYC. Each borough has a separate election; the location of your child’s school determines which ballot you qualify for.
• Citywide Council on English Language Learners: You must have a child classified as an English Language Learner (ELL) who is currently enrolled in a NYCPS Dual Language, Transitional Bilingual Education, or English as a New Language (ENL) program, or who was enrolled in such a program within the previous two years.
• Citywide Council on Special Education: You must have a child who currently has an Individualized Education Program (IEP) receiving NYCPS-funded services in a public, charter, or private school.
• Citywide Council for District 75: You must have a child enrolled in a District 75 school or program. This also qualifies you to run for the CEC of the district in which your child’s program is physically located.

Read the Candidate Eligibility Guide for specific requirements for each of the councils. Translations are available on the Elections 2025 page.

In order to run for a council seat, you must have a New York City Schools Account (NYCSA) in your name with all your children linked. To learn how to sign up for a new account and add students, visit schools.nyc.gov/NYCSA. Once you have started your application, NYCSA will automatically determine the councils for which you are eligible.

What Happens Next?

Following the conclusion of the application period on February 16, the 2025 Education Council Election schedule will be as follows:

• Late February–Late April | Candidate Forums: Candidates share why they should be elected.
• Late April–Mid-May | Vote Online Voting period will end on Tuesday, May 13, 2025.
• June 2025 | Results Announced
• July 1, 2025–June 30, 2027 | Education Council Member Term

https://www.schools.nyc.gov/about-us/news/morning-bell/contentdetails/morning-bell/2025/01/13/apply-to-run-for-nyc-s-education-councils-by-february-16

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