NYC parents: it’s time to cast your votes!
From now through Tuesday, May 9, parents of current New York City public school students can vote in the 2023 Community and Citywide Education Council (CCEC) elections.
Held every two years, CCEC Elections provide eligible City parents with the opportunity to help choose representatives of their districts’ Community Education Councils and/or NYC’s Citywide Education Councils. There are 32 Community Education Councils across the City, one for each of NYC’s 32 community school districts, and four Citywide Education Councils—each council is comprised of volunteer parents and community leaders who are responsible for supporting their local district schools with the goal of raising student achievement.
By voting in this year’s CCEC elections, you’ll be helping to select representatives who will be working to improve schools, provide input on proposals from the NYC Department of Education, approve zones for new schools and existing schools when necessary, and hold town hall meetings with the NYC Schools Chancellor, among other duties.
Community and Citywide Education Councils are a pretty big deal—they offer a platform for parents to demand action and accountability from NYC Public Schools! CCECs hold town halls with the Chancellor, advise on capital funding, and approve zoning changes that can affect your district’s neighborhoods.
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Voting in the 2023 CCEC Elections
As a NYC public schools parent, you have a vital role to play in electing strong Education Council members! All parents of NYC public school students are eligible to vote in this year’s CCEC elections. To vote, you will need to have an NYC Schools Account (NYCSA) that has all of your public school children registered to it. If you do not have an NYC Schools Account, or need assistance registering your child(ren) to your existing account, please visit our “NYCSA Account Set Up Guide for Parents” webpage, or contact your school’s parent coordinator or Family Leadership Coordinator for assistance.
Once logged into NYCSA, you can view all your child(ren)’s school information in 10 languages and see which councils you are eligible to vote in—you can vote for as many councils as you are eligible for, and you may select up to three candidates per council. Once you submit your vote, your ballot will be closed, and your selection will be registered.
Note that this year, both parents of NYC public school students can vote in this year’s council elections as long as they each have their own NYCSA.
Don’t have access to the internet? Please ask the parent coordinator or principal at your child’s school for help in using a computer at the school or district office where you can access NYCSA. You may also vote in-person until Tuesday, May 9, Monday—Friday from 4–7 p.m., at designated locations in all five boroughs. And if those options don’t work for you, you may even contact 311 for information regarding how you can access internet-connected computers at a local public library near you.
There are 32 Community School Districts across New York City—which one is yours? Log into your NYCSA to confirm your child’s school district!
Who’s Running for CCECs This Year?
Interested in voting for your Education Council’s representatives, but need to learn more about the candidates who are running this year? Visit our CEC Profiles webpage and see all the candidates who are on the ballot for this year’s CCEC Elections. You’ll be able to search by candidate’s name or search by council district to see all of a council’s candidates at once. We also suggest you check out our Candidate Forum Archives and view our previously recorded CCEC Candidate Forums to learn more about each CCEC candidate in their own words.
And if you’re still unsure about what each of these councils actually do, how about you see them in action? Check out our Community and Citywide Education Councils Meeting Calendar to learn when your district’s Community Education Council’s next meeting is taking place.
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For more information about the 2023 Education Council Elections, visit our Elections 2023 webpage, and check out our handy Voting FAQs page for any further questions. Remember: the 2023 CCEC election season ends after Tuesday, May 9—so learn more about your councils’ candidates, and submit your vote today!
On behalf of the NYC Department of Education, we thank you for your ongoing partnership and support for the City’s public school students.
Banner photo by Annushka Ahuja. Used under Creative Commons license. Original can be found on Pexels.
