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Mayor Zohran Mamdani tapped a new chairperson for New York City’s school board, the volunteer body that votes on major policy decisions and contracts: Queens civic leader Alan Ong.
Ong has been serving on the board since former Mayor Eric Adams appointed him in 2022. Mamdani reappointed him in July.
Under a state rule passed two years ago, the mayor must now appoint a chair for the Panel for Educational Policy, or PEP, selected from a pool narrowed by Albany officials.
The role of the PEP chair was created by state officials to make the board more independent from the mayor, and was part of a deal in Albany to extend mayoral control in 2024 for another two years. The city’s system of mayoral control has relied on the mayor’s ability to appoint a majority of the panel’s members — the mayor picks 13 of its 24 members.
Many education observers have long felt the PEP is essentially a rubber stamp for the mayor’s policies. But Ong’s predecessor, Greg Faulkner, whose term ended this month, took his independence seriously, and under his watch, the board cast several high-profile “no” votes.
It remains to be seen whether Ong follows suit. He was chosen by Mamdani after state Senate and Assembly leaders, as well as the chancellor of the state’s Board of Regents, each nominated a candidate to oversee the city board.
In a controversial PEP vote under the Adams administration, when the board voted to reject an $82 million contract to fund temporary staffing services for city schools, Ong was one of three members who abstained. (Six members have voted yes, and five voted no.)
Ong has held parent leadership positions on every rung of the city’s education system: He was a PTA president before he became president of the Community Education Council of District 26, which includes Bayside, Fresh Meadows, and Jamaica Estates. He currently serves as chief of staff to Queens State Assembly Member Nily Rozic, and previously worked as a technical account manager for Thomson Reuters, according to LinkedIn.
“Alan Ong was our relations chair,” Faulkner said at the August PEP meeting. “He really worked on bridging the gap between the panel and the community.”
Though Ong may have been “quiet” on the panel, “you know when he calls you, he’s always there to provide support,” Faulkner added.
In a statement, the Education Department said the panel plays a key role in giving a forum to parents, students and teachers. “Strong leadership is critical to that work, and we are excited for what Alan – a current Panel member with extensive experience as a parent leader and community advocate – will bring to the role,” the department said.
Ong did not respond to a request to comment.
“He obviously knows the PEP and the issues,” said David Bloomfield, education professor emeritus at Brooklyn College and The CUNY Graduate Center, “and can be expected to be a steady hand.”
The department also said that Faulkner will stay on the panel and fill the role that Ong just left.
This story has been updated to include a statement from the Education Department and additional information about Greg Faulkner.
Amy Zimmer is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat New York. Contact Amy at azimmer@chalkbeat.org.
