City Council Hearing: Parent Engagement

The City Council’s Education Committee, chaired by Council Member Robert Jackson, will hold an oversight hearing on the DOE’s Division of Family and Community Engagement.

About the hearing:

Since assuming his post in April 2011, Chancellor Dennis Walcott has stated that improving family engagement is one of his priorities. In late July he appointed Jesse Mojica as Executive Director for Family and Community Engagement and elevated the position to cabinet level. This fall, a new Division of Family and Community Engagement was created, replacing the Office of Family Information and Action. This hearing will focus on the Division of Family and Community Engagement and DOE’s efforts to engage parents, families and communities. We invite members of Community Education Councils, parents, students, educators, advocates, and all other stakeholders and interested members of the public to testify at this hearing. Testimony will be limited to 2-3 minutes per person to allow as many as possible to testify. Although the hearing starts at 10:00 a.m., the Administration (Department of Education), as well as other witnesses (such as elected officials) have been invited to testify and answer questions from Council Members at the outset, so we do not expect to hear from others until sometime after 11:30 a.m. Please make sure you fill out a witness slip on the desk of the Sergeant-at-arms if you wish to testify. If you plan to bring written testimony, please bring at least 20 copies. If you are unable to attend the hearing and wish to submit written testimony, please email your testimony to jatwell@council.nyc.gov.