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New York Education - Article 52-A - § 2590-E Powers and Duties of Community District Education Council

Legal Research Home > New York Lawyer > Education > New York Education - Article 52-A - § 2590-E Powers and Duties of Community District Education Council


 
    * § 2590-e. Powers and duties of community district education council.
  Each  community  council  shall  have the following powers and duties to
  establish educational policies and objectives, not inconsistent with the
  provisions of this article and the  policies  established  by  the  city
  board,  with  respect  to  all  pre-kindergarten, nursery, kindergarten,
  elementary,  intermediate  and  junior  high  schools  and  programs  in
  connection  therewith  in the community district. The community councils
  shall have no executive or administrative powers or functions, but shall
  have the following powers and duties:
    3.  promote  achievement  of  educational  standards  and   objectives
  relating to the instruction of students.
    4.  cooperate as required by the chancellor in the removal from office
  pursuant to section twenty-five hundred ninety-l of this article of  any
  community council member for willful, intentional or knowing involvement
  in  the  hiring,  appointment  or  assignment of employees other than as
  specifically authorized in this article.
    5. a. require community council members, the community superintendent,
  and any other officer or employee in  schools  and  programs  under  the
  jurisdiction   of   the  community  councils,  to  make  annual  written
  disclosure, in accordance with regulations and bylaws of the city  board
  developed  in consultation with the community councils, to the community
  council and the city board, of the following information:
    (1) the employment by the city school board or any  community  council
  of  any  person  related  within  the  third  degree of consanguinity or
  affinity to the person making disclosure, including  the  employment  of
  any such person for which a two-thirds vote was required under paragraph
  e  of  subdivision  four of section twenty-five hundred ninety-j of this
  chapter with a notation of the date such vote was taken.
    (2) the source of any income, reimbursement, gift  or  other  form  of
  compensation  for  services rendered together with a description of such
  services.
    (3) the source of any financial  contribution  made  within  the  year
  preceding  the  election  or  the term of office of a community district
  education council member to assist in the election or reelection of such
  member of the community council, and the amount  of  such  contribution,
  consistent  with  any  applicable  regulations of the city board and the
  board of elections.
    b. willful or repeated failure to  make  full  and  timely  disclosure
  shall  constitute  cause  for  removal  from  office  of any member of a
  community council or for any  other  officer  or  employee  disciplinary
  action and such other penalty as provided by law.
    c.  all written disclosures required hereunder shall be filed with the
  community council and the city board and shall be available  for  public
  inspection during regular business hours on regular business days.
    6.   require  community  council  members,  candidates  for  community
  district education councils, the community superintendent and, for  good
  cause shown, any other officer or employee in schools and programs under
  the  jurisdiction  of the community councils to submit to the city board
  and the community councils, in accordance with regulations and bylaws of
  the city board developed in consultation with  the  community  councils,
  financial reports for themselves and their spouses.
    a. the frequency and period of coverage, the designation of persons to
  submit  such  reports by name, title or income level or by a combination
  thereof, and the content  of  such  reports,  including  minimum  dollar
  amounts, shall be determined by the city board.
    b.  willful  or repeated failure to file required financial reports or
  make other required disclosures shall constitute cause for removal  from
  office  of any member of a community council or for any other officer or

  employee disciplinary action and such other penalty as provided by  law.
  No  person  may  assume  office  as  a  community council member without
  previously complying with this subdivision,  subdivision  five  of  this
  section,  and  with  all  applicable  financial  disclosure requirements
  promulgated by the board of elections.
    7. participate in training and continuing education programs  pursuant
  to the provisions of this subdivision.
    (1)  Community district education council members shall participate in
  training to acquaint them with  the  powers,  functions  and  duties  of
  community  council members, as well as the powers of other governing and
  administering authorities that affect education including the powers  of
  the  commissioner, city board, chancellor and community superintendents.
  Such participation shall be completed no later than  three  months  from
  the  date in which a community council member takes office for the first
  time.
    (2) Each community district education council member shall be required
  to participate in continuing education programs on an  annual  basis  as
  defined  by  the  chancellor.  Participation  in  training  pursuant  to
  paragraph one of this subdivision  by  a  community  district  education
  council  member  who  takes office for the first time shall be deemed to
  satisfy the requirements of this subdivision for the first year of  such
  member's term.
    (3)  such training and continuing education programs shall be approved
  by the chancellor, following consultation with the commissioner, and may
  be provided by the state  education  department,  the  city  board,  the
  chancellor  or  a  nonprofit  provider  authorized  by the chancellor to
  provide such training and continuing education programs.
    (4) the chancellor is authorized to promulgate  regulations  regarding
  providers and their certification, the content and implementation of the
  training  and  continuing education programs. Any such regulations shall
  be developed after consultation with the commissioner.
    (5) such training and continuing education programs shall  be  offered
  on  an  annual  basis or more frequently, as needed, to enable community
  council members to comply with this subdivision.
    (6) failure of community council members to comply with  the  training
  and continuing education requirements mandated by this subdivision shall
  constitute cause for removal from office pursuant to section twenty-five
  hundred ninety-1 of this article.
    8.  Each  year  prepare  a  school  district  report  card pursuant to
  regulations of the commissioner, and shall make it publicly available by
  transmitting it to local newspapers of general circulation, appending it
  to copies of the proposed budget made publicly available as required  by
  law,  making  it  available  for distribution at the annual meeting, and
  otherwise disseminating it as required by the commissioner. Such  report
  card  shall  include  measures of the academic performance of the school
  district, on a school by  school  basis,  and  measures  of  the  fiscal
  performance of the district, as prescribed by the commissioner. Pursuant
  to  regulations  of the commissioner, the report card shall also compare
  these measures  to  statewide  averages  for  all  public  schools,  and
  statewide  averages  for  public  schools of comparable wealth and need,
  developed by the commissioner. Such report  card  shall  include,  at  a
  minimum,   any  information  on  the  school  district  regarding  pupil
  performance and expenditure per pupil required to  be  included  in  the
  annual  report  by  the  requests  to  the  governor and the legislature
  pursuant to section two hundred fifteen-a of this chapter; and any other
  information  required  by  the  commissioner.   School   districts   (i)
  identified  as  having  fifteen  percent  or  more  of their students in
  special education, or (ii) which have fifty percent  or  more  of  their

  students  with  disabilities  in  special education programs or services
  sixty percent or more of the school day in a general education building,
  or (iii) which have  eight  percent  or  more  of  their  students  with
  disabilities in special education programs in public or private separate
  educational settings shall indicate on their school district report card
  their respective percentages as defined in this paragraph and paragraphs
  (i) and (ii) of this subdivision as compared to the statewide average.
    9.  Subject to paragraph (o) of subdivision one of section twenty-five
  hundred ninety-f of this article, to employ or retain counsel subject to
  the powers and duties of the corporation counsel of the city of New York
  to be the district's attorney and counsel pursuant to subdivision  a  of
  section  three  hundred  ninety-four  of  the  New  York city charter in
  actions or proceedings in which the council or any member thereof  is  a
  defendant or a respondent.
    10.  Where  the  district  has  provided  transportation  to  students
  enrolled  in  such  district  to  a   school   sponsored   field   trip,
  extracurricular  activity  or  any other similar event, it shall provide
  transportation  back  to  either  the  point  of  departure  or  to  the
  appropriate  school in the district, unless the parent or legal guardian
  of a student  participating  in  such  event  has  provided  the  school
  district   with   written   notice,  consistent  with  district  policy,
  authorizing an  alternative  form  of  return  transportation  for  such
  student  or  unless  intervening  circumstances make such transportation
  impractical.   In   cases   where   intervening    circumstances    make
  transportation  of  a  student  back to the point of departure or to the
  appropriate school in the district impractical, a representative of  the
  school  district  shall  remain  with  the  student until such student's
  parent or legal guardian has been (a)  contacted  and  informed  of  the
  intervening circumstances which make such transportation impractical and
  (b)  such  student  had  been  delivered  to  his or her parent or legal
  guardian.
    11.  Approve  zoning  lines,  as  submitted  by  the   superintendent,
  consistent with the regulations of the chancellor, applicable to schools
  under the jurisdiction of the community district.
    12.  Hold  meetings  at  least  every month with the superintendent to
  discuss the current state of the schools in the  district  and  progress
  made toward the implementation of the district's comprehensive education
  plan required by the chancellor.
    13.  Review  of  the  district's educational programs and assess their
  effect on student achievement.
    14. Hold public meetings at least every month with the  superintendent
  during which the public may speak so that parents and the community have
  a voice and a public forum to air their concerns.
    15.   Submit  an  annual  evaluation  of  the  superintendent  to  the
  chancellor.
    16. Submit an annual evaluation consistent with procedures which shall
  be developed by the chancellor of all  other  instructional  supervisory
  personnel  who  have  responsibility for more than one school within the
  district.
    17. Hold a public hearing on the  district's  annual  capacity  plans,
  recommended  by the superintendent and based on data from the chancellor
  on enrollment/utilization for each school within the district and submit
  such plan, upon approval by the community council, to the chancellor for
  his or her approval and implementation.
    18. Provide input, as it deems necessary, to the  chancellor  and  the
  city board on matters of concern to the district.
    19.  Liaison  with  school  leadership  teams  as may be necessary and
  provide assistance to the school leadership teams where possible.

    20. Consult on the selection of a community superintendent pursuant to
  subdivision thirty of  section  twenty-five  hundred  ninety-h  of  this
  article.
    21.  Hold  a  joint  public  hearing  with  the  chancellor  or deputy
  chancellor, or in the case of a proposed significant  change  in  school
  utilization  the  chancellor  or  his  or her designee, and the impacted
  school based management team regarding any proposed  school  closing  or
  significant change in school utilization, including the phase-out, grade
  reconfiguration,  re-siting,  or  co-location  of schools, of any public
  school located within the community  district  pursuant  to  subdivision
  two-a of section twenty-five hundred ninety-h of this article.
    * NB Effective until June 30, 2015
    * §  2590-e.  Powers  and  duties  of community boards. Each community
  board  shall  have  the  following  powers  and  duties   to   establish
  educational   policies   and   objectives,  not  inconsistent  with  the
  provisions of this article and the  policies  established  by  the  city
  board,  with  respect  to  all  pre-kindergarten, nursery, kindergarten,
  elementary,  intermediate  and  junior  high  schools  and  programs  in
  connection  therewith  in  the  community district. The community boards
  shall have no executive or administrative powers or functions, but shall
  have the following powers and duties:
    1. employ a community superintendent, selected by the  chancellor,  by
  contract  for  a  term  not  to exceed by more than one year the term of
  office of the community school board authorizing such contract,  subject
  to  removal  for  cause,  at  a  salary to be fixed within the budgetary
  allocation therefor, subject to the provisions  of  subdivision  two  of
  section  twenty-five  hundred  ninety-j of this article. Consistent with
  procedures of the chancellor establishing a publicly  inclusive  process
  for   the   recruitment,   screening  and  selection  of  superintendent
  candidates, and regulations establishing  educational,  managerial,  and
  administrative  qualifications  and performance record criteria for such
  position, the community board shall  select  no  more  than  four  final
  candidates for superintendent from candidates for appointment, who shall
  have  been  interviewed  and  screened  by  and  with  the assistance of
  parents, teachers, representatives  of  school  support  personnel,  and
  administrators,  and forward such names, to the chancellor for selection
  together with the reasons for the recommendation of such candidates.  If
  the  chancellor  should  reject  all  the candidates for written reasons
  within thirty  days  after  the  receipt  of  the  proposed  names,  the
  community  board  shall  make another selection of no more than four new
  names  consistent  with  such  procedures  and  regulations,  until  the
  chancellor  selects  a  candidate.  The  contract of employment shall be
  consistent with a model contract promulgated  by  the  chancellor  which
  shall include provisions for reappointment.
    3.   promote  achievement  of  educational  standards  and  objectives
  relating to the instruction of students.
    4. cooperate as required by the chancellor in the removal from  office
  pursuant  to section twenty-five hundred ninety-l of this article of any
  community board member for willful, intentional or  knowing  involvement
  in  the  hiring,  appointment  or  assignment of employees other than as
  specifically authorized in this article.
    5. a. require community board members, the  community  superintendent,
  and  any  other  officer  or  employee in schools and programs under the
  jurisdiction of the community boards, to make annual written disclosure,
  in accordance with regulations and bylaws of the city board developed in
  consultation with the community boards, to the community board  and  the
  city board, of the following information:

    (1)  the employment by the city school board or any community board of
  any person related within the third degree of consanguinity or  affinity
  to  the  person  making disclosure, including the employment of any such
  person for which a two-thirds vote was required  under  paragraph  e  of
  subdivision four of section twenty-five hundred ninety-j of this chapter
  with a notation of the date such vote was taken.
    (2)  the  source  of  any income, reimbursement, gift or other form of
  compensation for services rendered together with a description  of  such
  services.
    (3)  the  source  of  any  financial contribution made within the year
  preceding the election or the term of office of a community board member
  to assist in the election or reelection of such member of the  community
  board,  and  the  amount  of  such  contribution,  consistent  with  any
  applicable regulations of the city board and the board of elections.
    b. willful or repeated failure to  make  full  and  timely  disclosure
  shall  constitute  cause  for  removal  from  office  of any member of a
  community board or for any other officer or employee disciplinary action
  and such other penalty as provided by law.
    c. all written disclosures required hereunder shall be filed with  the
  community  board  and  the  city board and shall be available for public
  inspection during regular business hours on regular business days.
    6. require community board members, candidates for  community  boards,
  the  community  superintendent  and,  for  good  cause  shown, any other
  officer or employee in schools and programs under  the  jurisdiction  of
  the  community  boards  to  submit  to  the city board and the community
  boards, in accordance with regulations and  bylaws  of  the  city  board
  developed  in  consultation with the community boards, financial reports
  for themselves and their spouses, provided that in the case of community
  board members and candidates  for  community  boards  the  statement  of
  financial  disclosure and the frequency with which it must be filed must
  satisfy at least  the  requirements  and  standards  for  disclosure  of
  section seventy-three-a of the public officers law.
    a. the frequency and period of coverage, the designation of persons to
  submit  such  reports by name, title or income level or by a combination
  thereof, and the content  of  such  reports,  including  minimum  dollar
  amounts, shall be determined by the city board.
    b.  willful  or repeated failure to file required financial reports or
  make other required disclosures shall constitute cause for removal  from
  office  of  any  member of a community board or for any other officer or
  employee disciplinary action and such other penalty as provided by  law.
  No  person  may  assume  office  as  a  community  board  member without
  previously complying with this subdivision,  subdivision  five  of  this
  section,  and  with  all  applicable  financial  disclosure requirements
  promulgated by the board of elections.
    7. participate in training and continuing education programs  pursuant
  to the provisions of this subdivision.
    (1)  Community board members shall participate in training to acquaint
  them with the powers, functions and duties of community  board  members,
  as  well  as the powers of other governing and administering authorities
  that affect education including the powers  of  the  commissioner,  city
  board,  chancellor  and  community  superintendents.  Such participation
  shall be completed no later than six months from the  date  in  which  a
  community board member takes office for the first time.
    (2)  Each  community  board member shall be required to participate in
  continuing education programs on an  annual  basis  as  defined  by  the
  chancellor.  Participation in training pursuant to paragraph one of this
  subdivision by a community board member who takes office for  the  first

  time shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of this subdivision for
  the first year of such member's term.
    (3)  such training and continuing education programs shall be approved
  by the chancellor, following consultation with the commissioner, and may
  be provided by the state  education  department,  the  city  board,  the
  chancellor  or  a  nonprofit  provider  authorized  by the chancellor to
  provide such training and continuing education programs.
    (4) the chancellor is authorized to promulgate  regulations  regarding
  providers and their certification, the content and implementation of the
  training  and  continuing education programs. Any such regulations shall
  be developed after consultation with the commissioner.
    (5) such training and continuing education programs shall  be  offered
  on  an  annual  basis or more frequently, as needed, to enable community
  board members to comply with this subdivision.
    (6) failure of community board members to comply with the training and
  continuing education requirements mandated  by  this  subdivision  shall
  constitute cause for removal from office pursuant to section twenty-five
  hundred ninety-1 of this article.
    8.  Each  year  prepare  a  school  district  report  card pursuant to
  regulations of the commissioner, and shall make it publicly available by
  transmitting it to local newspapers of general circulation, appending it
  to copies of the proposed budget made publicly available as required  by
  law,  making  it  available  for distribution at the annual meeting, and
  otherwise disseminating it as required by the commissioner. Such  report
  card  shall  include  measures of the academic performance of the school
  district, on a school by  school  basis,  and  measures  of  the  fiscal
  performance of the district, as prescribed by the commissioner. Pursuant
  to  regulations  of the commissioner, the report card shall also compare
  these measures  to  statewide  averages  for  all  public  schools,  and
  statewide  averages  for  public  schools of comparable wealth and need,
  developed by the commissioner. Such report  card  shall  include,  at  a
  minimum,   any  information  on  the  school  district  regarding  pupil
  performance and expenditure per pupil required to  be  included  in  the
  annual  report  by  the  requests  to  the  governor and the legislature
  pursuant to section two hundred fifteen-a of this chapter; and any other
  information  required  by  the  commissioner.   School   districts   (i)
  identified  as  having  fifteen  percent  or  more  of their students in
  special education, or (ii) which have fifty percent  or  more  of  their
  students  with  disabilities  in  special education programs or services
  sixty percent or more of the school day in a general education building,
  or (iii) which have  eight  percent  or  more  of  their  students  with
  disabilities in special education programs in public or private separate
  educational settings shall indicate on their school district report card
  their respective percentages as defined in this paragraph and paragraphs
  (i) and (ii) of this subdivision as compared to the statewide average.
    9.  Subject to paragraph (o) of subdivision one of section twenty-five
  hundred ninety-f of this article, to employ or retain counsel subject to
  the powers and duties of the corporation counsel of the city of New York
  to be the district's attorney and counsel pursuant to subdivision  a  of
  section  three  hundred  ninety-four  of  the  New  York city charter in
  actions or proceedings in which the board or any  member  thereof  is  a
  defendant or a respondent.
    10.  Where  the  district  has  provided  transportation  to  students
  enrolled  in  such  district  to  a   school   sponsored   field   trip,
  extracurricular  activity  or  any other similar event, it shall provide
  transportation  back  to  either  the  point  of  departure  or  to  the
  appropriate  school in the district, unless the parent or legal guardian
  of a student  participating  in  such  event  has  provided  the  school

  district   with   written   notice,  consistent  with  district  policy,
  authorizing an  alternative  form  of  return  transportation  for  such
  student  or  unless  intervening  circumstances make such transportation
  impractical.    In    cases   where   intervening   circumstances   make
  transportation of a student back to the point of  departure  or  to  the
  appropriate  school in the district impractical, a representative of the
  school district shall remain  with  the  student  until  such  student's
  parent  or  legal  guardian  has  been (a) contacted and informed of the
  intervening circumstances which make such transportation impractical and
  (b) such student had been delivered  to  his  or  her  parent  or  legal
  guardian.
    * NB Effective June 30, 2015
Section:  Previous  Article 52-A  2590  2590-A  2590-B  2590-C  2590-D  2590-E  2590-F  2590-G  2590-H  2590-I  2590-J  2590-K  2590-L  2590-M  Next

Last modified: April 23, 2010