By Anna Gustafson
Although the number of candidates for local schools councils has dropped citywide, more individuals are seeking to be elected in Queens than in the last election two years ago, according to data released by the Department of Education Monday.
Some 90 Queens candidates are vying for 72 available positions on the Community Education Councils, which replaced school boards after Mayor Bloomberg took control of the city’s public schools in 2002. There were 77 Queens applicants in the 2007 election.
The city Department of Education released the names and numbers of the applicants Monday.
The CECs are charged with evaluating schools’ instructional programs, advising Schools Chancellor Joel Klein and holding meetings at least once a month with the district superintendent and the public to discuss education issues.
Up to nine parents may be elected to sit on a council, two individuals are appointed by the borough president and one person is selected by the community superintendent.
DOE spokesman William Havemann said the city has “worked really hard to get the word out about the elections so parents interested in applying can apply.”
Despite city efforts, there are 443 candidates hoping to fill 307 seats throughout the five boroughs, which represents a 36 percent decrease from the 690 individuals seeking election two years ago. In seven of the eight council districts in Queens, there are more or the same number of applicants as there were in 2007. District 31, which covers Astoria, Corona, East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, and Long Island City, was the only area that saw a drop in applicants, from 28 to 21.
Parents are now able to participate in the city’s “straw vote,” which will continue until April 22. This year the Education Department changed the voting process for the CECs, and all parents will be able to cast their ballots online in the “straw vote,0” in which parents enter their students unique school number in order to vote. Results of this vote will be taken into consideration in the May election by the Parent Association and the Parent−Teacher Association leaders, whose votes state law mandates determine the new council members.
The election process has been moved solely online to the Web site powertotheparents.org.
Reach reporter Anna Gustafson by e−mail at agustafson@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718−229−0300, Ext. 174.
