QUESTION
How is the OATH handling the Carter cases in NYC?
3:10:57
·
156 sec
The OATH has successfully reduced processing times and eliminated backlog of Carter cases in NYC.
- The OATH worked with DOE, the mayor, and the state education department to handle cases efficiently.
- Processing times have been reduced to an average of 67 days, below legal deadlines.
- Every new case from the DOE now goes to the OATH for handling.
- The transition to OATH handling all new cases was completed on January 1st of this year.
Gale A. Brewer
3:10:57
Carter cases.
3:10:58
So that's what I think lit is what DOE is put on your plate.
3:11:04
Is that correct?
Asim Rehman
3:11:05
Wouldn't say that DOE put it on our plate.
3:11:07
I would say that we took it upon ourselves working with the DOE and the state education department.
3:11:13
And we
Gale A. Brewer
3:11:15
I think, miss Liz Volatic, for whom I have great respect put it on your plate, that would be my this definition.
3:11:21
But go ahead.
Asim Rehman
3:11:22
Well, what's the question, counsel?
Judge Sylvia Hinds-Radix
3:11:23
The
Gale A. Brewer
3:11:23
question is, how is it going?
3:11:24
Because guess what the number one issue of money in the city of New York and I have many friends who are before you and they want their kids and they deserve to get the best education possible, but they spend a lot of time with you and their cost in the city of fortune.
3:11:39
Now why in hell's name DOE doesn't build schools that would address the concerns?
3:11:44
I don't know.
3:11:45
We've been talking about it for years.
3:11:46
But meanwhile, you've got the cases and the numbers are going like this.
Asim Rehman
3:11:50
We have the cases.
3:11:51
The numbers are going like that in an upward trajectory, but to your question about how's it going, I think it's going pretty well, and I'll explain why.
3:12:00
The chief reason that matters were sent over to oath and that the MOE was executed between DOE, oath, and the mayor, and then the state education department getting involved.
3:12:15
Was because of delays that were taking place, those people who have cases, those parents who had cases had to wait a very long time tasks a legal deadline and because there was a backlog of cases.
3:12:26
So the idea was let's give it over to oath and see what they can do.
3:12:29
It's been 2 years.
3:12:30
And we've shown that we were able to eliminate the backlog.
Gale A. Brewer
3:12:34
Okay.
Asim Rehman
3:12:34
We've been able to get the processing times below the legal deadlines.
3:12:38
We're now down to an average of 6 67 days.
3:12:41
The legal deadlines are either 75 or a 105 days if there is an extension granted.
3:12:46
So in many cases, a 105 days weird an average of 67 days.
3:12:50
And so we've been able to produce the backlog.
3:12:54
We've been able to demonstrate that these cases can be done within the legal time frames.
3:12:58
AND THIS WAS A TRANSITION.
3:12:59
WE STARTED TAKING CASES WHILE THE OTHER INDEPENDENT HEARING OFFICERS STILL HAD THEIR CASES.
3:13:04
THE GRADUAL TRANSITION.
Gale A. Brewer
3:13:05
I REMEMBER THOSE POLITICS.
Asim Rehman
3:13:06
And then January 1st this year is when the transition was complete.
3:13:11
So right now, every new case that DOE gets comes to 0 So we are now taking all new cases.
3:13:18
We are, I think, delivering on the promise of what was intended when when this was set up, and we're gonna continue to do our best to make sure that the parties who appear for us receive good, strong, timely decisions that are in part Okay.