REMARKS
Council Member Lincoln Restler introduces Intro 1009 for early childhood education transparency
0:58:21
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103 sec
Council Member Lincoln Restler introduces Intro 1009, co-sponsored by Council Members Zhuang and Gutierrez, which aims to increase transparency and accountability in the Department of Education's 3K and pre-K programs. The bill proposes quarterly updates on enrollment, outreach efforts, and staffing for early childhood education.
- The bill addresses the lack of real-time information about 3K and pre-K program capacity and demand across NYC neighborhoods.
- It responds to the elimination of outreach efforts for early childhood education by Mayor Adams' administration, which the council has fought to restore.
- Restler emphasizes the importance of transparency and accountability in the Department of Education's early childhood education efforts.
Lincoln Restler
0:58:21
Thank you so much, majority leader, and I'd like to thank council member Zhuang and council member Gutierrez for co prime sponsoring intro 1009 today.
0:58:31
Last year, we and the year before that, we begged and pleaded and cajoled Department of Education to provide us with any information about what was going on in our 3 k and pre k programs.
0:58:43
And eventually, hours before our preliminary budget hearings each of the last 2 years, they shared data that showed that in the majority of neighborhoods in New York City this past school year, more three year olds and their families applied for three k seats than we're actually able to access them.
0:59:01
We should have real time access to this information throughout the school year.
0:59:07
Information on what neighborhoods have capacity, 43 k and pre k, what types of seats, what staffing needs the DOE may have, and what outreach the DOE is doing.
0:59:17
We all know that mayor Adams and his team eliminated outreach for early childhood education when they came into office, and the council has righteously fought to restore efforts in this most recent budget for more outreach, for early childhood education.
0:59:31
But we need a real accounting from the Department of Education of what work they're doing.
0:59:35
So this bill that we've introduced today that I hope you all will choose to co sponsor and that we'll be able to pass would provide quarterly updates to all of us and to the public at large about enrollment in 3 k and pre k, outreach efforts, staffing efforts, and more.
0:59:51
Transparency is the best disinfectant.
0:59:53
We need much greater accountability for this department of education around early childhood education, and this bill will provide it.
1:00:00
I hope you'll consider co prime co sponsoring intro 1009.
1:00:03
Thank you.