The Governor has lifted the state-imposed emergency declaration to curb the spread of COVID-19, which means that public bodies are no longer authorized to hold meetings remotely.
New York’s Open Meetings Law will require all school board meetings to be held in person, according to the state Committee on Open Government. While Citywide and Community Education Councils will be able to use virtual platforms to livestream in-person meetings, a quorum of members must be present in-person, and the public must have access to attend the meeting in-person.
During the last year and a half, we have seen a dramatic increase in attendance in our public meetings. Holding meetings virtually has expanded access for many of our families, and we are advocating for flexibility so that we can continue to incorporate remote participation as we move forward.
That said, until and unless we hear differently from the State, we should be planning for in-person meetings effective immediately. This includes all meetings of the Panel for Educational Policy (PEP), Citywide and Community Education Councils (CECs), School Leadership Teams (SLTs), and Joint Public Hearings. This does not include PA/PTA, DLT, Presidents’ Council or CPAC meetings.
Please contact your FACE Liaison and Field Leadership Coordinator for support and to begin making arrangements for upcoming meetings.
