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October 7. 2013 Dennis Walcott Chance! br New York City Department of Education 52 Chambers Street New York, NY 10007 Dear Chancellor Walcott: I am writing to express my deep concern about the Department of Educations (DOE) continued and flagrant ioiation of a New York State Supreme Court ruling on June 7, 2013. requiring the DOE to hold timely public hearings in each of the five boroughs concerning the Citys proposed annual Contract for Excellence (C4E). To date, the DOE has scheduled none of these five required hearings, despite posting a deadline of October 18. 2013 for public comment on its C4E Fiscal Year 2014 spending plans. While the City has appealed the decision in Shaw eta!. v. Walcott eta!. (Index #100393/13, Moulton. J.) to the Appellate Division. First Department. the Clerk of the Appellate Division informed us that the First Department denied the Citys motion for a stay of the lower court ruling pending appeal. As a result, DOE is legally obliged to comply with Justice Moultons decision and hold public hearings in every borough on the Contract for Excellence for the 20 132014 school year and beyond. These borough-level hearings are intended to provide parents and other members of the public with a critical opportunity to learn more about, and offer feedback on, DOE plans for disseminating a total of S530 million in C4E funds for FY 2014. some S348 million of which is available for school allocation and district-wide programs. C4E funds, as you know, are to be directed to support students with disabilities, students living in poverty, students with low academic achievement or who are at risk of not graduating, and English Language Learners in the following program areas:

Class size reduction Time on task

Teacher and principal quality initiatives Middle and high school restructuring

Full-day Pre-Kindergarten. and Model programs for English Language Learners.

I wish I could say I was surprised by the DOEs refusal to meet its legally mandated responsibility of holding borough-level hearings on C4E funding, given the crucial role these hearings play in promoting transparency and accountability. But sadly, I find it just the latest example of DOEs refusal to engage parents and the public in a meaningful discussion about priorities the main difference being that this time, DOE is also in direct violation of a judges order.
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th deadline that the DOE has assigned for Little time remains between now and the October 18 submission of public comment on C4E spending plans. I urge you to immediately adhere to the courts ruling, and schedule mandated hearings in each of the five boroughs.

ely, 9 Sin
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iMStrin Manhattan Borough President