DOI AND SCI RELEASE STATEMENT OF FINDINGS ON JOINT INVESTIGATION INTO DELAYS AND POLITICAL INFLUENCE OF THE CITY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION’S INQUIRY OF EDUCATION STANDARDS AT HASIDIC YESHIVAS

 Margaret Garnett, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), and Anastasia Coleman, the Special Commissioner of Investigation for the New York City School District (“SCI”), issued a statement of findings today on their agencies’ joint investigation into the process of the New York City Department of Education’s (“DOE”) inquiry into whether the education provided at certain Hasidic Yeshivas is “substantially equivalent” to the education provided in City public schools. A copy of DOI and SCI’s statement of findings is attached and can also be found at DOI’s and SCI’s websites at the following respective links: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doi/newsroom/press/2019/december.page https://nycsci.org/press-releases/

 The joint investigation concluded that political horse-trading between the Mayor’s and State legislators’ representatives unquestionably occurred. According to the investigation, the representatives agreed in 2017, as part of a multi-pronged effort, to delay an interim report of the DOE’s findings in an attempt to secure support for extending mayoral control of the City’s schools. However, the investigation also found that this agreement had no substantial effect on the inquiry’s conclusion or the progress of the inquiry, which was mired in delays for several years because of a variety of factors, including conflicts with the yeshivas and their counsel and a generally accommodating approach taken by DOE to that conflict. Further, the evidence uncovered during this joint investigation did not demonstrate whether the Mayor had personally authorized the agreement to delay the DOE report; however, the totality of the evidence did indicate the Mayor was aware that the offer to delay had been made.

 DOI and SCI found no evidence of any violations of relevant laws or regulations and did not identify any criminal conduct in connection with the release of DOE’s interim report.DOI and SCI found no evidence of any violations of relevant laws or regulations and did not identify any criminal conduct in connection with the release of DOE’s interim report.