January 16, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New York, NY – At yesterday’s New York City Council Stated Meeting, it was announced by Speaker Julie Menin that former public school teacher, Council Member Eric Dinowitz, will assume the role as Chair of the Committee on Education. In this role, he will lead Council oversight of the nation’s largest school system. 

Before his election to the City Council, Dinowitz served for over 13 years as a public school special education teacher, working closely with students with disabilities and their families. He also served as a UFT chapter leader, organizing and fighting for his colleagues.  

In the Council, he used his previous role as Chair of the Committee on Higher Education to strengthen the K-12 to college pipeline, passing first of its kind legislation to help students just like his own, and held critical oversight hearings to hold CUNY accountable, addressing issues like college affordability, the literacy crisis, graduation rates, and services for students with disabilities.

As Chair, Council Member Dinowitz will oversee NYC Schools, the agency that serves roughly 900,000 students and accounts for a third of our city’s budget.  

“Just as I did as a public school teacher, as Chair of the Committee on Education, I will fight for our city’s students every day,” said Council Member Eric Dinowitz. “Under my chairmanship, students will have a fierce advocate in the Council, and I will work to advance policies that support them and their families. I carry the stories of my students and their families with me into this new role, and their experiences, along with those of hundreds of thousands of other students in our city, will help shape the way our city provides our children what each and every one of them deserve: a world-class education. I’m grateful to Speaker Julie Menin for appointing me as Chair and for entrusting me with oversight of the largest school system in the country.”

“I’m proud to appoint Council Member Eric Dinowitz to lead the Council’s Education Committee,” said Speaker Julie Menin. “As a former teacher, Council Member Dinowitz has been a fighter for our school communities. I have had the pleasure to see firsthand his advocacy to ensuring all of our students are treated fairly and get the resources they deserve. His passion and commitment will be critical to advancing the Council’s goals of ensuring a quality education for all New York City students.”

“Literacy In Community (Literacy in Community) congratulates Council Member Eric Dinowitz on being named Chair of the New York City Council Committee on Education. A longtime partner and champion of education, Council Member Dinowitz has consistently supported LINC and City’s First Readers. As a former teacher, he deeply understands that literacy is foundational to educational success and part of a continuum that begins at birth. His commitment to addressing the city’s literacy crisis reflects both his lived experience and his vision for a more equitable system. We look forward to working alongside him to ensure all children and families have the opportunities they deserve.” —Shari Levine, Literacy in Community (LINC) Executive Director

“Council Member Eric Dinowitz’s appointment as Education Chair is powerful news for New York City’s children and families. As a former educator and trusted partner to LINC and City’s First Readers, he understands that solving the literacy crisis requires early intervention, meaningful family engagement, and collaboration across systems. He recognizes that real progress happens when families and community organizations have a seat at the table, and when the government uses its tools to meet the complexity of our education system with urgency and care.”  –Eliana Godoy, LINC’s Deputy Executive Director

“We don’t just know Council Member Dinowitz as a policymaker—we know him as someone who has shown up in our classrooms, libraries, and community spaces. He’s sat with children, read alongside families, and taken the time to understand what literacy looks like on the ground. That kind of presence matters, especially in communities that are too often overlooked.”—Albania Jimenez, LINC’s Chief of Advocacy and Community Mobilization

“City’s First Readers, a coalition of 17 early literacy partners, congratulates Council Member Eric Dinowitz on his appointment as Chair of the New York City Council Committee on Education. Council Member Dinowitz has been a steadfast champion of our coalition and of early literacy, standing alongside families, educators, and community-based organizations to elevate the urgency of the literacy crisis. Together with Council Member Jen Gutiérrez, he has helped ensure that early literacy and family engagement are recognized as foundational to educational success. His willingness to listen, show up in programs, and lead collaboratively gives us confidence that New York City’s education policies will be shaped by both data and lived experience.” —Emmanuel Novy, Chief of Strategic Initiatives, City’s First Readers

“We congratulate Eric Dinowitz on becoming Chair of the Committee on Education. We appreciate having a former special education teacher and NYC public school graduate in this role and look forward to working with him to strengthen education for all students, especially those who are too often overlooked.”  –Maria Odom, Executive Director, Advocates for Children of New York

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