A precise distinction

Consultation is not selection.

DYCD reportedly held 14 stakeholder sessions with about 272 participants to shape the COMPASS / SONYC model. Families were not given power over who would serve their specific school. Those are two different things, and the agency's defense depends on conflating them.

Verification in progress. The "14 sessions / 272 participants" figures are drawn from the campaign's hearing notes and are pending direct confirmation in the official DYCD record.

What DYCD consulted families about

The menu.

Overall COMPASS / SONYC program model
Broad citywide priorities for the rebid
Social-emotional learning frameworks
Program-expansion concepts (more seats, broader reach)

What families were not allowed to influence

Who serves the menu at your school.

Which organizations actually applied at each school
Which provider was selected at each school
School-specific tradeoffs (sports vs. arts, scale vs. continuity)
Overrides of principal preference rankings
Staff and program continuity at the school level
Co-located building plans across sibling schools

Consultation about the menu is not participation in choosing who serves it.