NYC Schools Superintendent's Husband Received $1.53M in DOE Contracts While She Oversaw District

When a public official's household has a direct financial stake in contracts awarded within her jurisdiction, conflict-of-interest rules exist precisely to prevent that overlap — and the penalty...

A Queens South High School superintendent whose husband co-owns a vendor that received $1,533,221 in New York City Department of Education contracts was found to have engaged in self-dealing and received a non-termination disciplinary outcome, according to public records reported by the New York Post on August 1, 2026. The superintendent, Josephine Van Ess, oversees Queens South schools for the New York City DOE.

Edward Van Ess holds a 50 percent ownership stake in Excellence in Every Thread, according to New York state business records cited in the New York Post report. The company conducted its DOE business through a subsidiary identified as The Modern Day Man. Because spousal ownership is generally attributed to a public official under New York City conflict-of-interest law (New York City Charter Chapter 68), Josephine Van Ess is considered to share a financial interest in that entity. The contracts were active since 2023, according to the same public records.

New York City's Conflicts of Interest Board (COIB) is the municipal body authorized to investigate and sanction violations of Chapter 68. The specific penalty imposed on Van Ess, the identity of the entity that conducted the investigation, and whether any clawback of contract funds was ordered are not fully detailed in the available public record as of publication. The New York Post described the outcome as a 'slap on the wrist,' though the precise sanction — fine amount, reprimand classification, or other administrative action — was not specified in the sourced material.

The $1,533,221 figure is drawn from public DOE procurement records as cited in the New York Post report. USASpending.gov tracks federal contract data; New York City maintains its own procurement database at nyc.gov/dcas, which would contain the underlying contract documents, vendor certifications, and any disclosure filings submitted by Excellence in Every Thread or The Modern Day Man. Those records would establish whether Van Ess filed the required annual disclosure forms with COIB identifying her household's financial interest in the vendor.

What remains unknown: the exact penalty amount or sanction classification imposed on Van Ess; whether the COIB issued a formal opinion or stipulation; whether the DOE has suspended or terminated the contracts in question; and whether any additional review of other Queens South procurement decisions is underway. The COIB's public decisions database (available at nyc.gov/coib) and the DOE's vendor integrity records would be the primary public documents needed to answer those questions.