New York City School Chancellor
Encyclopedia
The New York City Schools Chancellor is the leader of the New York City Department of Education
, the agency that handles New York City
's public schools. The current Chancellor is Dennis M. Walcott, who began his tenure on April 18, 2011 after the resignation of Cathie Black
on April 7, 2011. Like Joel Klein
and Cathie Black, Walcott needed a waiver by the state education commissioner before assuming the position.
to serve as Acting Superintendent until the position was filled. The Board had approached, and been turned down by, such notables as Ralph Bunche
, Ramsey Clark
, Arthur J. Goldberg and Sargent Shriver
, before choosing Harvey B. Scribner
, who had been Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Education
and superintendent of the Teaneck Public Schools
, where he oversaw the implementation of a voluntary school integration program.
Citing what he called a "confidence gap" with the Board of Education, Scribner announced in December 1972 that he would leave his post as Chancellor when his three-year contract ended on June 30, 1973. Before going on a terminal vacation starting on April 1, 1973, Chancellor Scribner named Anker, then Deputy Chancellor, to serve as Acting Chancellor. Anker was then named permanent Chancellor in June of 1973.
After taking office in January 1978 as Mayor of New York, Ed Koch
forced out Anker as Chancellor in favor of Frank Macchiarola
, a key Koch advisor who had been a vice president of the CUNY Graduate Center
and deputy director of the New York State Emergency Financial Control Board for New York City; Anker would serve until his contract ended on June 30, 1978.
Alvarado was named as Chancellor in April 1983, the city's first Hispanic Chancellor. Alvarado resigned as School Chancellor in May 1984 in the wake of professional misconduct charges, including allegations that he had borrowed $80,000 from employees in coercive fashion. Nathan Quinones
was selected as Chancellor, having served in the position on an interim basis after Alvarado placed himself on leave two months earlier.
Quinones was pressured to resign in 1987, in the face of criticism for his management of the district and its finances, with mayoral candidate Carol Bellamy
saying that he "consistently failed to provide the leadership or sound management we need".
Harold O. Levy
was the last Chancellor to be selected directly by the Board of Education, serving during the final years of Mayor Rudy Giuliani
and the early part of the Bloomberg administration.
was named as Chancellor in July 2002 by Mayor Michael Bloomberg
, the first to be named in the reorganized system in which the Mayor of New York was given direct control of the Board of Education.
In November 2010, Cathie Black
was named as the first female Chancellor by Mayor Michael Bloomberg
. Because of her lack of educational experience and administrative licensing, Black required a waiver from the Commissioner of Education of the State of New York
, currently David M. Steiner, in order to take office. The waiver was issued, and Black took office on January 3, 2011.
New York City Department of Education
The New York City Department of Education is the branch of municipal government in New York City that manages the city's public school system. It is the largest school system in the United States, with over 1.1 million students taught in more than 1,700 separate schools...
, the agency that handles New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's public schools. The current Chancellor is Dennis M. Walcott, who began his tenure on April 18, 2011 after the resignation of Cathie Black
Cathie Black
Cathleen Prunty "Cathie" Black is a former New York City Schools Chancellor. On April 7, 2011, Black stepped down from her position after 95 days on the job. Her appointment to replace longtime Chancellor Joel Klein was announced on November 9, 2010 by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and became effective...
on April 7, 2011. Like Joel Klein
Joel Klein
Joel Irwin Klein was Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, the largest public school system in the United States, serving more than 1.1 million students in more than 1,600 schools...
and Cathie Black, Walcott needed a waiver by the state education commissioner before assuming the position.
History of position under city Board of Education
While searching for a permanent Superintendent of Schools in 1970 for Nathan Brown, the Board of Education named Irving AnkerIrving Anker
Irving Anker was an American educator and administrator who served from 1973 to 1978 as New York City Schools Chancellor, overseeing the largest school district in the United States at a time when control of schools was being transferred to local community school districts and when the fiscal...
to serve as Acting Superintendent until the position was filled. The Board had approached, and been turned down by, such notables as Ralph Bunche
Ralph Bunche
Ralph Johnson Bunche or 1904December 9, 1971) was an American political scientist and diplomat who received the 1950 Nobel Peace Prize for his late 1940s mediation in Palestine. He was the first person of color to be so honored in the history of the Prize...
, Ramsey Clark
Ramsey Clark
William Ramsey Clark is an American lawyer, activist and former public official. He worked for the U.S. Department of Justice, which included service as United States Attorney General from 1967 to 1969, under President Lyndon B. Johnson...
, Arthur J. Goldberg and Sargent Shriver
Sargent Shriver
Robert Sargent Shriver, Jr., known as Sargent Shriver, R. Sargent Shriver, or, from childhood, Sarge, was an American statesman and activist. As the husband of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, he was part of the Kennedy family, serving in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations...
, before choosing Harvey B. Scribner
Harvey B. Scribner
Harvey Bertram Scribner was an American educator and administrator who oversaw the voluntary integration of the Teaneck Public Schools in the mid-1960s. He also headed the Vermont Department of Education...
, who had been Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Education
Vermont Department of Education
The Vermont Department of Education is the state education agency of Vermont. It is headquartered in the State Office Building in Montpelier, and it has additional offices in Berlin....
and superintendent of the Teaneck Public Schools
Teaneck Public Schools
Teaneck Public Schools are a comprehensive community public school district in Teaneck, New Jersey, United States, serving students in kindergarten through twelfth grade....
, where he oversaw the implementation of a voluntary school integration program.
Citing what he called a "confidence gap" with the Board of Education, Scribner announced in December 1972 that he would leave his post as Chancellor when his three-year contract ended on June 30, 1973. Before going on a terminal vacation starting on April 1, 1973, Chancellor Scribner named Anker, then Deputy Chancellor, to serve as Acting Chancellor. Anker was then named permanent Chancellor in June of 1973.
After taking office in January 1978 as Mayor of New York, Ed Koch
Ed Koch
Edward Irving "Ed" Koch is an American lawyer, politician, and political commentator. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1977 and three terms as mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989...
forced out Anker as Chancellor in favor of Frank Macchiarola
Frank Macchiarola
Frank J. Macchiarola , grew up in Flatbush, Brooklyn, has interests and expertise that span the legal, academic, executive management and public service areas. Since 2008, Dr. Macchiarola has been the Chancellor of St. Francis College after having been the colleges president in from 1996 to...
, a key Koch advisor who had been a vice president of the CUNY Graduate Center
CUNY Graduate Center
The Graduate Center of the City University of New York brings together graduate education, advanced research, and public programming to midtown Manhattan hosting 4,600 students, 33 doctoral programs, 7 master's programs, and 30 research centers and institutes...
and deputy director of the New York State Emergency Financial Control Board for New York City; Anker would serve until his contract ended on June 30, 1978.
Alvarado was named as Chancellor in April 1983, the city's first Hispanic Chancellor. Alvarado resigned as School Chancellor in May 1984 in the wake of professional misconduct charges, including allegations that he had borrowed $80,000 from employees in coercive fashion. Nathan Quinones
Nathan Quinones
Nathan Quinones was an American educator and administrator who served as the New York City School Chancellor from 1984 to 1987, where he led efforts to improve educational standards and cut the system's dropout rate.-Early life:Quinones was born on October 12, 1930, in East Harlem and attended the...
was selected as Chancellor, having served in the position on an interim basis after Alvarado placed himself on leave two months earlier.
Quinones was pressured to resign in 1987, in the face of criticism for his management of the district and its finances, with mayoral candidate Carol Bellamy
Carol Bellamy
Carol Bellamy has been Director of the Peace Corps, Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund , and President and CEO of World Learning. In April, 2009, Bellamy was appointed as Chair of the International Baccalaureate Board of Governors...
saying that he "consistently failed to provide the leadership or sound management we need".
Harold O. Levy
Harold O. Levy
Harold O. Levy is best known for having been Chancellor of New York City's public schools, and being the last Chancellor elected by an independent Board of Education...
was the last Chancellor to be selected directly by the Board of Education, serving during the final years of Mayor Rudy Giuliani
Rudy Giuliani
Rudolph William Louis "Rudy" Giuliani KBE is an American lawyer, businessman, and politician from New York. He served as Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001....
and the early part of the Bloomberg administration.
History of position under Mayoral control
Joel KleinJoel Klein
Joel Irwin Klein was Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, the largest public school system in the United States, serving more than 1.1 million students in more than 1,600 schools...
was named as Chancellor in July 2002 by Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
, the first to be named in the reorganized system in which the Mayor of New York was given direct control of the Board of Education.
In November 2010, Cathie Black
Cathie Black
Cathleen Prunty "Cathie" Black is a former New York City Schools Chancellor. On April 7, 2011, Black stepped down from her position after 95 days on the job. Her appointment to replace longtime Chancellor Joel Klein was announced on November 9, 2010 by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and became effective...
was named as the first female Chancellor by Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
. Because of her lack of educational experience and administrative licensing, Black required a waiver from the Commissioner of Education of the State of New York
Commissioner of Education of the State of New York
The Commissioner of Education of the State of New York is the head of the state education department. The Board of Regents chooses a Commissioner of Education who heads the State Education Department and also serves as the President of the University of the State of New York office...
, currently David M. Steiner, in order to take office. The waiver was issued, and Black took office on January 3, 2011.
List of New York City Schools Chancellors
Individuals who have led the New York City school system include:- Dennis M. Walcott 2011 - present
- Shael Polakow-SuranskyShael Polakow-SuranskyShael Polakow-Suransky, 38 in late 2010, a former teacher and principal, was due to be named the chief academic officer of the New York City Public Schools. The appointment was part of a compromise after Mayor Michael Bloomberg nominated a business executive with almost no educational experience,...
(Interim) April 7-17, 2011 - Cathie BlackCathie BlackCathleen Prunty "Cathie" Black is a former New York City Schools Chancellor. On April 7, 2011, Black stepped down from her position after 95 days on the job. Her appointment to replace longtime Chancellor Joel Klein was announced on November 9, 2010 by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and became effective...
2011 - Joel KleinJoel KleinJoel Irwin Klein was Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, the largest public school system in the United States, serving more than 1.1 million students in more than 1,600 schools...
2002-2010 - Harold O. LevyHarold O. LevyHarold O. Levy is best known for having been Chancellor of New York City's public schools, and being the last Chancellor elected by an independent Board of Education...
2000- 2002 - Dr. Rudy CrewRudy CrewRudolph F. "Rudy" Crew is professor of Clinical Education at the University of Southern California's Rossier School of Education. He is a former Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools...
1995-1999 - Ramon C. CortinesRamon C. CortinesRamon Curtis Cortines is a retired American educator who was the Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District in Los Angeles, California from January 1, 2009 to April 16, 2011....
1993-1995 - Dr. Harvey Garner (Interim) July - August 1993
- Dr. Joseph A. Fernandez 1990-1993
- Bernard Mecklowitz 1989
- Dr. Richard GreenRichard Green (chancellor)Dr. Richard R. Green was the first black New York City School Chancellor. He served in this capacity from March 1988 to May 1989.-Early life:...
1988-89 - Dr. Charles I. Schonhaut 1988
- Nathan QuinonesNathan QuinonesNathan Quinones was an American educator and administrator who served as the New York City School Chancellor from 1984 to 1987, where he led efforts to improve educational standards and cut the system's dropout rate.-Early life:Quinones was born on October 12, 1930, in East Harlem and attended the...
1984-87 - Anthony J. AlvaradoAnthony J. AlvaradoAnthony John Alvarado is an American educator and administrator who served from 1983 to 1984 as New York City School Chancellor, overseeing the operation of the largest public school district in the United States as the school system's first Hispanic Chancellor...
1983-84 - Richard F. Halverson 1983
- Frank MacchiarolaFrank MacchiarolaFrank J. Macchiarola , grew up in Flatbush, Brooklyn, has interests and expertise that span the legal, academic, executive management and public service areas. Since 2008, Dr. Macchiarola has been the Chancellor of St. Francis College after having been the colleges president in from 1996 to...
1978-83 - Harvey B. ScribnerHarvey B. ScribnerHarvey Bertram Scribner was an American educator and administrator who oversaw the voluntary integration of the Teaneck Public Schools in the mid-1960s. He also headed the Vermont Department of Education...
1970-73 - Irving AnkerIrving AnkerIrving Anker was an American educator and administrator who served from 1973 to 1978 as New York City Schools Chancellor, overseeing the largest school district in the United States at a time when control of schools was being transferred to local community school districts and when the fiscal...
1970, 1973-78 - Nathan Brown 1969-70
- Calvin E. Gross 1963-65
- Bernard E. Donovon 1962-63, 1965-69
- John J. Theobald 1958-62
- William Jansen 1947-58
- John E. Wade 1942-47
- Harold G. Campbell 1934-42
- William J. O’Shea 1924-34
- William L. Ettinger 1918-24
- William H. Maxwell 1898-1918
Further reading
- The Encyclopedia of New York CityThe Encyclopedia of New York CityThe Encyclopedia of New York City is a comprehensive reference book on New York City. Historian and Columbia University professor Kenneth T...
. New York: Yale University Press, 1995.