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New York City Schools Chancellor

{{short description|Head of the New York City Department of Education}}

{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}

{{Infobox official post

| post = Chancellor

| body = the
New York City Department of Education

| insignia = NYC DOE Logo.png

| insigniacaption = Logo of the NYC Department of Education

| incumbent = Melissa Aviles-Ramos

| incumbentsince = October 16, 2024

| style =

| constituting_instrument = New York City Charter

| residence =

| reports_to = The Mayor of New York City

| seat = New York City

| appointer = Mayor of New York City

| termlength = Four years

| termlength_qualified = renewable at mayor's pleasure

| formation =

| deputy = * 1 Chief operating officer/chief of staff

  • 1 senior deputy chancellor
  • 5 deputy chancellors

| department = New York City Department of Education

| member_of = New York City Panel for Educational Policy

| inaugural = William H. Maxwell

| website = {{URL|https://www.schools.nyc.gov/about-us/leadership/doe-leadership-and-offices/chancellor| Chancellor Webpage}}

}}

The New York City Schools Chancellor (formally the "Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education") is the head of the New York City Department of Education. The Chancellor is appointed by the Mayor, and serves at the Mayor's pleasure. The Chancellor is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the department as well as responsible of all New York City Public Schools. The Chancellor is also a member of the New York City Panel for Educational Policy (formerly the New York City Board of Education). The current Chancellor is Melissa Aviles-Ramos.

History of position

=Under NYC Board of Education=

While searching for a permanent Superintendent of Schools in 1970 for Nathan Brown, the Board of Education named Irving Anker 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.{{cite news |last=Buder |first=Leonard |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/06/19/archives/school-board-weighs-6-for-chancellor.html |title=School Board Weighs 6 for Chancellor |work=The New York Times |date=June 19, 1970 |access-date=July 28, 2010}}

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.{{cite news |last=Buder |first=Leonard |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/12/22/archives/scribner-to-quit-says-that-board-doesnt-want-him-he-sees-a.html |title=SCRIBNER TO QUIT; SAYS THAT BOARD DOESN'T WANT HIM; He Sees a 'Confidence Gap' in Failure to Renew His School Contract Fast DECISION IS A SURPRISE Monserrat Says Education Panel Planned to Act Next Month on Chancellor Scribner Resigns, Blaming City Board |work=The New York Times |date=December 22, 1972 |access-date=July 28, 2010}} Before going on a terminal vacation starting on April 1, 1973, Chancellor Scribner named Anker, then Deputy Chancellor, to serve as Acting Chancellor.Buder, Leonard. [https://www.nytimes.com/1973/03/16/archives/scribner-names-aide-as-interim-chancellor-1969-law-cited-board-gets.html "Scribner Names Aide As Interim Chancellor; 1969 Law Cited Board Gets Memorandum"], The New York Times, March 16, 1973. Accessed July 28, 2010. Anker was then named permanent Chancellor in June 1973.{{cite news |last=Buder |first=Leonard |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/06/15/archives/anker-as-expected-is-named-city-school-chancellor.html |title=Anker, as Expected, Is Named City School Chancellor |work=The New York Times |date=June 15, 1973 |access-date=July 28, 2010}}

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.{{cite news |last=Chambers |first=Marcia |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/04/18/archives/new-jersey-pages-macchiarola-koch-choice-named-chancellor-by-board.html |title=Macchiarola, Koch Choice, Named Chancellor by Board of Education; City U. Official Elected After Heated Voting On Five Finalists Experience in Education Mayor Praises Selection Macchiarola, Koch's Choice, Is Named Chancellor by Board of Education Macchiarola Conciliatory Board Undecided at Outset |work=The New York Times |date=April 18, 1978 |access-date=July 28, 2010}}

Anthony J. Alvarado was named as Chancellor in April 1983, the city's first Hispanic Chancellor.{{cite news |last=Chambers |first=Marcia |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/04/29/nyregion/man-in-the-news-an-innovative-school-administrator-anthony-john-alvarado.html |title=MAN IN THE NEWS; AN INNOVATIVE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR: ANTHONY JOHN ALVARADO |work=The New York Times |date=April 29, 1983 |access-date=July 27, 2010}} 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.{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EwsiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=23IFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5152,2585682 |title=Alvarado resigns N.Y. school post |work=The Day (New London) |date=May 12, 1984 |access-date=July 27, 2010}}

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".{{cite news |last=Martin |first=Douglas |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/27/nyregion/27quinones.html |title=Nathan Quinones Dies at 79; Led New York City Schools |work=The New York Times |date=July 27, 2010 |access-date= July 27, 2010}}

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.

=Under mayoral control=

Joel Klein 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.{{cite web |url=http://schools.nyc.gov/Offices/mediarelations/ChancellorsBiography/Chancellors+Bio.htm |title=Chancellor Joel I. Klein |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080215212242/http://schools.nyc.gov/Offices/mediarelations/ChancellorsBiography/Chancellors%2BBio.htm |archivedate=2008-02-15 |website=New York City Department of Education |date=January 6, 2009 |access-date=July 28, 2010}}

In November 2010, Cathie Black was named as the first female chancellor by Mayor Michael Bloomberg.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/10/nyregion/10klein.html |title=Hearst Official to Replace Klein at Helm of N.Y. Schools |work=The New York Times |date=November 9, 2010 |access-date=November 9, 2010}} 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, who at that time was David M. Steiner, in order to take office.{{cite news |url=http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/34602/blacks-future-is-in-these-hands/ |title=Black's future is in these hands |work=Times Union |date=November 19, 2010 |access-date= November 19, 2010}} The waiver was issued, and Black took office on January 3, 2011.{{Cite web |url=http://www.lohud.com/article/20110103/NEWS05/101030347/Cathie-Black-starts-job-as-new-head-of-NYC-schools-with-5-borough-tour |title=Unknown |access-date=4 January 2011 |archive-date=11 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111152525/http://www.lohud.com/article/20110103/NEWS05/101030347/Cathie-Black-starts-job-as-new-head-of-NYC-schools-with-5-borough-tour |url-status=dead }}

List of New York City Schools chancellors

Individuals who have led the New York City school system include:{{cite web |url=http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/3ED0E8C1-E533-4C5F-946C-7640E1EC90F2/0/ISCSelfPacedModuleDOEHistoryRev11008.ppt |title=The Board of Education to the Department of Education Tour: A Self-Paced Module |page=104 |access-date=January 1, 2011}}

References

{{Reflist}}

Further reading

{{New York City DOE}}

Category:New York City Department of Education