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The New York City Schools Chancellor (formally "Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education") is the head of the
New York City Department of Education The New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) is the department of the government of New York City that manages the city's public school system. The City School District of the City of New York (or the New York City Public Schools) is t ...
. The Chancellor is appointed by the
Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
, 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 The Panel for Educational Policy of the Department of Education of the City School District of the City of New York, abbreviated as the Panel for Educational Policy and also known as the New York City Board of Education, is the governing body of ...
(formerly the New York City Board of Education). The current Chancellor is
David C. Banks David C. Banks (born August 5, 1959) is an American attorney and educator who is currently serving as the 31st New York City Schools Chancellor, New York City Schools chancellor in the administration of Mayor Eric Adams. Early life and educati ...
.


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 Irving Anker (October 27, 1911 – June 12, 2000) 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 o ...
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 Johnson Bunche (; August 7, 1904 – December 9, 1971) was an American political scientist, diplomat, and leading actor in the mid-20th-century decolonization process and US civil rights movement, who received the 1950 Nobel Peace Prize f ...
,
Ramsey Clark William Ramsey Clark (December 18, 1927 – April 9, 2021) was an American lawyer, activist, and federal government official. A progressive, New Frontier liberal, he occupied senior positions in the United States Department of Justice under Presi ...
,
Arthur J. Goldberg Arthur Joseph Goldberg (August 8, 1908January 19, 1990) was an American statesman and jurist who served as the 9th U.S. Secretary of Labor, an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, and the 6th United States Ambassador t ...
and
Sargent Shriver Robert Sargent Shriver Jr. (November 9, 1915 – January 18, 2011) was an American diplomat, politician, and activist. As the husband of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, he was part of the Kennedy family. Shriver was the driving force behind the creation ...
, before choosing
Harvey B. Scribner Harvey Bertram Scribner (July 7, 1914 – December 23, 2002) 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 The Vermont Agency of Education is the state education agency of Vermont. It is headquartered in the National Life building in Montpelier. In 2018, Daniel M. French, Ed.D, was named Secretary of Education and he continues to lead in that capac ...
and superintendent of the
Teaneck Public Schools The Teaneck Public Schools is comprehensive community state school, public school district serving students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade in Teaneck, New Jersey, Teaneck, Bergen County, New Jersey, Bergen County, New Jersey, United ...
, 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 1973. After taking office in January 1978 as Mayor of New York,
Ed Koch Edward Irving Koch ( ; December 12, 1924February 1, 2013) was an American politician, lawyer, political commentator, film critic, and television personality. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1977 and was may ...
forced out Anker as Chancellor in favor of
Frank Macchiarola Frank J. Macchiarola (April 7, 1941 – December 18, 2012), was an American academic. His interests and expertise spanned the legal, academic, executive management and public service areas. From 2008 until his death, Macchiarola was the Chan ...
, a key Koch advisor who had been a vice president of the
CUNY Graduate Center The Graduate School and University Center of the City University of New York (CUNY Graduate Center) is a public research institution and post-graduate university in New York City. Serving as the principal doctorate-granting institution of the Ci ...
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 Carol Bellamy (born January 14, 1942) is an American nonprofit executive and former politician. She is chair of the board of the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF). Previously, she was director of the Peace Corps, executive ...
saying that he "consistently failed to provide the leadership or sound management we need".
Harold O. Levy Harold Oscar Levy (December 14, 1952 – November 27, 2018) was an American lawyer and philanthropist who last served as the executive director of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. Having previously held leadership roles as a corporate attorney, ...
was the last Chancellor to be selected directly by the Board of Education, serving during the final years of Mayor
Rudy Giuliani Rudolph William Louis Giuliani (, ; born May 28, 1944) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 107th Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001. He previously served as the United States Associate Attorney General from 1981 to 198 ...
and the early part of the Bloomberg administration.


Under mayoral control

Joel Klein Joel Irwin Klein (born October 25, 1946) is an American lawyer and school superintendent. He was the Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, the largest public school system in the United States, serving more than 1.1 million st ...
was named as Chancellor in July 2002 by Mayor
Michael Bloomberg Michael Rubens Bloomberg (born February 14, 1942) is an American businessman, politician, philanthropist, and author. He is the majority owner, co-founder and CEO of Bloomberg L.P. He was Mayor of New York City from 2002 to 2013, and was a ca ...
, 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 Cathleen Prunty "Cathie" Black (born April 26, 1944) 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 anno ...
was named as the first female chancellor by Mayor
Michael Bloomberg Michael Rubens Bloomberg (born February 14, 1942) is an American businessman, politician, philanthropist, and author. He is the majority owner, co-founder and CEO of Bloomberg L.P. He was Mayor of New York City from 2002 to 2013, and was a ca ...
. 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 The Commissioner of Education of the State of New York is the head of the State Education Department, chosen by the Board of Regents. The Commissioner also serves as the President of the University of the State of New York The University of the ...
, who at that time was 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: *
David C. Banks David C. Banks (born August 5, 1959) is an American attorney and educator who is currently serving as the 31st New York City Schools Chancellor, New York City Schools chancellor in the administration of Mayor Eric Adams. Early life and educati ...
2022–present * Meisha Ross Porter 2021 *
Richard Carranza Richard A. Carranza (born 1966) is an American educator who served as the Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education from 2018 to 2021. He was appointed by Mayor de Blasio after Alberto M. Carvalho publicly turned down the job in Ma ...
2018–2021 *
Carmen Fariña Carmen Fariña (née Guillén; born April 5, 1943) is a former New York City Schools Chancellor and head of the New York City Department of Education. Announced by Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio on December 30, 2013, she was the first New York City ...
2014–2018 * Dennis Walcott 2011–2013 *
Cathie Black Cathleen Prunty "Cathie" Black (born April 26, 1944) 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 anno ...
2011 *
Joel Klein Joel Irwin Klein (born October 25, 1946) is an American lawyer and school superintendent. He was the Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, the largest public school system in the United States, serving more than 1.1 million st ...
2002–2010 *
Harold O. Levy Harold Oscar Levy (December 14, 1952 – November 27, 2018) was an American lawyer and philanthropist who last served as the executive director of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. Having previously held leadership roles as a corporate attorney, ...
2000–2002 * Dr.
Rudy Crew Rudolph Franklin "Rudy" Crew (born September 10, 1950) is an American educator, academic administrator, and former government employee who currently serves as President of Medgar Evers College. A lifelong educator and public school administrator ...
1995–1999 * Ramon C. Cortines 1993–1995 * Dr. Harvey Garner (interim) July – August 1993 * Dr. Joseph A. Fernandez 1990–1993 * Bernard Mecklowitz (interim) June – December 1989 * Dr. Richard Green 1988–1989 * Dr. Charles I. Schonhaut (acting) 1988 * Nathan Quinones 1984–1987 * Anthony J. Alvarado 1983–1984 * Richard F. Halverson (acting) 1983 *
Frank Macchiarola Frank J. Macchiarola (April 7, 1941 – December 18, 2012), was an American academic. His interests and expertise spanned the legal, academic, executive management and public service areas. From 2008 until his death, Macchiarola was the Chan ...
1978–1983 *
Harvey B. Scribner Harvey Bertram Scribner (July 7, 1914 – December 23, 2002) 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. ...
1970–1973 *
Irving Anker Irving Anker (October 27, 1911 – June 12, 2000) 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 o ...
1970, 1973–1978 * Nathan Brown 1969–1970 * Calvin E. Gross 1963–1965 * Bernard E. Donovan 1962–1963, 1965–1969 * John J. Theobald 1958–1962 * William Jansen 1947–1958 * John E. Wade 1942–1947 * Harold G. Campbell 1934–1942 * William J. O’Shea 1924–1934 * William L. Ettinger 1918–1924 * William H. Maxwell 1898–1918


References


Further reading

*''
The Encyclopedia of New York City ''The Encyclopedia of New York City'' is a reference book on New York City, New York. Edited by Columbia University history professor Kenneth T. Jackson, the book was first published in 1995 by the New-York Historical Society and Yale Univers ...
''. New York: Yale University Press, 1995. {{New York City DOE New York City Department of Education