New York City’s First Deputy Chancellor Resigns

Students in a New York City classroom engaging in educational activities.

News Summary

Dan Weisberg, New York City’s First Deputy Chancellor, has announced his resignation, effective August. His departure comes amid discussions regarding educational governance and policies within the city’s public school system. Weisberg, who played a crucial role in various educational initiatives, leaves behind significant challenges as the city anticipates changes in leadership and governance structure, particularly with forthcoming elections and debates on mayoral control.

New York City – Dan Weisberg, New York City’s First Deputy Chancellor and the second-most senior official in the city’s public school system, has announced his resignation. The announcement was made by Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, revealing that Weisberg will step down from his position in August. His departure comes amid ongoing discussions about education policies and governance in the city’s school system.

Weisberg, who has often been referred to as the “shadow chancellor,” joined the administration under Mayor Eric Adams at the beginning of his term. He has played a pivotal role in several key educational initiatives, such as standardizing curriculum and expanding college and career programs for students throughout the city. Aviles-Ramos praised Weisberg for his dedication and contributions to New York City’s education system.

His tenure includes significant responsibilities, such as leading the school system’s response to the recent influx of migrant students enrolling in New York City schools. Moreover, Weisberg previously held a position as chief executive on labor issues during former Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s administration and led the nonprofit organization TNTP (The New Teacher Project).

As Weisberg prepares to leave, the New York City Department of Education has yet to announce a successor. The next steps regarding educational governance may shift as ongoing dialogues about the governance structure of the city’s public schools intensify.

One prominent figure in the discussions surrounding future educational governance is Zohran Mamdani, who recently won the Democratic primary for mayor. He has articulated plans to dismantle the long-standing mayoral control of the city’s public schools if elected, aiming to implement a framework of “co-governance” through the Panel for Educational Policy. Mamdani’s proposals include increasing the decision-making input from parents and educators, which he argues the current top-down governance system undermines.

This plan is a stark contrast to the views of former Mayor Bill de Blasio, who advocated for mayoral control as a means to improve accountability and educational outcomes for children. The state legislature must periodically renew mayoral control, with the next renewal anticipated in 2026.

Critics of mayoral control warn that eliminating this system could lead to issues of corruption and inconsistent policies similar to those observed before the reform in 2002. Historically, governance over education in New York City shifted from local community school boards, which faced their challenges, including corruption, to a mayoral control model intended to foster oversight and enhance accountability in the education sector.

Experts, such as political science professor Ester Fuchs, argue for maintaining robust mayoral leadership, citing difficulties stemming from earlier decentralization efforts. Should Mamdani ascend to the mayoral position, discussions regarding educational governance reforms are expected to intensify, as predicted by state Senator John Liu, who chairs the New York City education committee.

Currently, New York City’s governance structure allows the mayor significant authority over education policies in comparison to other cities across the United States. Mamdani’s campaign has not divulged specific details regarding his proposed governance model but suggests a willingness to work collaboratively with educators and stakeholders to reshape the education system.

As the city moves forward, the implications of Weisberg’s departure and the potential changes in governance could have lasting effects on how educational policies are formulated and implemented in New York City.