Cathie Black stepped down Mayor Bloomberg appoints a chancellor designate for NYC schools

Dennis M. Walcott, chancellor-designate

 Dennis M. Walcott, who joined Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration in 2002, serves as deputy mayor for education and community development...
Mayor Bloomberg said, “I take full responsibility for the fact that this has not worked out as either of us had hoped or expected..."
 “But now it’s time to look forward, not back,” after he dismissed Cathie Black former NYC Schools Chancellor.
Walcott lacks the certification for the position, requiring Mayor Bloomberg to apply for another waiver from the State Education Commissioner David Steiner.
Steiner announced his resignation today effective sometime later this year. In a NY Times article, Robert Jackson, chairman of the City Council Education Committee expressed his preference for someone with more experience as an educator. Mr. Walcott only worked two years as a kindergarten teacher though has a master's degree in education and social work. He has prior managerial experience from the years he headed the Urban League.  His  experience as an administrator  has  not included anything as large and complex as the NYC public school system with  1.1 million students, a $22 billion dollar budget and 121,000 employees. 
Pedro Noguera a professor of education at NY University said he had to "surround himself with  very capable people and sadly a lot of those have left. " So  his most challenging   work ahead is to assemble a team. 
Yet,  student leader Khaair Morrison from Francis Lewis High School commented positively about the chancellor to be when he show up at a meeting with Black to hear their concerns.

Morrison said, "I recall a couple of students and I reached out to Cathie Black and the new Chancellor Walcott. After only a weeks time they came to our school, and most of us students in the meeting agreed on the fact that we thought he should have been the Chancellor in the first place. Walcott came prepared with a pen and a pad ready to take notes on what the students had to say. Walcott was real in all his answers, and by the way answered most of the questions due to Black's inexperience. He said "he likes tough fights."