Chancellor Carranza Announces Streamlined Support and Leadership Structure for New York City Schools

NEW YORK – Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza today announced a new streamlined support system for New York City’s 1,800 schools and his Leadership Team for the Department. The changes create a clear line of accountability from every classroom to the Chancellor, and better align resources and supports for schools to further the Mayor and Chancellor’s Equity and Excellence for All agenda. These changes will bring resources closer to schools and simplify supports for principals, allowing them to focus on the day-to-day operations of their schools.

The Chancellor updated the structure based on findings from his listening tour this spring, which included visiting 62 schools and hearing from thousands of students, teachers, principals, parents, and community leaders across all five boroughs. The Chancellor released his listening tour report, “Moving Toward a More Equitable School System," today.

“As I’ve visited schools across the City and spoken to students, families, and educators, I’ve heard about how we can improve our structures to better serve our students in the classroom, and we’re going to do just that with a realigned system that supports strong principals and strong schools,” said Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza. “I’m working closely with my leadership team to put these reforms into action, and look forward to sharing these improvements with students, families, and educators throughout the summer.”

SCHOOL SUPPORT STRUCTURE

To better align supervision and supports for every school, Superintendents and Field Support Center Executive Directors will now report to nine Executive Superintendents, who will be overseen by the First Deputy Chancellor. The new support and supervision system builds on the current structure in which strong superintendents supervise principals, and Field Support Centers provide targeted resources to schools.

The updated structure will have a direct, positive impact on school principals and the students, and families they serve. School principals are currently supervised by superintendents and receive support from Field Support Centers. The new system will support greater alignment between superintendents and Field Support Centers, with a localized Executive Superintendent directly and efficiently overseeing a small group of superintendents and one Field Support Center. This alignment will ensure that they are collaborating to best serve principals and students.

The Executive Superintendent positions offer increased capacity to help superintendents and Field Support Centers work together to serve schools efficiently and effectively. These leaders will be in place before the start of the 2018-19 school year. The hiring process for the newly created Executive Superintendent roles will begin immediately and the DOE is conducting a national search. A link to the job posting is available here.

The Executive Superintendents will include: Executive Superintendent for the Bronx (Districts 7-12), Executive Superintendent for Brooklyn North (Districts 13-16, 19, 23, and 32), Executive Superintendent for Brooklyn South (Districts 17-18 and 20-22), Executive Superintendent for Manhattan (Districts 1-6), Executive Superintendent for Queens North (Districts 24-26 and 30), Executive Superintendent for Queens South (Districts 27-29), and Executive Superintendent for Staten Island. Each of these Executive Superintendents will oversee both community superintendents and high school superintendents in their districts, as well as the Field Support Center serving their districts.

A citywide Executive Superintendent for Affinity Schools will oversee the school superintendent and Field Support Center serving Affinity Schools. An Executive Superintendent for Transfer Schools, District 79, Adult and Continuing Education, and Alternate Learning Centers will oversee the school superintendents serving those school types and work closely with the Field Support Centers serving them.

CHANCELLOR’S LEADERSHIP TEAM

Structure

The new Senior Leadership Team structure will have a direct, positive impact on schools, students, and families. Each member of the Senior Leadership Team will oversee a cohesive group of offices and series of initiatives in order to bring together resources, streamline investments in schools, and execute key priorities.

Appointment of Cheryl Watson-Harris as First Deputy Chancellor

Chancellor Carranza announced the appointment of Cheryl Watson-Harris as First Deputy Chancellor. In this newly created role, Watson-Harris will manage the Executive Superintendents, and will lead the support and supervision system and its alignment to the instructional vision of the DOE. Watson-Harris most recently served as Senior Executive Director of the Office of Field Support since 2017. She is a New York City native and public school graduate who started her teaching career in 1993 at Brooklyn’s PS 81, served as a principal in Boston for 15 years, and was a Network Superintendent for Boston Public Schools from 2013 to 2015. She rejoined the DOE in 2015 as the first Executive Director of the Brooklyn South Field Support Center.

“As a New York City public school graduate, educator and parent, I am so excited to take on this role serving our 1.1 million students,” said First Deputy Chancellor Cheryl Watson-Harris. “This is a tremendous opportunity to work with talented superintendents, Field Support Center Executive Directors, principals, and educators across the City. Together, we can strengthen our systems and structures to better support students and make our Equity and Excellence for All vision a reality.”

Appointment of LaShawn Robinson as Deputy Chancellor of School Climate & Wellness

Chancellor Carranza announced the appointment of LaShawn Robinson as Deputy Chancellor for School Climate & Wellness. LaShawn Robinson most recently served as the Executive Superintendent of the Office of Equity and Access, leading Advanced Placement for All, DREAM-Specialized High Schools Institute and College Access for All-Middle School. Robinson previously served as Superintendent of Transfer Schools from 2014 to 2016, Executive Director of the Advanced Placement Expansion Initiative from 2013 to 2014, and Principal of Brownsville Academy from 2008 to 2013.

The Deputy Chancellor for School Climate & Wellness will develop a vision for and oversee school climate and social-emotional supports that foster equity and success for New York City’s 1.1 million students. The new portfolio will bring together parts of this work that were previously in different divisions in order to increase coherence: the Office of Safety and Youth Development, the Office of Counseling Support Programs, the Office of Equity and Access, the Office of Community Schools, the Office of Health & Wellness, and the Office of School Health.

“I am extremely committed to this work because of the powerful impact it can have on students’ lives, and I look forward to increasing that impact and supporting our outstanding educators across New York City in this position,” said LaShawn Robinson, Deputy Chancellor of School Climate & Wellness. “Together, we can work towards strengthening our school communities to ensure equitable outcomes for students as we support them on the path to college, careers, and success.”

Appointment of Karin Goldmark as Deputy Chancellor of School Planning & Development

Chancellor Carranza announced the appointment of Karin Goldmark as Deputy Chancellor for School Planning & Development. Goldmark is a New York City native and public school graduate who most recently served as Senior Education Advisor to First Deputy Mayors Dean Fuleihan and Anthony Shorris since 2014. She previously worked at the Department of Education as Chief of Staff to the Deputy Chancellor from 2001 to 2003 and Executive Director for New Initiatives from 2009 to 2010. She also served as Executive Director of College Summit New York from 2006 to 2009, and as Vice President of the NYC Leadership Academy from 2003 to 2005. 

The Deputy Chancellor for School Planning & Development position will bring together oversight of space planning and management, including the development of new schools, school re-designs, and coordination with charter as well as nonpublic schools. The Deputy Chancellor will oversee the Office of Space Planning, the Office of District Planning, the Office of School Design & Charter Partnerships, the Education Construction Fund, the Office of Nonpublic Schools, and the Office of Impartial Hearings.

“I am excited to work with Chancellor Carranza and talented New York City educators and staff to ensure thoughtful planning and productive partnerships that support great schools for all of New York City’s students,” said Karin Goldmark, Deputy Chancellor of School Planning & Development. “This is an important part of our commitment to achieving the goals of Equity and Excellence for All, and I’m ready to get to work.”

Creation of Chief Academic Officer Position

The new Chief Academic Officer will streamline and ensure comprehensive instructional supports – including professional development and curricular resources and materials – for all learners, including students with disabilities and English Language Learners. By placing Teaching & Learning, Special Education, and English Language Learner instruction together, the DOE is demonstrating its commitment to inclusion and to an instructional vision that considers all learners as part of one unified system. A link to the job posting is available here.

Phil Weinberg will serve as Deputy Chief Academic Officer for the Division of Teaching & Learning and Corinne Rello-Anselmi will serve as Deputy Chief Academic Officer of Special Education and Student Services. Mariano Guzmán, currently Senior Advisor to the Chancellor, will oversee the Division of English Language Learners and Student Support while a national search is conducted for a Deputy Chief Academic Officer for that division.

Creation of Deputy Chancellor of Community Empowerment, Partnerships & Communications Position

The Deputy Chancellor for Community Empowerment, Partnerships, & Communications will be responsible for overseeing and strengthening communication with families, as this newly created role brings the Division of Family and Community Engagement together with the Office of Communications and Media Relations and the Office of External Affairs. The three offices will work closely together with the goal of increasing family and community awareness and empowerment. A link to the job posting is available here.

Josh Wallack Continuing as Deputy Chancellor of Early Education and Student Enrollment

Deputy Chancellor for Early Education and Student Enrollment Josh Wallack will continue to oversee the development and implementation of birth-to-eight initiatives, including 3-K for All, Pre-K for All, the EarlyLearn transition, and Universal Literacy. The role will also continue to include oversight of the Office of Student Enrollment and school diversity initiatives.

Ursulina Ramirez Continuing as Chief Operating Officer

Chief Operating Officer Ursulina Ramirez will continue in her role leading and aligning the work of operational offices within the DOE, as well as the development and implementation of the department's strategic initiatives. Her portfolio will now include additional operations offices including: the Division of Finance; Division of Human Capital; Labor Relations; Office of General Counsel; Division of Instructional & Information Technology; and School Operations, including transportation, school food, school facilities, and the Public School Athletic League (PSAL). Ramirez, Chief of Staff Edie Sharp, and their teams will continue to provide direct support to the Chancellor.

TRANSITION

The Chancellor’s office will oversee a transition committee to assist in the implementation of the updated support and leadership structure and ensure that it is fully in place for the beginning of the 2018-19 school year. The improved system will further advance the Mayor and Chancellor’s Equity and Excellence for All agenda to ensure that, by 2026, 80 percent of students graduate high school on time and two-thirds of graduates are college-ready.

Together, the Equity and Excellence for All agenda is building a pathway to success in college and careers for all students. Our students are starting school earlier, with free, full-day, high-quality education for three-year-olds and four-year-olds through 3-K for All and Pre-K for All; and our schools are strengthening foundational skills and instruction earlier, with Universal Literacy and Algebra for All. Our schools are also offering students more challenging, hands-on, college and career-aligned coursework, as Computer Science for All brings 21^st-century computer science instruction to every school, and AP for All works to give all high school students access to at least five Advanced Placement courses. Along the way, our schools are providing students and families additional support through College Access for All, Single Shepherd, and investment in Community Schools. Efforts to create more diverse and inclusive classrooms are central to this pathway.

Contact:  Chancellor’s Press Office (212) 374-5141