Abstract

Joel I. Klein's legacy as New York City's schools chancellor will ultimately be defined by results. Did he improve student outcomes across the board?

We believe the answer is an unequivocal yes. Comparing the academic achievement of the city's 1.1 million children when Klein took over to current levels, the city moved mountains.

When Klein took over in July of 2002, fewer than half the city'?s students were considered "proficient" on state 4th and 8th grade math and English exams. By 2009, more than 80 percent of 4th graders and more than 70 percent of 8th graders were proficient in math. In English, almost 70 percent of 4th graders and 57 percent of 8th graders were proficient. According to a new study funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Dell and Gates foundations, there is good reason to credit these gains to the policies of Chancellor Klein and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.

The article included here originally appeared on EdWeek.org, November 30, 2010. It is reprinted with permission from the authora.

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Citation

Liebman, James, and Jonah Rockoff. "Moving Mountains in New York City: Joel Klein's Legacy by the Numbers." Education Week, December 2010.

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