NYC Schools Chancellor Joel Klein Reflects On 8 Years In Office

After eight years as New York City Schools Chancellor, Joel Klein is stepping down. He sat down with WNYC to talk about his years in office and the sometimes controversial decisions he made as head of the largest school district in the country.

According to WNYC, Klein was the first appointed chancellor after a 2002 law gave the mayor control of the city's public schools. Since then, Klein has opened hundreds of new schools, put a heavier emphasis on standardized testing and shut down low-performing schools across the city.

On this issue of school closures, a hot topic nationwide, Klein insists that closing low-performing schools creates equity. After losing a battle with the teachers union to close 19 schools, Klein's tactics have been criticized.

But Klein insists that the disparities among black, Hispanic and white students have shrunk. He told WNYC:

The charter schools and the new high schools are high schools of choice, charter schools of choice -- overwhelmingly African American and Latino kids. I mean, those are families that didn't have any choice [before].

LISTEN:

Read more about Klein's tenure at WNYC.