About Joel Klein

Joel Klein became New York City schools chancellor in July 2002 after serving in the highest levels of government and business. As Chancellor, he oversees more than 1,500 schools with 1.1 million students, 136,000 employees, and a $21-billion operating budget. When Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg appointed Mr. Klein, a graduate of New York City public schools, as the first Chancellor of the newly-reorganized Department of Education, he called the new Chancellor “a true leader who never shies away from the tough and sometimes controversial decisions that are necessary to implement change.” Mr. Klein has had a long-standing interest in educational issues. During a leave of absence from law school in 1969, he studied at New York University’s School of Education and later taught math to sixth-graders at a public school in Queens.He attended the city’s public schools and graduated from William Cullen Bryant High School in 1963. He then received his BA from Columbia University, from which he graduated magna cum laude/Phi Beta Kappa in 1967. Mr. Klein went on to earn his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1971, again graduating magna cum laude.

Joel Klein supports the following educational non-profits:

• ClassWish.org