Joel Klein

Joel Klein
Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education
In office
August 19, 2002  January 1, 2011
Appointed byMichael Bloomberg
Preceded byHarold Levy
Succeeded byCathie Black
United States Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division
In office
1996–2000
PresidentBill Clinton
Preceded byAnne Bingaman
Succeeded byDouglas Melamed
Deputy White House Counsel
In office
July 1993  March 1995
PresidentBill Clinton
Preceded byVince Foster
Succeeded byJames Castello
Personal details
Born (1946-10-25) October 25, 1946
New York City, New York, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseNicole Seligman
EducationColumbia University (BA)
Harvard University (JD)

Joel Irwin Klein (born October 25, 1946) is an American lawyer and school superintendent. He was the Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, the largest public school system in the United States, from 2002 to 2011. He previously served as the Assistant Attorney General of the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice from 1996 to 2000 during the administration of President Bill Clinton.

New York magazine ranked Klein as one of the most influential people in public education. Klein had never obtained the common formal credentials that one would have to take a leadership role in a public school system, and Klein had a short duration of teaching experience.