Latina Educator, New NYC School Chancellor

By Javier C. Hernández and Al Baker, The New York Times

When Mayor Bill de Blasio introduced Ms. Fariña, 70, as head of the Education Department, he praised her record as a 40-year veteran of the school system, rising from a sprightly techer in working-class Brooklyn to a top official. His choice represented a sharp departure from the education policies  of former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who placed an emphasis on test scores and appointed leaders with corporate savvy.

Ms. Fariña arrives with a loyal following of teachers nd principals who view her as a hero for quitting as a deputy chancellor in Mr. Bloomberg’s Education Department in 2006, after being cast aside amid differences over the direction of the system. She has sharpened her critique of those years,vowing, along with Mr. de Blasio, to reduce the emphasis on standardized tesing.

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