New NYC schools chancellor chosen after David Banks resigns

NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) – Melissa Aviles-Ramos will take over as the new chancellor of New York City Public Schools once chancellor David Banks leaves the post at the end of the year, Banks announced Wednesday.

“I’m really thrilled that the person who will be succeeding me in this role is our Deputy Chancellor Melissa Ramos,” Banks said.

Aviles-Ramos currently serves as deputy chancellor of family and community engagement . Before that, she worked as Banks’ chief of staff and Vice President of Monroe College. City officials credited Aviles-Ramos with spearheading the city’s education plan for asylum-seekers.

“We want to invest in New York City, and we don’t want to invest in the present, we want to invest in the future,” Aviles-Ramos said Wednesday.

Aviles-Ramos, a Bronx native, started her career as an English teacher at Harry S Truman High School, where she ultimately served as principal. She is currently the highest-ranking Latina and Spanish-speaking leader in New York City Public Schools, according to city officials.

“Aviles-Ramos brings a wealth of knowledge of the city’s public school system. She has served as a devoted teacher, assistant principal, principal, deputy superintendent, and acting superintendent before transitioning to a central office position where she played a pivotal role in developing ‘Project Open Arms,” city officials said.

Banks on Tuesday announced he will step down at the end of the year, a move he said has been planned for some time. Aviles-Ramos said she will follow through on projects started under Banks when she takes her new post on Jan. 1, 2025.

“Over the course of 17 years, I’ve seen a few chancellors come and go every now and then, and we’ve seen some changes. And they don’t feel good on the ground. People start to worry about stability, continuity,” Aviles-Ramos said. “I want you to see me as a symbol of stability.”

Banks joined a handful of other top city officials to leave their posts in recent weeks. Earlier this month, NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban and chief legal counsel Liza Zornberg announced their resignations.

On Monday, Commissioner of New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Ashwin Vasan announced his resignation.

Banks on Wednesday said his decision to leave has “nothing to do” with a recent FBI raid on the home he shares with First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright.

“I’m out of gas,” Banks said. “I’ve given it everything that I have.”

Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter from Los Angeles who has covered New York City since 2023. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here .

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