By Gabriela Resto-Montero
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN —Dennis Walcott has been cleared to take the helm as New York City Schools Chancellor after a state education panel voted unanimously to support him.
"It was clear to the entire panel that Mr. Walcott is, in fact, exceptionally qualified for the position," said Marilyn Terranova, chair of the panel which met with Walcott Wednesday and recommended he be granted a waiver needed to take the position.
The final decision to grant the waiver now falls to Steiner.
The panel's decision contrasts with their vote in November in which they denied a waiver to Walcott's predecessor, Cathie Black, citing her inexperience in education.
Education Commissioner David Steiner ultimately overrode their concerns and granted Black the waiver after working out a deal with the city in which Black had to work with a special deputy overseeing academics.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg appointed Walcott, who has a master's degree in education and worked as a kindergarten teacher, to the top schools job Black resigned last week following just three months on the job.
Walcott, who is the current deputy mayor for Education and Community Development, needs the waiver because of a state law that requires all school chancellors to either be certified as superintendents or receive a waiver.
In advance of the panel's decision, Walcott announced Tuesday that funding for thousands of public school seats had been restored, adding $1.75 billion in funding to the department budget.
