NEW YORK, NY September 09, 2003 — New York City is home to the nation's largest school system. The start of school yesterday was even more of a challenge. Under the leadership of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the school system has launched a whole new curriculum. Bloomberg has also overhauled its management structure. Beth Fertig of member station WNYC reports on the biggest shakeup of the New York City school system in 30 years.

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When Michael Bloomberg ran for mayor in 2001 he made education his top priority. Last year, he persuaded the state legislature to give him full control over the city's school system. And yesterday, in a public display of his commitment, the former businessman walked two 9 year-old twins to school in Brooklyn.

BLOOMBERG: This is a new era in the school system. Hopefully our children will get the education that they deserve and that they need to participate in the great American dream.

Bloomberg's young companions - fourth graders Isaac and Isaiah Rodriguez - couldn't appreciate the politics of the occasion. Surrounded by cameras and curious onlookers, Isaac just knew he was special.

ISAAC: I feel that that's very - hm, very nice and it's cool as I'm usually not picked for good stuff like that.

It was a big day for everyone in the New York City school system. The city's old board of education has been eliminated. Every school has hired a parent coordinator to help families navigate the new structure. There's also a new core curriculum for math and literacy in most of the city's 1200 schools. They were previously using many different programs.

But the changes have put great pressure on teachers and principals. At PS 164 in Brooklyn, math coach Matilda Keegan was enthusiastic - but a little overwhelmed.

KEEGAN: I just feel that it's a lot all at once. A lot of the teachers don't even know what to call it any more, if it's Department of Education, Board of Ed, who to go to. So I think it's a lot at once but I think that's how change has to happen.

The man Mayor Bloomberg has chosen to run the system couldn't agree more. Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, who previously headed the Justice Department's case against Microsoft, says he's transforming a system in desperate need of a change.

KLEIN: When I took over people told me this system is not working for 1 point 1 million students. That's going to require some tough and some bold changes. We've got them and we've got more to make.

New York isn't alone in making bold changes to its school system. Chicago, Philadelphia and Houston are among other cities that have also changed their curriculum and management structure. Michael Casserly is executive director of the Council of Great City Schools.

CASSERLY: In all of these big school systems everything really locks together. I mean it's hard to do one set of reforms without having an impact on another. And to their credit they decided to just take on the whole structure of the school district.

But for any change to work, Casserly says, New York will need an awful lot of cooperation. Unions representing the teachers and principals have been lukewarm at best. Meanwhile, many parents weren't even aware of the changes. And some had negative experiences with the new bureaucracy. The city's 32 community school districts have largely been replaced with 10 new regions. At one regional support center in Manhattan, Zimi Conception was among hundreds of parents who waited to transfer their children to other schools.

CONCEPTION: They're overwhelmed they don't have enough staff. They speak to you, they don't listen to you. So they give you the option and you can take it or leave it without asking you why you're there.

Chancellor Joel Klein says bumps in the road are expected with any big change. And many parents and administrators say they're glad someone's at least trying to fix things. In East Harlem, principal Victor Lopez at public school 96 said it can't get any worse.

LOPEZ: It had to be a change. Because the bureaucracy was the thickest thing I've ever seen in my life. In terms of the curricular changes they were necessary they were fine. And if you put effort into it, if your teachers put effort into it, you will bear fruit.

Lopez said that the clock is ticking on our children's lives. He added we don't have another moment to waste. For NPR News I'm Beth Fertig in New York.