Emails between City Hall and Cathie Black, who Mayor Bloomberg nominated to replace Joel Klein as schools chancellor, show a mad scramble to rally celebrities to support the embattled nominee. A court ruling on Thursday forced the administration to release the emails to the public.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg presented a $69.8 billion budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 that contains about $800 million in one-time revenue and calls for reduced spending on education. Proposed cuts include $135 million for after-school and early childhood education programs and a reduction of 1,800 teaching positions through attrition over the next two years as a result of the city’s failure to reach a deal with the unions on a teacher evaluation plan.

Mayor Bloomberg’s relationship with the teachers’ union hit an all-time low last month when the two sides couldn’t agree on a new way to evaluate city teachers. And that’s saying something, considering the rocky relationship this mayor has had with the union. An audio look-back recalls some choice moments from the last decade.

With no deal on teacher evaluations, Mayor Michael Bloomberg presented a new budget that eliminates 2500 teaching positions, after school programs, books and other classroom supplies.

Mayor Bloomberg took his arguments against short-term teacher evaluation deals on the road, telling Albany lawmakers that other school districts were willing to make one- or two-year deals because “everybody else is just interested in getting the money and committing what I would call fraud.” He expected New York City principals to eliminate teachers and other staff positions if more state money is withheld.

The failure of the city and the teachers’ union to reach a deal Thursday on a teacher evaluation plan drew criticism from stakeholders and observers nearly across the ideological and political spectrum.

The teachers’ union and the city walked away from a deal they both say was essentially hammered out. As a result, city schools face more budget cuts.

SchoolBook’s regular contributor, and English teacher, lays out the educational landscape in New York City, replete with competing candidates and unresolved issues that will define 2013, and beyond, for the city schools.

Council Speaker and mayoral hopeful Christine Quinn outlined her views on education Tuesday. She backed many of the changes implemented under Mayor Bloomberg but also argued for less emphasis on standardized tests and more of a role for parents.

A Brooklyn high school principal calls for the mayor to help struggling schools by using new data points in 2013.