Schools Chancellor Carmin Farina sits down with Eyewitness News

NEW YORK (WABC) -- School opens for students at New York City public schools Thursday, and with nearly 1.1 million kids, it is the largest district in the country and has a budget bigger than half the states.

Graduation rates are at an all-time high, but there is, as always, much controversy.

Schools Chancellor Carmin Farina sat down with our Stacey Sager on the eve of "back to school," saying there are plenty of new initiatives this year, including literacy coaches to prepare kids up to second grade in four of the city's most impoverished districts.

Watch the video above to hear more from Farina on the upcoming school year.