With schools starting Thursday, New Yorkers are giving mixed reviews to the city's public education system -- Mayor Michael Bloomberg's top priority since taking office -- and its new chancellor in an exclusive NY1/Marist College poll. NY1's Josh Robin filed the following report.

The first day of school is on Thursday, but New Yorkers are already grading School Chancellor Dennis Walcott. While he may not want to post the report card on the fridge, there's still time to raise his grade.

A new NY1/Marist poll finds 46 percent of respondents say Walcott is doing a fair or poor job, 28 percent are not sure or have not heard of him and 26 percent say he is doing an excellent or good job.

"One in four pretty much don't have an opinion on him at this point, so although some do, he's largely still an unknown individual as far as the school system begins," says NY1/Marist College pollster Lee Miringoff. "And that presents an opportunity for him as this year begins."

There is also room for improvement in schools. About 47 percent say their community schools are fair or poor, versus 43 percent who call it excellent or good. Ten percent are not sure.

"In the neighborhood where there's a lot of kids, there seems to be not enough infrastructure, and then in other neighborhoods there seems to be schools not being used to their full potential," said one New Yorker.

"I'm happy that they're at a great school, get great education and everything," said another.

"My children had a good education in public school, and I think Dennis Walcott is a very good person and he's doing a great job," said a third.

New Yorkers are more generous when it comes to charter schools, as 58 percent call them a good thing because they give more choices to parents and kids.

About 27 percent take the opposite position, that they sap public resources, and only 15 percent aren't sure.

The numbers mark an 8-percentage-point drop in those calling charter schools a good thing.