Copyright Staten Island Advance
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — After recent reports that Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani would end the Gifted & Talented program in New York City if elected, Borough President Vito Fossella announced his opposition to any changes to the program. Joined by Gifted & Talented students and their parents at a press conference outside PS 50 in Oakwood Monday, Fossella repeatedly characterized the decision to end the program as misguided. “For those who believe fully in improving education for all kids, removing or dismantling the Gifted & Talented program would be a big mistake,” Fossella said at the press conference. According to a plan outlined in a statement to The New York Times, Mamdani would phase out the gifted program for elementary schools. Students currently in gifted classes would remain in the program, but no gifted programs would be available for incoming kindergarten students next fall. In a statement, Mamdani said that his administration would “aim to ensure that every child receives a high-quality early education that nurtures their curiosity and learning,” according to media reports. Bangzishou Huang, a senior at Staten Island Technical High School and former Gifted & Talented student, credited the accelerated program with pushing him to grow and find his passions in life. " I strongly agree that every student should deserve that same opportunity for growth in early life," Huang said. “Cutting the Gifted & Talented programs — it doesn’t provide a level playing field. Instead, it’s only going to eliminate the one place where curiosity, drive and creativity is encouraged, not diminished." Kathy Shen, a seventh-grader from Eltingville who attends the Mark Twain School for the Gifted and Talented in Brooklyn, said she hopes the program can be expanded for more students. “I think, instead of talking about taking away this program, it should be more focused on expanding this program so all students of all ages can experience the impact of inspiring teachers,” Shen said. At Monday’s press conference, Fossella also pointed to the success of existing programs on Staten Island as proof that Gifted & Talented programs should remain in place. “We are very blessed here on Staten Island,” Fossella said at the press conference. “One of the best schools frankly in the United States is Staten Island Tech, in part because we allowed those kids to be challenged in the elementary schools and the middle schools.” Mamdani’s position echoes the intention of former Mayor Bill de Blasio, who planned to get rid of the program in 2021. The end of the program was floated during most of de Blasio’s administration, as opponents alleged the former testing system favored more affluent students. New York City officially ended the testing requirements for gifted programs for the 2022 admissions cycle. Instead, students are identified for accelerated learning and go through a thorough process to determine admission. Mayor Eric Adams chose to expand the program when he came into office. Staten Island is also expected to get a dedicated Gifted & Talented elementary school at the former St. John Villa campus in Arrochar. If Mamdani is elected, it’s unclear if plans would change for the school. Fossella has long pushed to add more Gifted & Talented seats at Staten Island’s schools. In 2022, he and Councilmember David Carr, a Republican representing the Mid-Island, sent a letter to then-Schools Chancellor David Banks calling for a G&T school at the Villa campus. Gifted & Talented programs were also a popular topic during a recent visit by the current NYC Schools Chancellor, Melissa Aviles-Ramos. Parents from several of the borough’s schools asked the chancellor how the Department of Education would grow Staten Island’s Gifted & Talented program, especially with concerns over the program’s lottery system and overcrowded classrooms. “We’re concerned about the lottery system too,” Aviles-Ramos answered, before saying that the agency wanted to hear from the community — parents, teachers, and principals — about what changes should be made.
