Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani announced plans to end the gifted and talented program in New York City public schools if he is elected, according to recent media reports.
Mamdani, the Democratic front-runner for mayor of New York City, said in a statement he would phase out the gifted program for elementary schools, according to The New York Times.
Students currently in gifted classes would remain in the program, but no gifted programs would be available for incoming kindergarten students next fall, his campaign stated on Wednesday, according to The Times.
Mamdani stated he would embrace 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 accelerating 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 and 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 elementary school.
Mamdani said in a statement 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.
His statement came in response to a questionnaire from The New York Times sent to leading mayoral candidates. His opponents, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa, both said they would keep the gifted program and expand it, according to The Times.
Mamdani also said he would keep the admissions test for specialized high schools.