Majority of New York parents oppose ending gifted kindergarten program, survey finds

Despite NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s campaign to cut the city’s kindergarten gifted and talented (G&T) program, a recent survey found it enjoyed strong support among parents.

“Two-thirds of the surveyed parents support expanding G&T in NYC, while a solid 26% said they do not,” concluded the news site amNY.com. “When asked which grades they wanted to see an opportunity for entry, kindergarten was highest with 64%, followed by third grade 60%, first grade 49%, and second grade 46%.”

The percentage of parents opposed to eliminating the program rose even more (to 73%) among parents who would be applying to the city’s public schools in the next four years, according to the survey released by PLACE NYC. 

“When asked what they will do if NYC ends kindergarten entry to Gifted and Talented programs for fall 2027, nearly half of the respondents said they will not enroll in NYCPS,” the advocacy group said in a statement. 

‘Equity through mediocrity’ 

As previously reported by The Lion, Mamdani ran part of his mayoral campaign on the premise that higher-achieving programs were inherently racist and catered only to privileged families.

However, educational analysts such as Jonathan Turley argue these programs can help all participants – including those from diverse backgrounds – gain a competitive edge in scholastics. 

“Gifted and talented programs are a source of pride for many families as students work with advanced technology and theories,” he wrote. “Mamdani himself attended one such high school, Bronx High School of Science in Kingsbridge Heights.”  

By eliminating such programs, Mamdani is pushing a model of “equity through mediocrity” that ultimately harms public education outcomes, according to Turley. 

“These schools spend massively while cranking out kids with little hope to compete in the new economy or escape a cycle of poverty. This new ideal of ‘grading for equity’ is designed to manipulate test standards to create the appearance of success.” 

‘Addressing the needs of all students’ 

Rich Candia, a retired NYC teacher, credited G&T programs with the ability to challenge young students academically.

“If you eliminate gifted and talented programs for kindergarten, it will stagnate the intellectual development of higher achievers and fail to challenge those students to reach a greater level of scholastic attainment,” he said. 

Aron Boxer, CEO and founder of Diversified Education Services, agreed with Candia. His Connecticut-based company provides academic coaching and tutoring services to children and adults. 

“Cutting this program is another way to alienate one part of the student population instead of taking a whole of education approach and addressing the needs of all students,” he said. “Teachers should differentiate the instruction for students through content, process, and product.”