NEW YORK, NY — EdTrust-New York today called on New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani to take bold, equity-driven action to protect students’ rights and expand opportunities across the city’s schools.
“With federal threats to equity and student well-being growing, New York City must lead with courage and compassion,” said Arlen Benjamin-Gomez, Executive Director of EdTrust-New York. “We are thrilled to begin working with the mayor to ensure every student feels safe, seen, and supported in school, no exceptions.”
EdTrust-New York’s Education Platform for New York City outlines steps Mayor-elect Mamdani can take from early childhood through college to close gaps in access, opportunity, and outcomes.
We call for free universal child care for children ages 0–2, expanded access to full-day pre-K and 3-K, and fair pay for early childhood educators. Families shouldn’t have to choose between quality care and financial survival.
To boost student achievement, EdTrust-New York encourages the city to sustain and strengthen NYC Reads and NYC Solves, ensuring all students receive evidence-based instruction in literacy and math, paired with social-emotional support. We also call for stronger interventions for multilingual learners and students with disabilities, as well as new investments in adolescent literacy.
Curriculum must better reflect the city’s diversity. EdTrust-New York suggests a full implementation of culturally responsive curricula, including Black, Latine, Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Native American studies, and training for teachers to integrate these perspectives into core subjects.
Despite being one of the most diverse cities in the world, New York remains among the most segregated school systems in the nation. We encourage district-level integration plans, transparent data reporting, and recruitment of more educators of color to reflect the city’s student body.
As the city works to meet class size mandates, EdTrust-New York warns against widening inequities. Mayor-elect Mamdani should prioritize high-need schools, expand teacher recruitment and diversity, and pause further rollout until implementation can be done fairly and sustainably.
We support renewing mayoral control of city schools but suggest more accountability to families and students, including giving students voting power on education councils and publicly reporting how parent and caregiver feedback drives policy.
With more than 200,000 migrants arriving in recent years, the next administration can also ensure schools remain safe and welcoming for immigrant students. EdTrust-New York calls for expanded bilingual programs, targeted mental health services, and continued staff training on immigrant rights.
Improving the school climate is also critical. One-third of NYC students are chronically absent, with the highest rates among Black, Latinx, and low-income students. We suggest a comprehensive strategy to address absenteeism, expansion of restorative justice programs, and training educators in trauma-informed and healing-centered practices.
Finally, EdTrust-New York encourages the city to strengthen college and career pathways, expanding college-in-high-school programs and emergency financial aid through proven initiatives like CUNY’s ASAP and ACE.
Mayor-elect Mamdani has an opportunity and a responsibility to make New York City the national model for educational equity. EdTrust-New York’s platform is a roadmap to ensure every student, in every neighborhood, can thrive.
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About EdTrust-New York
EdTrust-New York is dedicated to eliminating equity and opportunity gaps that hinder students from reaching their full potential. We focus on ensuring that students of color, including Black, Latinx, Native American, and Asian American and Pacific Islander students, and those from low-income backgrounds achieve high levels of success from early childhood through college. For more information, visit EdTrustNY.org.