Mamdani’s Proposed Phase-Out of Kindergarten Gifted Program Sparks Debate

Narrative C

The fight over gifted education is a false binary. NYC’s program is both inequitable and poorly designed, but scrapping it misses the real solution. The problem isn’t excellence — it’s scarcity. Instead of sorting four-year-olds into rigid tracks using the "gifted" label, the city should expand advanced learning in every school, identify talent continuously, and offer subject-specific acceleration. This approach would give more students access to challenging instruction while reducing bias and supporting late bloomers. Equity and excellence don't have to be opposites.