Mayor de Blasio announced forthcoming changes to the G&T program in January 2021. The Mayor stated, “from this point through the end of the summer, we’ll go through the engagement process [with families] for a new vision, and we’ll have that formula by September, and then we’ll act on it in September.”

Summer has come and gone. Since the Mayor’s January press conference, there has not been a single public engagement event on G&T.

On July 15, Mayor de Blasio said that “The Gifted and Talented program as we know it is gone. A new, very different system is being perfected and will be announced in September.” It is unconscionable that the DOE is completely shutting parents out of the process of deciding the future of G&T.

We demand:

1. The Mayor and DOE fulfill their promises and start family engagement without delay.

2. In good faith, leave flexibility in their plans for Citywide and District G&T programs to incorporate family input into the future of these programs that are intended to meet the educational needs of accelerated NYC student learners.

3. Chancellor Porter and other DOE officials meet with any and all CECs that request an Open Public Meeting to provide a forum for input from the G&T community in those districts prior to any announced changes to G&T programs.