Kamar Samuels

Two more senior Education Department officials are leaving as Samuels tees up his first major cabinet appoints.

Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels said the city will scrap plans to close the Community Action School after a mom’s comment at a public meeting that appeared to insult the intelligence of a Black student garnered national attention.

Cristina Meléndez, the deputy chancellor of family engagement, is leaving her post. NYC education insiders are waiting to see if it’s part of a broader leadership shift.

Possible middle school closures and a relocation in Manhattan’s District 3 are sparking backlash from families. How the city responds will begin to define Mamdani’s approach to parent engagement.

NYC schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels will visit every borough two times over the next couple of months to gather feedback from families and educators.

NYC needs 6,000 teachers and billions in funding to meet class size caps. NYC chancellor Kamar Samuels and state Education Commissioner Betty Rosa expressed concerns.

Samuels has steadily worked his way up in the Education Department over 20 years, earning a reputation as a leader who seeks consensus on tough issues including school integration and mergers.

In exclusive interviews, Chalkbeat spoke with Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Chancellor Kamar Samuels about their plans for the nation’s largest school system.

NYC schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels told principals he plans to stick with Mayor Eric Adams’ reading curriculum overhaul.

In his first letter to Education Department staff, Samuels emphasized culturally responsive teaching, school integration, and community input in his decision-making.

Samuels led on school integration and a previous effort to scale back gifted programs, initiatives Mamdani wants to revive.