School superintendent becomes chancellor amid challenges of education equity
Kamar Samuels, superintendent of Manhattan’s District 3, becomes schools chancellor under Mamdani, announced December 31, 2025. Samuels brings nearly two decades of classroom and leadership experience, having started as a Bronx elementary school teacher and risen through DOE ranks. His selection highlights Mamdani’s focus on educational equity and literacy, areas Samuels has emphasized in his District 3 leadership.
Teaching and Administrative Background
Samuels began his career nearly 20 years ago as an elementary school teacher in the Bronx, grounding his educational philosophy in direct classroom experience. He advanced through DOE leadership positions, becoming a principal and then superintendent of school districts in Brooklyn before taking over Manhattan’s District 3, covering the Upper West Side and parts of upper Manhattan. In these roles, he managed school mergerscomplex processes involving passionate staff, student, and parent communities. This experience positions him well to navigate the contentious terrain of educational change.
Education Policy Priorities
Samuels takes the chancellor post amid major challenges: state-mandated class size reductions (the preliminary budget allocates $543 million but actual implementation costs exceed that), persistent academic achievement gaps, teacher recruitment and retention challenges, and ongoing integration and equity questions. Mamdani has emphasized literacy improvements, particularly for younger students. Samuels will implement the literacy policies while managing the broader portfolio of roughly 1,700 public schools and 1.1 million students.
Class Size Reduction Challenge
Implementing state-mandated class sizes of 20 elementary, 25 secondary requires hiring approximately 6,000 teachers. The preliminary budget underfunds this need, creating a policy implementation gap. Samuels must either manage the gap through operational efficiencies, seek additional funding, or accept non-compliance and risk litigation. The Adams administration addressed this by approving thousands of classroom exemptions to the mandateessentially cooking the books. Samuels inherits this accountability question.
Literacy and Achievement
Mamdani has highlighted Samuels’ success improving literacy scores in his districts. If this trend continues citywide, it would represent meaningful progress in a system where too many students leave without grade-level reading proficiency. This requires sustained focus, teacher training, and resource allocation.
Equity and Integration Questions
Despite Mamdani’s equity commitments, NYC schools remain segregated by race and class, with wealthier white neighborhoods receiving more resources and experienced teachers. School funding formulas and residential segregation interact to concentrate disadvantage. Samuels’ approach to addressing this will signal whether Mamdani administration is serious about equity or content with incremental improvements. For education data and policy, see the NYC Department of Education. Learn about school integration at NYC Civil Liberties Union. Read education reporting at Chalkbeat New York. Track education funding at Center for the Future of New York.
