NYC Department of Education to End Gifted and Talented Test After 2021

On Wednesday morning, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Chancellor Carranza announced plans to end the Gifted and Talented test given to four-year-olds after it is administered in April 2021. There will be an intensive public engagement process throughout the Spring and through the Summer, according to de Blasio, to work with parents, community leaders, and stakeholders to think of a process that works better for the future in order to ensure more children have access to the benefits of the Gifted and Talented program. 

The Gifted and Talented test is a high stakes test—a single test that determines "determines so much," and this kind of test is something that de Blasio and Carranza do not believe in. There are many differing views about the test—some saying that the program should increase its number of seats instead of ending it. 

We should, instead, be expanding the program to include a Gifted and Talented class in every school - a move that would not cost the City anything - and utilize the UPK program to universally test all students. We need to give all our students more opportunities, not less. (3/3)

— Richard Lee (@richardlee_nyc) January 14, 2021

"We need a much better approach to serving kids who have a lot of capacity," said de Blasio. "some kids have a lot of talent and some kids are ready to learn faster, but that's a lot of kids. A lot more than those who are benefiting from the very small amount of Gifted and Talented programs that exist."