Mayor Mamdani and city Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels on May 21 announced the expansion of two reading and math curriculum initiatives, a $17.3 million investment from the Mayor’s Office.
NYC Reads and NYC Solves, first implemented under former Mayor Eric Adams, aim to ensure students learn to read confidently and graduate with the math skills needed to succeed through the use of curricula selected by superintendents from approved lists.
NYC Solves, the math initiative, will expand to elementary schools for the first time. As is the case with upper grades, participating districts will use a singular curriculum across schools, per a City Hall press release.
In Queens, elementary school students in Education District 25 will use the Amplify Desmos Mathematics curriculum, which, according to Amplify, uses a structured, problem-based approach to build on students’ curiosity while strategically developing math fluency and lasting grade-level understanding.
NYC Solves in the past has drawn criticism from some teachers, who allege that the practical, problem-based material may be too time-consuming, rigorous or complicated for students to understand.
But one Forest Hills teacher who has experience teaching the Illustrative Mathematics curriculum, which is required in high school math classes under NYC Solves, told the Chronicle, under a condition of anonymity, “It was a learning curve for both me and the kids when it was implemented — but I think it’s great.”
She continued, “Students having to make sense of the problem before actually solving it takes extra time, but I find that it helps them.”
An example of a high school algebra IM task, as seen on the IM website, asks students to determine which is larger of two animal populations, represented by variables P and Q, with Q being greater than P. Students are then given multiple pairs of expressions and asked to determine which is larger between each pair and explain.
Posing the question in terms of animal population rather than just bare numbers encourages students to think about variables as numbers and provides avenues for them to use common sense in explaining reasonings, according to IM.
NYC Solves will also expand to Queens Education Districts 24, consisting of Glendale, Ridgewood, Maspeth, Jackson Heights and Sunnyside; 27, in Richmond Hill, Woodhaven, Howard Beach and South Ozone Park; 28, in Rego Park, Forest Hills and Kew Gardens; and 30, Hunters Point, Long Island City and Astoria.
The math initiative will also continue to support all high school districts this fall with a focus on core instruction and supplemental support, according to the city.
NYC Reads is set to expand to middle schools in Queens Education Districts 26, comprising Floral Park, Little Neck, Bayside and Fresh Meadows, and 29, in Rosedale, St. Albans, Cambria Heights and Queens Village. It will also expand to District 75, which serves students with disabilities.
EL Education and Wit and Wisdom are two common NYC Reads curricula options that use research-based approaches to teach kids the science of reading — including phonics — while keeping it fun and engaging, according to their websites.
In a third-grade ELA module, seen on EL Education’s website, students read poetry and “pourquoi tales,” fictional stories meant to explain something, about different frogs to generate “why” questions. They write their own narratives in an attempt to answer their questions, and then dive into research to find the real answers, and write paragraphs to communicate their findings.
The students, later in the module, are asked to form research groups on frogs with unusual adaptations, which helps build their reading, research, writing and collaborative discussion skills. Throughout the module, students reflect on the role of literacy in building and sharing expertise, all culminating in a student-created book on “freaky frogs.”
Beginning in September, the DOE will expand in-school educator support for implementing multitiered systems of supports, a framework that helps schools identify student needs and provide targeted academic instruction, at middle schools across those districts. High schools participating in the expansion will also receive MTSS support.
While 2026 test score data will not be available until the summer, in 2025, math proficiency levels for students in grades 3 through 8 increased by 3.5 percent from the previous year, according to data found on the DOE website. Students at those same grade levels were also 7.2 percent more proficient in English language arts compared to 2024.
“Every New York City Public Schools student deserves to be in a classroom that is both academically rigorous and deeply supportive, and expanding NYC Solves and Reads moves us closer to that goal,” Samuels said in a statement. “As a Superintendent I saw firsthand the transformative impact of these initiatives and remain committed to their success as Chancellor. The strong academic gains we’ve seen underscore what’s possible when we invest in evidence-based instruction and support.”
Mamdani said, “This administration is investing in what works: rigorous instruction, strong support for teachers and a public school system that doesn’t give up on anyone. This expansion will help make sure every student, in every neighborhood, succeeds.”
Councilmembers Shekar Krishnan (D-Jackson Heights) and Lynn Schulman (D-Forest Hills), who also sit on the Council’s Education Committee, thanked Mamdani and Samuels for their commitment and lauded the expansion.
Krishnan said, “As the parent of two young children, I know how important it is for children to learn foundational math skills as soon as they can, which is why City Hall’s investment in NYC Solves in our schools is so important. I’m thankful that these early and innovative investments are coming to Queens.”
“Every student gets only one chance at a good education,” Schulman said. “The expansion of these critical programs into additional school districts, including NYC Solves in Districts 27 and 28 in my council district, is an important investment in our students, educators, and families. By bringing high-quality, evidence-based instruction to more classrooms, we are helping students build confidence as readers, critical thinkers, and problem-solvers from an early age.”