Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has met with Faculties Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos in what may quantity to a job interview with excessive stakes for the town’s college students, mother and father and colleges.
Mamdani, whereas discussing the recruitment of recent academics earlier, instructed reporters, “I think she has been doing a good job.” He extra lately spoke positively about her work with out indicating his intentions or any resolution.
Aviles-Ramos, who took the helm in October 2024, succeeding David Banks, indicated she wish to keep on and work for Mayor-elect Mamdani as his colleges chancellor. And he or she gave a constructive, if not an in depth, perspective on her assembly with Mamdani.
Mamdani has been crafting his personal imaginative and prescient for schooling in New York Metropolis public colleges, a system with about 1 million college students.
Whereas he has introduced quite a few replacements for officers, he has retained some, comparable to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
Different potential picks for chancellor mentioned by observers embody former Chancellor Meisha Ross Porter, however Aviles-Ramos has been garnering some assist over her first 12 months on the job.
“What we’re really addressing is an opportunity gap, not an achievement gap,” Aviles-Ramos lately instructed NY1. “When teacher and students are given the right resources, we see those test scores go up.”
A strong report card
Aviles-Ramos has a very good report card amongst many mother and father, academics, and activists boosted by an improved report card for college students, together with rising math and ELA proficiency scores throughout the board.
Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Lecturers, referred to as the rise in ELA and math scores introduced a little bit bit earlier than the tip of her first 12 months “a testament to the hard work by New York City educators and our students.”
He then singled out Aviles-Ramos for working arduous to maintain and implement numerous applications.
“I also want to acknowledge that this success would not have been possible without Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, who fought the DOE bureaucracy to make sure the needs of students and school communities came first,” Mulgrew mentioned.
Proficiency in grades three to eight in 2025 rose 3.4 factors in Math and seven.2 factors in ELA since 2024 in knowledge launched in August, reaching 56.9% for Math and 56.3% for ELA.
Whereas that also leaves numerous house to enhance, it’s constructive momentum with charges rising throughout all ethnicities for grades 3 to eight, together with a 1.1 level rise to 80.8% for Asian college students in Math, White college students up 2.8 factors to 75.1%, Black college students rising 4.6 factors to 43%, and Hispanics growing 3.4 factors to 43.1%.
Asian scholar ELA proficiency for grades 3 to eight since 2024 rose 4.9 factors to 74.9%, whereas White college students rose 7.3 factors to 73.1%, Black college students jumped 8.3 factors to 47 p.c and Hispanics rose 7.1 factors to 43.5%.
“In the end, I’m a super teacher, I’m a former principal,” Aviles-Ramos instructed New York 1. “I get to go into classrooms and have conversations with teachers and principals about pedagogy, and curriculum and instruction.”
She has been implementing and increasing educational initiatives, comparable to NYC Reads and NYC Solves in addition to Pupil Pathways. And he or she launched NYCPS Cares this spring, designed to deal with “systemic inequities in schools.”
“She’s child-centered. She’s an educator,” one former principal instructed New York News concerning Aviles-Ramos. “Her passion is to see children succeed and she is a mother of a child in the New York City school system.”
Bringing a various scholar physique collectively
The New York Metropolis colleges are a various metropolis inside a metropolis with 906,248 college students within the 2024-2025 faculty 12 months together with 42.3% Hispanic, 19.3% Black, 18.7% Asian and Pacific Islander, 16.1% White, 2% multiracial, and 1.2% native American.
About three quarters, or 75.3%, are categorized as economically deprived, so many college students could face financial challenges as nicely. “I don’t think she’s looking to make a name for herself,” the previous principal mentioned. “I think she’s looking to continue to make a positive name for the New York City school system and the children it serves.”
Aviles-Ramos, in response to the previous principal, additionally acknowledges and helps applications to serve youngsters in a variety of social circumstances, together with these residing in shelters.
“She’s tried to touch all bases to try to ensure that every child receives more than adequate education,” the previous principal mentioned. “There are children in temporary housing that don’t have the roof that other children might have.”
Aviles-Ramos has been a trainer, assistant principal, principal, deputy superintendent, and performing superintendent in addition to administrator.
She began as a New York Metropolis Instructing Fellow and English trainer at Truman Excessive College in 2007 within the Bronx, then grew to become principal at Schuylerville Preparatory Excessive College, growing commencement charges from 23 p.c to 68 p.c in her first 12 months to 83 p.c in her second 12 months.
She grew to become senior government director of program implementation within the Workplace of the First Deputy Chancellor, chief of workers for Chancellor Banks after which deputy chancellor of household and neighborhood engagement and exterior affairs.
Aviles-Ramos holds a Bachelor of Arts diploma from Fordham College, and a Grasp of Arts diploma from CUNY Metropolis Faculty and is the mom of a daughter in center faculty.
Mayor-elect Mamdani has mentioned the necessity for extra assist for childcare, whereas Aviles-Ramos additionally emphasised the significance of pre-kindergarten in caring for and educating youngsters.
The previous principal believes there’s worth in permitting Aviles-Ramos to proceed working with him to realize his targets.
“She’s approachable and open. She listens to criticism. She’s not a pushover, but she’ll take suggestions under advisement,” the previous principal mentioned. “Give her a chance to continue the work that she’s doing under the new mayor’s leadership. If he’s not happy, he has the options to make a change at any time during the next our years.”
Mayor-elect Mamdani will make his option to implement his academic imaginative and prescient, however the present chancellor at the least appears to have completed her first 12 months with a very good report card from many.
“Every mayor gets to pick their own chancellor,” the previous principal mentioned. “At this point, he might do differently, but I don’t think he can do better.”
