Chancellor Kamar H. Samuels Welcomes Students Back At First Day Of 2026–2027 School Year In A Five-Borough Tour
NEW YORK – New York City Public Schools Chancellor Kamar H. Samuels, today celebrated the return to school of approximately 1 million public-school students and staff, in a historic start that will see the opening of five new schools, the beginning of 2-K, the expansion of NYC Reads and Solves, the investment into specialized PreK special education programs, a robust AI policy, and much more.
“All summer I’ve reflected on how excited I am to be kicking off the 2026-2027 as Chancellor, and now it is finally here,” said Schools Chancellor Kamar H. Samuels. “As a former elementary school math teacher, principal, district leader, and my proudest title -- a NYCPS father, this time of year brings me so much joy to watch students take on a new adventure as they meet new friends and continue their education. I am proud to be leading New York City Public Schools as we embark on what I know will be a great school year. I look forward continuing my engagement within schools -- visiting schools and meeting with our young people and teachers.”
Today, the Chancellor kicked off a five-borough school tour beginning at Mama Tingo Child Care and Learning Center in Washington Heights. Alongside Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani, families of the new 2-K program were welcomed into the site while they dropped off their children. Mama Tingo is historically known in the community as a dual language multicultural program that provides quality childcare and early childhood education services to children 2-5 years old. This year’s inaugural 2-K program offered more than 2,000 families seats, which will grow to 12,000 next year.
Following the expansion of pre-k special education programs announced earlier this summer, Chancellor Samuels visited fifth-grade Nest and Horizons classroom at Naples Street Elementary on Staten Island. As NYCPS works to bring specialized programs closer to homes, the Nest and Horizons program provides students with disabilities individualized instruction and supports designed to strengthen communication, social-emotional development, and independence while fostering belonging in learning environments that meet each child's unique needs.
Coming off the success of initiatives such as NYC Reads and NYC Solves, and the expansion announced in the Spring, Chancellor Samuels joined a group of students at PS 206 Joseph Lamb in Sheepshead Bay Brooklyn to play The Game of 24 -- challenging students to think critically about numbers and showing that math can be fun.
As NYCPS opens and renovates several fields across our city, Chancellor Samuels and NYCPS senior cabinet members participated in a friendly pick-up soccer game with students from Maspeth High School in Queens. Understanding the importance of third spaces and outdoor physical activity for students, the newly renovated field offers over 1,500 students across two schools a space to take physical education class, get involved in a club sport, and more.
On the last stop on the first day tour, Chancellor Samuels attended a block party at the Bronx School of Hip Hop, which welcomed its inaugural class of 90 incoming freshman. The school, located in the Claremont section of the Bronx, is co-located with IS 339 and The Bronx School of Continuous Learners, both of which had students join the block party. The event had a live DJ, who also spoke to students about the history of DJ-ing, as well as some surprise guests. The event truly embodied the school's core mission and values of integrating hip hop culture into the standard curriculum.
This year saw the opening of five new schools, two in the Bronx, and three in Queens, designed to meet the demand for students and families in these communities, while offering innovative new programs. This includes the opening of two District 75 schools for students with disabilities, one of which is an arts school.