2025 Mayor’s Race: What Each Education Plan Means for WESS

This November, New York City voters will pick a new mayor. For students at West End Secondary School, the winner could change everything from class size to after-school programs. The three leading candidates: Curtis Sliwa (Republican), Andrew Cuomo (Independent), and Zohran Mamdani (Democrat), have very different ideas for how the city’s $41 billion Department of Education should work. Here’s what each plan might look like for the students:

Candidate 1: Curtis Sliwa (R)

Sliwa says that we already spend enough money on schools, but we just spend it wrong. His proposal would help get rid of what he calls “DOE bureaucracy” and get more money straight into classrooms. That could mean newer supplies or technology for WESS without raising taxes.

Sliwa also wants to expand the Gifted & Talented programs for elementary school students, and preserve the specialized-high-school exam (better known as the SHSAT). Sliwa's goal with these programs is to give ambitious students more opportunities. For WESS eighth-graders hoping to test into these specialized schools, that could mean more seats.

Sliwa's plan for education also involves introducing new safety measures. His safety plan would return school safety agents to NYPD control, and tighten discipline rules. While some students might feel safer, others could find the atmosphere less welcoming. 

Finally, his strong support for charter schools, allowing them to share space with public schools, might eventually divert funding or facilities away from schools like WESS.

Candidate 2: Andrew Cuomo (I)

Running as an independent, former Governor Andrew Cuomo is focused on expanding opportunities across the school system. He promises universal 3-K, free after-school programs, and paid internships for high-schoolers. For WESS students, that could mean more clubs or extra-curricular activities, plus real-world internship placements by junior year; similar to our current Mercedes Benz internship.

Cuomo also says he will better support teachers through “Grow Your Own” educator pipelines, creating incentives for teachers in hard-to-staff schools or subjects, and training aligned with the new literacy and math curricula.

Like Sliwa, he supports expanding charter schools and keeping mayoral control over the DOE. That could mean quicker decision-making, but also less direct input from students, parents, and teachers in policy changes.

Candidate 3: Zohran Mamdani (D)

Zohran Mamdani’s education plan focuses on equality, well-being, and shared decision-making. He promises fully funded schools with fair resource distribution, smaller classes, strong after-school programs, and more nurses and mental-health counselors. To fill the 7,000 – 9,000 teacher shortage created by the new class-size law, he would launch “Community to Classroom,” a program that pays tuition for aspiring teachers who commit to teaching in NYC public schools for three years.

Mamdani also wants to make every street near a school car-free to reduce crashes and pollution. He plans to expand the Every Child and Family Is Known program to support homeless students, and replace mayoral control with a shared governance system involving parents, teachers, and students. Beyond K–12, he calls for major new investments in CUNY, including tuition-free college, higher pay for staff, and free OMNY transit cards for students.

For WESS students, that could mean smaller classes, more personal support, and safer streets around school. You might see new teachers entering classrooms, expanded after-school options, and more chances for your voice to shape school decisions. The changes would aim to make public education more collaborative and equitable across the city.