June 2, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New York, NY — PLACE NYC (Parent Leaders for Accelerated Curriculum and Education), the largest grassroots education advocacy group citywide, proudly endorses Andrew Cuomo for Mayor of New York City in the June 2025 Primary Election on June 24, 2025; early voting is June 14-22.
We endorse Andrew Cuomo for mayor and recommend Democratic voters to rank him #1. Our endorsement is based on Mr. Cuomo’s education platform, which aligns with our mission to advocate for accelerated education and expand access to high-quality learning opportunities for all NYC students. “Mr. Cuomo’s education plan reflects a deep understanding of the critical challenges facing New York City’s public schools. His commitment to preserving the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) as sole criteria for admissions to NYC’s eight specialized high schools will ensure that merit-based access to the city’s top-performing public high schools remains intact,” said Yiatin Chu, co-president of PLACE NYC. Additionally, his pledge to implement the class size mandate without capping enrollment to high-demand schools shows that he will be thoughtful about NYC public school parents’ priorities.
We also recognize two other mayoral candidates for their robust education platforms and suggest ranking them as well for the Mayoral primary. We recommend ranking Whitney Tilson #2 for his comprehensive and forward-thinking education proposals, which emphasize academic rigor and opportunities for accelerated learning. We recommend ranking former Comptroller Scott Stringer #3 for his detailed education platform, which demonstrates his grasp of key issues impacting NYC schools. Stringer supports expanding access to preparing for the SHSAT.
Additionally, PLACE NYC wholeheartedly endorses Jenifer Rajkumar for the Public Advocate Democratic primary. “Assemblywoman Rajkumar has been a vocal and unapologetic advocate for gifted and talented programs, consistently championing policies that support accelerated education. As Public Advocate, we expect that Ms. Rajkumar will play a crucial role in appointing parent leaders to citywide education councils. Having appointees who align with PLACE NYC’s mission will strengthen the voice of parents and enhance the quality of New York City’s public schools,” said Lisa Marks, co-president of PLACE NYC.
PLACE NYC endorses Khari Edwards for Brooklyn Borough President. As Borough President, he will have the authority to fund schools and appoint representatives to our education councils. We are also delighted to endorse the following Democratic candidates in their respective City Council races for their commitment to education policies that align with our mission:
- District 2: #1 Allie Ryan
- District 4: #1 Faith Bondy, #2 Rachel Storch
- District 30: #1 Phil Wong
- District 38: #1 Ling Ye
These candidates have demonstrated a strong dedication to advancing educational excellence, supporting programs like the SHSAT and gifted and talented initiatives, and prioritizing the needs of NYC students and families.
These endorsements and rankings reflect our evaluation of the candidates’ education track record and declared positions. They do not extend to other aspects of their platforms or candidacies. PLACE NYC remains focused on advocating for policies that empower students, parents, and educators to achieve academic excellence in New York City’s public schools.
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