Zohran Mamdani plans to end gifted and talented programs in schools if elected as mayor of New York City, according to reports. Owen ReiterMayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani announced plans to end the gifted and talented program in New York City public schools if he is elected, according to recent media reports. Mamdani, the Democratic front-runner for mayor of New York City, said in a statement he would phase out the gifted program for elementary schools, according to The New York Times. New York City officially ended the testing requirements for gifted programs for the 2022 admissions cycle. Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa, both said they would keep the gifted program and expand it, according to The Times.