Arlen Benjamin-Gomez

Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter Lawmakers in the New York Senate and Assembly are considering a bill that would empower New York City high school students. It doesn’t have a catchy name, nor has it attracted much debate and attention surrounding it. It doesn’t call for a tax increase or advance a partisan agenda. It reflects the best kind of policymaking: a pragmatic measure that delivers clear value with minimal lift.

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani steps into office at a pivotal time for New York City’s public education system. Federal threats to student protections, funding and civil rights cast a heavy shadow over the city’s schools. Students, especially those most marginalized, face direct harm from policies shaped far beyond their classrooms. Therefore, the response begins at City Hall.