UFT chief slams mayor over falling NYC reading scores and paraprofessional pay fight
UFT President Mike Mulgrew criticized Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s NYC Reads program after third-grade reading scores fell and amid a dispute over a proposed $10,000 raise for paraprofessionals.
In a public interview, United Federation of Teachers President Mike Mulgrew attacked the NYC Reads curriculum, blaming its rollout for a 6% decline in English Language Arts scores among students in grades three through eight, with roughly half of those students meeting proficiency standards. The program, originally launched under former Mayor Eric Adams and extended by Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels, has been described by Mulgrew as overly bureaucratic and misaligned with classroom instruction.
He also highlighted a chronic shortage of paraprofessionals, whose $32,000 base pay he says is insufficient, and demanded that Mamdani honor a campaign pledge to fund a $10,000 salary boost. While the City Council approved the raise last month, the mayor’s spokesperson contended that legislation bypasses collective-bargaining rules and could set a problematic precedent. Mamdani responded by reaffirming confidence in NYC Reads and indicating openness to continued dialogue with the union. The dispute underscores a broader tension between the administration’s education reforms and the teachers’ union’s priorities.
Why it matters
The clash affects how millions of NYC students are taught and whether vulnerable schools can retain essential support staff.
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