Zohran Mamdani taps Kamar Samuels as next NYC schools chancellor: sources

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is set to name a Manhattan superintendent as his next schools chancellor, The Post has confirmed.

Kamar Samuels, who currently works in Manhattan’s District 3, will take over the largest school system in the country with more than 900,000 students and 135,000 employees come Jan. 1.

Manhattan superintendent Kamar Samuels is set to be named by Zohran Mamdani as his next schools chancellor. District3Supt/ X

Mamdani’s long-awaited schools chancellor pick was first reported by City and State.

The horse-race for the next top officials in the city’s school system came down to Samuels and the current chancellor, Melissa Aviles-Ramos, who hasn’t been shy about her willingness to stay on the job.

But neither were the first pick for the job.

Mamdani is set to be sworn in as mayor on Jan. 1. Stephen Yang for NY Post

Instead, former Mayor Bill de Blasio schools leader Meisha Porter had been expected to land the gig.

“She was this close,” one insider said, adding, “[Porter] was not happy with Mamdani.”

After she fell out of favor, the transition had to look at the rest of the shortlist, dragging out the selection until the last minute.

“This was not a simple process,” they added.