New York City Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels has announced a sweeping overhaul of the city's procurement system, vowing greater transparency and accountability, even as he remains under investigation for his own alleged procurement violations. The reforms aim to modernize contract software and cut bureaucratic red tape, with projections of saving taxpayers over $100 million in the current and next fiscal years.
"As a taxpayer, I believe that every dollar spent in our schools should be transparent, accountable, and in the service of student success," Samuels stated Thursday at a press conference held at Mama Tingo’s Childcare Center in Washington Heights. He was joined by Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Critics, however, have labeled Samuels' pledge as hypocritical, citing an ongoing probe into his past actions. The investigation stems from reports that Samuels, while serving as District 3 superintendent in 2023, signed a $180,000 no-bid contract with an unapproved vendor. Payments were allegedly split between two companies to circumvent city oversight. A similar contract was reportedly signed by his then-deputy superintendent, Mariela Graham, and the same vendor the following year.
The Special Commissioner of Inquiry (SCI) launched its investigation after reports indicated that the vendor involved in the contract Samuels signed had unknowingly sent a teacher with a history of sexual misconduct into two Manhattan schools for months. An SCI report in December 2025 found that such procurement practices, including "check-splitting," contributed to the DOE spending $386 million on outside vendors in 2025, leading to financial losses and potential prosecution.
Despite the SCI report pinning blame on Graham and recommending her termination, Samuels promoted her to a senior executive director role. The SCI confirmed in June that it was investigating Samuels directly, following earlier reporting on the matter.
Meanwhile, City Council Speaker Julie Menin had previously criticized Mayor Mamdani and the Department of Education (DOE) for allegedly delaying and obstructing the council's requests to review approximately $13 billion in DOE contracts. In a July letter, Menin's office cited a "pattern of opacity, slow-walking and delay." A spokesperson for Menin's office confirmed that the city hall has since provided hundreds of contracts for analysis.
Samuels, addressing the City Council in June, expressed regret for "lapses in policy and procedures" during his tenure as superintendent, stating that the actions were taken "in the pursuit of educational opportunity." The DOE, on behalf of Samuels, declined to comment on the criticisms regarding hypocrisy.
Critics argue that the projected $100 million in savings is insignificant compared to the vast sums lost through procurement irregularities and contract failures detailed in SCI reports. These violations have previously resulted in financial losses for the DOE, led to legal prosecutions, and hindered the department's ability to secure services from qualified vendors at competitive prices.