Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic front-runner for mayor of New York City, plans to end the gifted and talented program for kindergarten students at public schools if he is elected, calling for a major overhaul of a program that has deeply divided parents.

Mr. Mamdani said in a statement that he would embrace former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan, announced in 2021, to phase out the gifted program for elementary schools, which has been widely criticized for exacerbating segregation.

Students who are in gifted classes would remain in the program, but there would be no gifted program for kindergartners next fall, his campaign said on Wednesday.

Mr. Mamdani’s plan would reshape education for some of the youngest children in the nation’s largest school system and could reignite a fraught citywide debate over how — and whether — New York should address inequality in the enrollment of its selective academic programs.

“I will return to the previous policy,” Mr. Mamdani said in the statement. “Ultimately, my administration would aim to make sure that every child receives a high-quality early education that nurtures their curiosity and learning.”

Mr. Mamdani has proposed an ambitious plan to provide free child care for every child under the age of 5, which he said would provide a “groundbreaking opportunity to ensure all children can access the early care and education they need to succeed in future grades.”