Education
What You Need to Know Ahead of Chicago’s First Board of Education Elections
After decades under full mayoral control, Chicago residents this fall will get their first crack at picking members of the city’s Board of Education.
Voters in the Nov. 5 election will pick a member to represent each of 10 new districts as the board triples in size from its current size of seven up to 21 members beginning in January 2025.
To empower you ahead of the election, we broke down the work the board does, the new city districts and how the full board will be picked below.
Why are there elections being held?
Following a yearslong push by advocates, Gov. J.B. Pritzker in 2021 signed legislation to begin transforming Chicago’s Board of Education from a mayoral-appointed body — the only such school board in Illinois — to an elected body starting in 2024.
While that move confirmed that school board elections would be coming to Chicago, it’s taken years since then to finalize what those races would look like and how exactly that process would play out.
Earlier this year, state legislators finalized plans for a hybrid board that would maintain mayoral control for the time being. The board will be fully elected beginning in 2027.
What does the board actually do?
Among the board’s biggest responsibilities are approving Chicago Public School’s annual operating budget — which now tops $9 billion — as well as setting the school district’s direction and priorities, setting the academic calendar and signing off on capital improvements.
The board is also tasked with hiring — and potentially firing — the CPS CEO. The possibility of the current board firing district CEO Pedro Martinez has been raised in recent weeks after Johnson asked for Martinez to resign amid rising tensions over district finances and ongoing negotiations for a near Chicago Teachers Union contract.
The entire board on Oct. 4 announced they will resign from their positions. That means there will be an entirely new board in place following November’s election.
According to a statement from Johnson and the board, none of the current members planned to continue serving following the shift to a hybrid model, but their sudden departure comes amid strife between the mayor, Martinez and the board.
“With the unprecedented increase in Board membership, transitioning new members now will allow them time to orient and gain critical experience prior to welcoming additional elected and appointed members in 2025,” the city statement read.
(Chicago Public Schools)
Where are the new districts located?
The city has been divided into 10 separate districts for the expanded board.
District 1 covers the Far Northwest Side including Jefferson Park, Portage Park and portions of Irving Park
District 2 covers the North Side neighborhoods of Andersonville, Edgewater, Lincoln Square and Rogers Park
District 3 includes Logan Square, Avondale, Hermosa and Humboldt Park
District 4 covers Lakeview, Lincoln Park and Uptown
District 5 includes the West Loop and West Side neighborhoods of Austin, Garfield Park and North Lawndale
District 6 covers the Near North Side and River North as well as portions of the South Loop and South Side into Bronzeville, Washington Park and Greater Grand Crossing
District 7 includes the Near West Side, Little Village, Brighton Park and Gage Park
District 8 includes the Back of the Yards, West Lawn and the Far West Side
District 9 covers Englewood, Auburn Gresham, Mount Greenwood and Morgan Park
District 10 covers the Hyde Park, Chatham, South Shore and the Far South Side
How will the new board seats be filled?
While voters will pick 10 of the new board’s 21 members in November, Mayor Brandon Johnson will select 10 more along with the board’s president.
Beginning in January 2025, each of the 10 districts will be represented on the board by one elected member and one member appointed by Johnson.
Each district is subdivided into two sections — for example District 1 includes areas “1a” and “1b” — and each subsection must be represented by a board member. So if the board member elected to represent that district lives in the “1a” area, Johnson would then have to appoint someone from the “1b” area. This is true for each district.
The mayor has until Dec. 16 to announce those appointments. All board members, both elected and appointed, will serve two-year terms.
Who is running?
District 1 candidates: Jennifer Custer, Michelle N. Pierre
District 2 candidates: Ebony L. DeBerry, Kate Doyle, Margaret "Maggie" Cullerton Hooper, Bruce Leon
District 3 candidates: Jason C. Dones, Carlos A. Rivas, Jr.
District 4 candidates: Kimberly Brown, Andrew A. Davis, Thomas Day, Carmen Gioiosa, Ellen Rosenfeld, Karen Zaccor
District 5 candidates: Aaron "Jitu" Brown (Michilla “Kyla” Blaise’s name will also appear on ballots, but she has withdrawn from the race)
District 6 candidates: Jessica Biggs, Andre Smith, Anusha Thotakura
District 7 candidates: Raquel Don, Yesenia Lopez, Eva A. Villalobos
District 8 candidates: Angel Gutierrez, Felix Ponce
District 9 candidates: Therese Boyle, Miquel Lewis, Lanetta M. Thomas, La’Mont Raymond Williams
District 10 candidates: Robert Jones, Karin Norington-Reaves, Adam Parrott-Sheffer, Che “Rhymefest” Smith
How much are board members paid?
Members serve without pay and will continue to do so once the board expands to 21 members.
When can I vote?
Now! Election Day is Nov. 5, but early voting in Chicago began Thursday at the downtown Supersite (191 N. Clark St.) and at Chicago Board of Elections offices (69 W. Washington St.).
Early voting in all 50 wards across the city begins Oct. 21.
Contact Matt Masterson: @ByMattMasterson | [email protected] | (773) 509-5431