Elecciones de la Junta de Educación de Chicago 2026: La contienda por la presidencia

Chicago's 2026 election for the Board of Education is shaping up to be a political drama, featuring millions of dollars in campaign contributions, endorsements from interest groups, and a candidate who withdrew mid-contest. Voters throughout the city will choose four candidates to lead the Board of Education on November 3rd. For the first time, the Board president will be elected directly by voters, ending over 30 years of control by the mayor.

The president of the Board, who receives no salary, will publicly represent the Board, lead its meetings, and help set its agenda. They will work with 20 members to define a vision and goals for Chicago Public Schools (CPS) over the next four years.

Hilario Domínguez, former political director of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), is running on a progressive platform that includes expanding pre-kindergarten access to all 3-year-olds and demanding more state funding for education instead of cuts. The CTU is financing Domínguez's campaign while seeking to maintain its control over the Board, which it gained after Brandon Johnson, a CTU organizer, was elected mayor in 2023.

Jessica Biggs, former CPS school director and current Board member, wants to prioritize financial stability and high-quality education for all students. She has the support of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 73, which primarily represents low-wage Black and Latino workers in CPS and maintains a strong dispute with the CTU.

Biggs has also consolidated support from the business community and former officials who worked under former Mayor Rahm Emanuel, including former CPS CEO Janice Jackson and former Deputy Mayor for Education Beth Swanson.

Victor Henderson, a lawyer and member of the Board of Urban Prep Charter Academy, focuses his campaign on improving student performance and promoting fiscal responsibility. He eliminated campaign contribution limits by self-funding $500,000 into his own campaign and has secured endorsements from two Black congressmen, prominent attorneys, and pastors from large Black churches in Chicago's south and west sides.

The leadership consultant Sendhil Revuluri, who served on the Board during the Lori Lightfoot administration, promises to focus on student learning and community engagement. He has the support of Chicago Democrats for Education, led by influential political consultant Hugo Jacobo. Jacobo criticized the mayor-appointed Board that fired former CPS Executive Director Pedro Martínez in 2024.

Although he claims to support unions, he has advocated for an independent Board separate from the CTU, the powerful union representing about 30,000 CPS teachers and other employees, known for its strong focus on social justice issues. A fifth candidate, Jennifer Custer, a former teacher who is now part of the Board, withdrew from the contest at the end of August.

While all candidates say they are running to improve CPS's service to students and families, their approaches are quite different. Biggs wants to focus on making the Board function better; Revuluri on demanding greater accountability from the district's top leader for results; Henderson on bringing an external perspective to issues like the budget crisis and charter school funding; and Domínguez with ambitious initiatives like expanding job opportunities for young people, paid internships, and mentorship programs.

Only Domínguez rules out closing schools due to declining enrollment, although others say they would work carefully with communities before considering any school merges. Henderson would consider opening more charter schools run by private entities and wants them to receive more support, while the others would scrutinize existing charter schools more rigorously.