Chicago voted for its first fully elected school board. What’s next?
Did you know search engines like Google are changing the way you see news? Keep Chalkbeat’s valuable education coverage at the top of your feeds by clicking here and checking the box next to our name. If all leads hold from Tuesday night’s election, Chicago’s first fully elected school board will bring together members backed by competing special interests who will spend the next two years…
Chicago has elected its first fully elected school board, ushering in an era of potential change for the city's public education system. While the final outcome remains to be determined, preliminary results suggest that pro-school-choice groups may have secured enough seats to gain a thin majority on the board. This new board, comprised of members backed by competing special interests, is poised to confront some of the Chicago Public Schools' (CPS) biggest challenges over the next two years.
The election saw a surge in voter turnout, with over 1.1 million Chicagoans casting their ballots, marking a substantial increase from the previous election. Among the key players, Jessica Biggs emerged victorious as the school board president, backed by SEIU and billionaire Democratic donor Michael Sacks. SEIU's strong support for Biggs contrasts with CTU's past governance of the board, which has been marred by disagreements over budget issues.
Should all leads hold, the new board will likely consist of 11 seats supported by pro-school-choice groups, including Biggs, Margie Luczak, Ellen Rosenfeld, LaPamela Williams, Isaiah White, Brittany Kimble, Angel Gutierrez, Juan Igancio Gonzalez, Brittany Preston, Therese Boyle, and Che "Rhymefest" Smith. Meanwhile, SEIU-backed candidates earned six seats on the board, with six more candidates vying for the remaining seats. Six candidates from the CTU's endorsed slate could also still be in contention.
The composition of the board, though leaning slightly toward pro-school-choice groups, may not be as unified as initially expected. Six of the CTU-aligned candidates have expressed support for closing schools, but just six out of the new board members have taken that stance. This diverse makeup of the board could lead to gridlock or the potential for coalition-building among different factions.
Board members will face pressing decisions, including managing potential budget shortfalls and navigating financial support for charter schools.
As the new board takes up its duties, it will be crucial for its members to prioritize the needs of Chicago's parents and students. While the board's decisions will undoubtedly impact the city's education landscape, it remains to be seen how they will balance competing interests and address the complex challenges facing the district.
Written by urgent.news from Chalkbeat's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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