First CPS School Board Elections on Tuesday
A New Era in Chicago’s Public Education
After a decades-long fight, voters will decide for the first time who will represent them on the city’s school board. The election is an important moment for the many activists and parents who begged disinterested school board members to listen to them and gathered petitions to prove Chicago wanted this opportunity. After 30 years, Chicago’s public schools will no longer be controlled by the mayor.
Diverse Group of Candidates
The race has attracted a diverse group of candidates, from a long-time activist who fought for the elected board, to former principals and a Grammy Award-winning rapper. There are also parents frustrated with their kids’ experiences, and some private school parents who want to make sure CPS families get to choose whether their children go to the neighborhood school or charters or some other type.
Candidates Greet Voters on Election Day
Image: Jason Dónes, a Chicago School Board candidate for District 3, greets Marie Baldwin, who is about to vote, near Humboldt Park on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Image: Kate Doyle, a Chicago School Board candidate in District 2, campaigns near the DANK Haus German American Cultural Center in Lincoln Square on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Image: Karin Norington-Reaves, candidate for Chicago School Board District 10, greets early voters at the South Side YMCA on Monday, Nov. 4.
Image: Jessica Biggs, candidate for Chicago School Board’s 6 District, greets voters on Election Day at Mollison Elementary School at 4415 S. King Dr. on the South Side, Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Image: Anusha Thotakura, Chicago School Board District 6 candidate, speaking to voters outside the Near North Branch Chicago Public Library on Monday, Nov. 4.
Image: Ellen Rosenfeld, Chicago School Board District 4 candidate, speaks with people outside the Lincoln Park Public Library waiting to vote on Monday, Nov. 4.
Image: Campaign signs, including several for Chicago School Board candidates, outside the Wicker Park/Bucktown Library at 1701 N. Milwaukee Ave., Monday, Nov. 4.
Image: Chicago School Board District 6 candidate Andre Smith campaigning at the South Side YMCA on Monday, Nov. 4.
Image: Carmen Gioiosa, candidate for Chicago School Board District 4, speaks with voters waiting outside the Lincoln Park Public Library to vote on, Monday, Nov. 4.
Thirty-One Candidates Running for 10 Geographic Districts
Thirty-one people are running to represent 10 geographic districts. The voting districts are large, with about 275,000 residents apiece, running through several different neighborhoods. But the races are near the bottom of the city ballot, so lower down-ballot turnout is a concern. Candidates and community groups have struggled with a lack of awareness that these elections are happening for the first time, with many voters confusing them for Local School Council elections.
Election Night Will Shape the New Makeup of the Board of Education
Election night will begin to shape the new makeup of the Board of Education as it moves to 21 members. The mayor will continue to appoint 11 members, including the president, until 2027 when the board becomes fully elected.
CTU-Endorsed Candidates
The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) endorsed and financially backed candidates in each of the 10 districts. One of them, longtime activist Aaron “Jitu” Brown, is largely guaranteed a seat as he is the only name left on the ballot in District 5, which covers the West Side. He has two write-in opponents. The CTU, through its political action committee and several others, spent $1.6 million to promote their candidates and attack their opponents with negative ads tying them to the school privatization movement and former President Donald Trump.
Conservative School Choice Advocates
But more conservative school choice advocates who oppose the CTU think it’s their moment to put a dent in the union’s power and for them to prove the union has lost popularity. The battle between those two movements has played out in several races, and most aggressively and prominently in the 3rd District on the Near Northwest Side, 4th District on the North Side, the 7th and 8th districts on the Southwest Side, and the 10th District on the South Side.
Closing the Door on the Mayor’s Control
The recent controversies – the mayor pushing an unpopular loan to deal with a budget shortfall that CPS CEO Pedro Martinez refused, the mayor laying the groundwork to fire him and then the entire Board of Education becoming disgruntled and resigning – has thrust the school board race into the spotlight.
Conclusion
The results of Tuesday’s election will begin to shape the new makeup of the Board of Education. The CTU and its allies are hoping to maintain their stronghold on the board, while conservative school choice advocates are looking to make inroads. The outcome will also determine how many of the 10 elected members will be aligned with Mayor Brandon Johnson and his allies in the Chicago Teachers Union, how many will come from the movement that supports charter schools and other "school choice" options, and how many will be independent of both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the significance of this election?
A: This election marks a major shift in the way Chicago’s public schools are governed, as voters will be electing a new school board for the first time.
Q: How many candidates are running?
A: Thirty-one people are running to represent 10 geographic districts.
Q: What is the significance of the CTU’s endorsement?
A: The CTU’s endorsement and financial backing have significant implications for the election, as the union has a large and active membership.
Q: What are the implications of the election for the future of Chicago’s public education?
A: The election will shape the future of Chicago’s public education, with the potential to lead to significant changes in the way the school system is governed and run.
