Results: Chicago's first elected school board
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Chicago has voted for its first ever elected school board.
Why it matters: Chicago's school board oversees the fourth largest school district in the country and its $9 billion budget. The board also hires the district CEO, establishes essential district policies and determines the school calendar.
Caveat: The board is only partially elected for now. Mayor Brandon Johnson will appoint the other 10 members, one from each district, and the board president.
The 21-member board will start in January and faces a looming budget gap, a CEO at odds with the mayor and an unsettled teachers union contract.
The latest: Johnson's 2025 budget rolled out last week includes about $311 million in TIF surplus for CPS this coming year, but that does not cover the district's shortfall.
- CPS still has to fund the much-debated $175 million in non-teacher pension payments.
Zoom in: Campaign spending on historic races reached about $7 million, Chalkbeat reported, with support roughly breaking down to candidates backed by school choice and charter school proponents (INCS Action PAC and Urban Center Action) versus Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) endorsed candidates.
- The races also became somewhat of a referendum on Johnson's leadership.
Results
District 1: Jennifer Custer won after Michelle Pierre conceded the race to the CTU-backed candidate.
- District includes Far Northwest Side — Portage Park, O'Hare, Dunning, Jefferson Park, Norwood Park and Edison Park.
District 2: Ebony DeBerry won over Maggie Cullerton Hooper, Kate Doyle and Bruce Leon.
- District includes Lincoln Square, Ravenswood, Peterson Park, Budlong Woods, Andersonville, Edgewater, Rogers Park and West Ridge.
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District 3: Carlos Rivas Jr. defeated Jason Dónes for the seat.
- District includes Avondale, Logan Square, Belmont Gardens, Belmont Cragin, Hanson Park, Hermosa and Humboldt Park.
District 4: Ellen Rosenfeld won against Karen Zaccor, Kimberly Brown, Thomas Day, Carmen Gioiosa and Andrew A. Davis.
- District includes Lincoln Park, Lake View, North Center and most of Uptown.
District 5: Aaron "Jitu" Brown won the uncontested race.
- District includes West Town, East Garfield Park, West Garfield Park, Lawndale and Austin.
District 6: Jessica Biggs won over Anusha Thotakura and Andre Smith.
- District includes Loop, Streeterville, the Near North Side, parts of West Town, Near South Side, Englewood, Grand Boulevard, Washington Park and some of Woodlawn.
District 7: Yesenia Lopez defeated Eva A. Villalobos and Raquel Don.
- District includes Pilsen, Little Village, Brighton Park, Archer Heights, parts of Bridgeport, Armour Square, McKinley Park and Gage Park.
District 8: Angel Gutierrez beat Felix Ponce.
- District includes West Lawn, Clearing, parts of McKinley Park, Bridgeport, Gage Park, most of Back of the Yards, Chicago Lawn, Ashburn, Garfield Ridge and half of the South Loop.
District 9: Therese Boyle won over Lanetta M. Thomas, La'Mont Raymond Williams and Miquel Lewis, the AP declared Friday morning.
- District includes Chicago Lawn, New City, West Englewood, Chatham, Greater Grand Crossing, Ashburn, Auburn Gresham, Beverly, Mount Greenwood, Washington Heights, Roseland and West Pullman.
District 10: Che "Rhymefest" Smith was declared the winner over Karin Norington-Reaves, Adam Parrott-Sheffer and Robert Jones on Friday morning.
- District includes Oakland, Kenwood, Douglas, Hyde Park, Woodlawn, South Shore, Burnside, South Chicago, Riverdale, Calumet Heights, the East Side, Pullman, Hegewisch and South Deering.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.