What to know about Chicago's school board races
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School board president candidates Victor P. Henderson, Jessica Biggs and Hilario Dominguez. Photos: Courtesy of candidates' campaigns
Chicagoans will make history on Nov. 3 when they vote for the city's first fully elected school board.
Why it matters: After decades of the mayor controlling the board, Chicago voters will have a direct say in who governs the nation's third-largest school district, potentially leading to more independent policies.
The big picture: Chicagoans will vote for both the board president and a representative from one of the city's 20 school board subdistricts.
- The 21 winning candidates will start their unpaid jobs on the board in January 2027.
The stakes: This new board will face several immediate challenges, including:
- Closing a budget gap: The current spending plan relies on $435 million in unallocated funds from city TIFs and potential state money.
- Addressing underenrolled schools: At least 150 operated at half capacity last year, before the district lost another 11,500 students.
- Managing AI in the classroom: About half of all candidates have pledged to enact a 3-year moratorium on generative AI until the technology is better understood.
The factions: The candidates don't run on party lines, but they're often viewed through the lens of their supporters, including the Chicago Teachers Union, Service Employees International Union, Common Ground Collective, Illinois Network of Charter Schools, and The Urban Center.
- At the broadest level, the candidates break down into those supported by the CTU, who would have likely served on a mayor-appointed board and everyone else.
Board president candidates:
Jessica Biggs, a former CPS principal and current board member, is backed by SEIU and the Chicago Federation of Labor.
- Setting and tracking student achievement goals
- Putting the district on a path to financial stability
- Creating an independent governing body
On school closings: Biggs won't rule out closures, but says she'd avoid the "top-down" approach of Rahm Emanuel's 2013 school closings.
Hilario Dominguez, a former CTU organizer backed by the CTU.
- Universal full-day pre-K
- Fresh food and better meals
- Youth jobs
- Fully funded sustainable community schools
School closings: He opposes them, saying that 2013 closures harmed communities and didn't save money.
Victor P. Henderson, an attorney and former board member of Urban Prep, with endorsements from U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, Forrest Claypool, John Cullerton and former U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley Braun.
- Removing politics from CPS
- Providing wraparound services for students and families
- Fiscal responsibility
School closings: He doesn't rule them out but says they should be a last resort after a careful review.
Board member races:
Your district: Our partner Chalkbeat Chicago offers a guide to all 20 school board races, including candidates, endorsements and a map to find your district.
- Three subdistricts feature uncontested races, although some candidates may run as write-ins.
What's next: Early voting is in full swing at two downtown sites and will expand to all 50 wards on Oct. 19.