As you walk around Chicago this fall, you might notice something never seen in the city before: campaign yard signs of people vying for seats on Chicago’s school board.
Voters are finally getting a direct say on who sits on the Chicago Board of Education after 30 years of mayoral control that followed decades of a nomination process to pick board members.
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 also are some parents frustrated with their kids’ experiences and want better.
Thirty-one people are running to represent 10 geographic districts. The voting districts are large, with nearly 300,000 residents a piece, running through several different neighborhoods.
The school board election is the result of years of activism — born out of the frustration by community members who felt ignored as dramatic changes happened at their local schools. Opposition to the mayoral-appointed board reached a fever pitch in 2013 after former Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his board closed 50 schools with low enrollment, despite pleas from students, parents and teachers to spare their schools.
But it took another eight years for a law creating an elected board to pass. Then finally, last spring state lawmakers approved the district voting maps. That meant candidates had to rush to gather signatures and get on the ballot by a June deadline.
There are concerns that the hurried timetable, along with the newness of the race, has left many Chicagoans unaware that a school board election is even happening.
The school board will go from 7 to 21 members, an amount some fear will be unwieldy. For the first two years, from 2025 through 2027, 10 members will be elected, while 11 will still be appointed by the mayor, including the board president. In Nov. 2026, 20 members plus the president will be elected.
Many hope the change will create a board that is more responsive to the needs and desires of parents and residents. But some are holding their breath, worried an elected school board will be messy and stand in the way of progress.
Will the board be representative?
A major concern revolves around representation — that the board members won’t be elected to represent children in CPS schools, but rather the larger community, including private school parents, young professionals and retirees. The advocacy group Kids First Chicago said parent focus groups and a poll show that most people want the board to reflect the makeup of the student body — almost 90% kids of color — more than the city, which is about one-third white.
There is particular concern that Latinos will be underrepresented. Latino students make up nearly half of all CPS students, but only three of the 10 districts on the ballot this fall are majority Latino and just six of the 20 districts for the 2026 election.
It is especially worrisome to some because undocumented immigrants, many of whom are Latino, are not allowed to vote.
The ethnicity of the candidates provides some insight into how this may play out on the first board. The candidates in the three majority Latino districts are all Latino, but in the two districts that have no majority race or ethnicity, no Latino candidates are running.
What role are campaign donations playing?
Another major concern is that outside influences will seep into the school board race, overshadowing the needs of regular people. In other cities with elected school boards, like Los Angeles, supporters of school choice, such as charter schools, and labor unions have poured in money.
And it is happening here. Chicago’s school board race is attracting big money. The Chicago Teachers Union and progressives, including Bernie Sanders’ organization, have endorsed candidates.
On the other side, the Illinois Network of Charter Schools, along with newly formed conservative organizations, have drawn millions to support candidates. Some of these groups are most interested in defeating candidates backed by the Chicago Teachers Union. They think the union has too much power, especially after getting Mayor Brandon Johnson, a former CTU organizer, elected.
Tactically, both progressive and conservative groups are paying firms to run political campaigns rather than giving to candidates directly. For example, the CTU is making “in-kind donations” to candidates by paying for political consultants and field staff for them.
Meanwhile, other groups have set up “independent expenditure committees” so they can accept unlimited donations to run ads, send fliers and provide other indirect campaign support. They can oppose candidates, too. But these committees can’t contribute directly to or coordinate with candidates. These groups have millions to spend and have kicked into high gear this month.
Candidates altogether have gathered more than $3 million in contributions and in-kind donations, with a few loaning themselves big bucks, while others are getting a lot of smaller donations. Alderpersons and other elected officials also are lining up behind some candidates.
Sarah Karp covers education for WBEZ. Follow her on X @WBEZeducation and @sskedreporter.