Below are endorsements from education-related groups for each Chicago School Board candidate. We also list organizations that do education-related work that are providing meaningful financial support to candidates. Election Day for the city’s first elected board is Nov. 5.
We are not listing all endorsements, including from those from elected officials, from non-education organizations or those that aren’t directly tied to Chicago Public Schools. Those are available on each candidate’s website. Comprehensive information on each candidate is available at our voter guide.
Details on each group are below the endorsement/support list. One group, Urban Action Center, is a super PAC (political action committee), which means it’s prohibited from coordinating with candidates in any way, including on endorsements or with financial support.
District 1
Jennifer Custer – Chicago Teachers Union, CPS Parents for Buses, Our Schools CoalitionMichelle N. Pierre – INCS Action PAC, Urban Center Action*, CPS Parents for Buses, Chicago Democrats for Education, Illinois Policy PAC
District 2
Ebony L. DeBerry – Chicago Teachers Union, Our Schools CoalitionMargaret “Maggie” Cullerton Hooper – CPS Parents for BusesKate Doyle – CPS Parents for BusesBruce Leon – Urban Center Action*, Illinois Policy PAC
District 3
Carlos A. Rivas, Jr. – INCS Action PAC, Urban Center Action*, CPS Parents for Buses, Chicago Democrats for Education, Illinois Policy PACJason C. Dónes – Chicago Teachers Union, CPS Parents for Buses, Our Schools Coalition
District 4
Karen Zaccor Chicago Teachers Union, Our Schools CoalitionEllen Rosenfeld – Urban Center Action*, Chicago Democrats for Education, Illinois Policy PACKimberly Brown – CPS Parents for BusesThomas DayCarmen GioiosaAndrew A. Davis
District 5
Aaron “Jitu” Brown – Chicago Teachers Union, Our Schools CoalitionJousef M. Shkoukani (write-in)Kernetha Jones (write-in, no questionnaire)
District 6
Jessica Biggs – CPS Parents for BusesAnusha Thotakura – Chicago Teachers Union, Our Schools CoalitionAndre Smith – INCS Action PAC, Urban Center Action*, Illinois Policy PACDanielle Wallace (write-in)
District 7
Yesenia Lopez – Chicago Teachers Union, Our Schools CoalitionEva A. Villalobos – INCS Action PAC, Urban Center Action*, CPS Parents for Buses, Chicago Democrats for Education, Illinois Policy PACRaquel Don
District 8
Angel Gutierrez – INCS Action PAC, Urban Center Action*, CPS Parents for Buses, Chicago Democrats for Education, Illinois Policy PACFelix Ponce – Chicago Teachers Union, Our Schools Coalition
District 9
Therese BoyleLanetta M. Thomas – Chicago Teachers Union, CPS Parents for Buses, Our Schools CoalitionLa’Mont Raymond WilliamsMiquel Lewis – Urban Center Action*, Chicago Democrats for Education, Illinois Policy PAC
District 10
Adam Parrott-ShefferChe “Rhymefest” Smith – CPS Parents for BusesKarin Norington-Reaves – INCS Action PAC, Urban Center Action*, Chicago Democrats for Education, Illinois Policy PACRobert Jones – Chicago Teachers Union, Our Schools CoalitionRosita Chotonda (write-in, did not respond)
INCS Action PAC for Public Charter Schools: This is an advocacy organization affiliated with the Illinois Network of Charter Schools “focused on engaging the charter school community in the legislative and political process.” This group didn’t make endorsements but has made substantial financial contributions to six candidates through its political action committee after interviewing many of them.
Chicago Teachers Union: The largest union in Chicago Public Schools, including nearly 30,000 teachers, paraprofessionals, clinicians and school-related personnel.
CPS Parents for Buses: A parent group formed to advocate for CPS families that lost bus service last school year and to propose solutions.
Urban Center Action: A group organized this summer to support “independent thinkers,” according to its founder, Juan Rangel, arguing for its need given a close relationship between the mayor and the teachers union. This so-called “independent expenditure committee,” or super PAC, can accept unlimited dollars to run ads or send text messages or other indirect campaign support, without coordinating with candidates. The group can oppose candidates too. Urban Center Action endorsed nine candidates. This group, along with another independent expenditure committee affiliated with INCS Action, has raised millions and is spending heavily. It also has a regular political action committee making modest donations to a few candidates.
Chicago Democrats for Education: This political action committee launched in late September to support “independent” candidates for school board. The group was explicitly set up to be a counterbalance to the CTU and the mayor. It was formed by Hugo Jacobo, a heavyweight political consultant.
Our Schools Coalition: This group describes itself as a coalition of “diverse organizations from across Chicago, united by a common goal: to ensure that our city’s first-ever elected school board represents the values and voices of our communities.” The Chicago Teachers Union is part of its coalition; Our Schools Coalition’s platform generally mirrors the CTU’s goals and its endorsements are exactly the same.
Illinois Policy PAC: The affiliated Illinois Policy Institute describes itself as “a liberty-forward nonprofit fighting government corruption, poverty and high taxes in Illinois and Chicago and a strong advocate for school choice. The Illinois Policy PAC, in making endorsements, said, “These independent reform candidates will stand up for Chicago students, and stand against Brandon Johnson and the CTU political machine.” Two endorsed candidates, Michelle N. Pierre and Ellen Rosenfeld, did not participate in the group’s endorsement process but the group still chose to endorse them.
Chicago Teachers Union
Jennifer CusterEbony DeBerryJason C. DónesKaren ZaccorAaron “Jitu” BrownAnusha ThotakuraYesenia LopezFelix PonceLanetta M. ThomasRobert Jones
INCS Action PAC
Michelle N. Pierre —Carlos A. Rivas Jr. — —Andre SmithEva A. VillalobosAngel Gutierrez —Karin Norrington-Reaves
Urban Center Action*
Michelle N. PierreBruce LeonCarlos A. Rivas Jr.Ellen Rosenfeld —Andre SmithEva A. VillalobosAngel GutierrezMiquel LewisKarin Norrington-Reaves
* Urban Center Action is a super PAC, which can spend money on behalf or against a candidate but can’t coordinate with candidates.
CPS Parents for Buses
Jennifer Custer and Michelle N. PierreKate Doyle and Margaret “Maggie” Cullerton HooperJason C. Dónes and Carlos A. Rivas Jr.Kimberly Brown —Jessica BiggsEva A. VillalobosAngel GutierrezLanetta M. ThomasChe “Rhymefest” Smith
Chicago Democrats for Education
Michelle N. Pierre —Carlos A. Rivas Jr. Ellen Rosenfeld — —Eva A. VillalobosAngel GutierrezMiquel LewisKarin Norrington-Reaves
Our Schools Coalition
Jennifer CusterEbony DeBerryJason C. Dónes Karen ZaccorAaron “Jitu” BrownAnusha ThotakuraYesenia LopezFelix PonceLanetta M. ThomasRobert Jones
Illinois Policy PAC
Michelle N. PierreBruce LeonCarlos A. Rivas Jr.Ellen Rosenfeld —Andre SmithEva A. VillalobosAngel GutierrezMiquel LewisKarin Norrington-Reaves