Chalkbeat Chicago

The Chicago Board of Education will be fully elected in November for the first time in 30 years, allowing registered voters to elect a representative and board president. This entity is tasked with creating the vision and setting priorities for Chicago Public Schools, including holding significant financial power over local property tax allocation. The board's function differs from CPS’ central office, which handles day-to-day operations.

Chicago Public Schools will expand its Sustainable Community Schools program by adding 15 campuses, bringing the total to 51. These schools receive $500,000 annually to partner with nonprofits for student and family support, though prior analyses show mixed outcomes and unspent funds.

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) will start the upcoming school year with a less than 1% overall staffing cut compared to last year, though more than 200 schools will see staff increases, particularly in special education positions. The district faces a $732.5 million deficit and is finalizing a nearly $10 billion budget plan that includes layoffs and expanded special education roles.

Chicago schools, including Kenwood Academy, are increasingly relying on independently raised funds to cover essentials due to the district's financial struggles. Independent revenue for CPS schools rose 78% since 2021, reaching $48 million in fiscal year 2025, with funds used for staffing, athletic equipment, and academic resources.

The Illinois State Board of Education approved a numeracy plan to improve math education, offering districts and teachers resources without mandating a curriculum. The plan follows a 2024 literacy initiative and addresses declining student math scores post-pandemic, with revised benchmarks complicating year-over-year comparisons.

Over half of the 51 candidates for the Chicago Board of Education may be removed from the ballot due to challenges to their petition signatures. Four at-large school board president candidates and all nine mayoral appointees running for re-election face challenges, while some incumbents remain unchallenged. The deadline to finalize the ballot is August 27.

More than half of the 51 candidates for the Chicago Board of Education may be removed from the ballot due to petition challenges. Over 28 candidates face invalidated signatures, including nine appointed board members and two elected members aligned with Mayor Brandon Johnson. The election, the first to include all 21 seats, ends 30 years of mayoral control.

Fifty-one candidates have filed to run for Chicago’s Board of Education in November, marking the first fully elected board in the city’s history. The election will transition governance from mayoral control after 30 years, with candidates required to collect signatures for ballot inclusion, though challenges may remove some contenders.