CPS 101: Diverse candidates and their key priorities in the Chicago school board elections

CHICAGO - Chicago's elected school board candidates include educators, lawyers, activists, CEOs, and mothers of special needs children.

Some candidates are independent while others have had thousands of dollars dumped into their bank accounts by charter school advocates and the Chicago Teachers Union. And try not to forget the names of the write-in candidates.

It will be the first time in Chicago history residents have elected school board members.

Through door knocking, phone banks, texts and email blasts, candidates are working to keep their name top of mind.

"I’m gonna vote for the candidate in my district only because I’ve known him since he was a teenager. From church. And he's my neighbor across the street," said Roberto Maldonado, a parent and former alderman.

School board members have a lot of power, including hiring and firing of the district’s CEO, and balancing the $9 billion budget and $500 million deficit.

"It is going to take action in Springfield for CPS to get the funding that we deserve for our kids," said 6th District candidate Anusha Thotakura.

Public forums have helped some voters dig deeper. In Woodlawn, the candidate’s priorities include equity, low academic performance, and more support for diverse learners and bilingual students.

"The only thing that kept me at Julian was being in the marching band. And what I know about that is, these students are not getting music and arts and vocational skills like we used to," said Lanetta Thomas, candidate in District 9.

"We are spending $30,000 per student and the majority of our students cannot read or write at or above grade level," said Karin Norington Reaves, District 10 candidate.

With hundreds of thousands of dollars invested by CTU affiliates and charter school interests, could it sway potential members' votes?

"I am the only independent candidate who has not taken money from a major special interest group that is on the 6th District ballot," said 6th District candidate Jessica Biggs.

Just two blocks from Mayor Brandon Johnson’s home sits Frederick Douglass High School, with dozens of classrooms, an auditorium and three computer labs, but only 27 students are enrolled. Douglass High School Parent Teacher Student (PTSA) president Catherine Jones called it the result of years of disinvestment.

"A lot of our schools in Austin are empty. Even the elementary schools. They have low enrollment," Jones said. "We need to bring our kids back to the community."

More than 30 candidates are vying for 10 seats in 10 districts with Johnson appointing 11 additional members.

At another forum in Roscoe Village, more top priorities were shared.

"Number one is bringing back the buses," said Kimberly Brown, a candidate in District 4. "If children are not in school, nothing else matters."

"If we don't find ways to use our schools to not only lift the students but also the parents, the whole face of our neighborhoods will be changing," said Ebonie DeBerry, 2nd District candidate.

In 2027, the school board will transition to fully-elected members supporting more than 320,000 Chicago Public Schools students. The position is unpaid.

"I think there's too many positions," said Dr. Angel Alvarez, a parent. "Twenty-one seats is a huge school board. I think there’s gonna be a lot of concern and fighting, and a lot of disorganization."