Chicago faces its first fully elected school board

While the United States reels with what has been billed as the “mother of all midterm elections” with voters saying yea or nay on Tuesday to the continuing policies of the administration of President Trump, Chicago is looking at another galvanizing issue: the city’s first elected school board after a series of starts and stops over the past few mayoral administrations with former Mayor Lori Lightfoot advocating for one, and then backing off in favor of a hybrid model.

Most of the state has one, and indeed most of the country, but with the often bare knuckled politics of the Windy City, this was not a given, and both critics and observers are feeling this is one for the record books, but that supports or belies the often rough and tumble politics of Chicago, plus who says what, and when, but is not always obvious. 

For example, while the Chicago Teachers Union, one of the most powerful unions in the country, they have their own preferred candidates for both the board and the presidency, but there is substantial opposition by some groups, especially those who favor charter schools, and then again there are those that oppose the CTU on principle, many of whom are on the other side of the liberal tenor of the city, and, as some predicted, have the support of the Republican party and the Trump administration.

With 20 members and a board president to be elected there is money behind some candidates, real money, $2 billion for Debby Pope on the city’s Far Northside that includes the Lakefront area of Edgewater which encompasses a mixture of Gen Xers, affluent singles, families, and recent college grads; as well as old school baby boomers, and retirees creating a laboratory, of sorts, for what might be one of prediction, as well as predilection.

Recent reports are pitting Pope, a grandmother and retired school board teacher, with Kyna Lenhof, a special education teacher and one that wants to confront the rising costs of public education in Chicago, as it faces a deficit of $732 million.

Both Pope and Lenhof do have dedicated classroom experience, but with some variance on funding. Opposition to the former comes from the Illinois Charter Schools Association and while campaign flyers from them say they are not authorized by Lenhof, or that she is responsible for their statements some critics say the support is for more charters, that many residents say they don’t want stating the dichotomy of a private school system paid for with public monies embedded in a public school system.

Pope on the other hand has the backing of CTU, which in the eyes of some anti-union residents automatically gives her a failing grade.

Lenhof does gain support from Common Ground Collective, who has been broadly identified as “an independent, 501(c)(4) dark-money issue advocacy organization in Chicago. The group has been actively distributing political flyers and electioneering at Chicago Public Schools (CPS) events, sparking local controversy and ethics concerns regarding school privatization efforts,” and supported by wealthy donor and Chicago businessman Michael Sacks.

Collectively, outside of the CTU both CGC and INCS, according to public reports, have spent $4.6 million against the union backed candidates.

While these are but two of the board candidates they represent a reckoning of shorts between money philanthropy, politics and the teachers union leaving many wondering which direction CPS can continue to not merely function, but grow, amidst the economic and racial dynamics of a city that has faced both, along with declining enrollment of 20 percent, according to most recent data.

Keeping that in mind confronting this cost was a factor in the dismissal of former school CEO Pedro Martinez who rejected  a $200 million dollar loan proposed by Mayor Brandon Johnson and supported by Pope; a move that critics say would have harnessed Chicago residents with higher takes for years to come but supporters say with the absence of money from the State government, where would the financing come from?

Chicago is the nation’s fourth largest city school system with a student population of 320,000 to 324,000 students, many of whom are Black and Brown and facing great economic challenges, and needs, not all of which cannot be handled in the classroom and face equally high numbers of truancy and disruptive student behavior, and has previously either not been adequately dealt with, or dealt with punitive behavior that critics say has been an overreach, including, but not exclusive, of physical restraint.

The seesaw effect of collective reading and math scores has led some conservatives to propose closing schools, as was done in 2013 by former Mayor Rahm Emanuel and that led to widespread criticism as they occurred in mostly low income communities of color and that were community anchors; and, now these vacancies have become places for violence and crime. Coupled with low enrollment school closings could be a consideration.

In a recent WBEZ report, English and Language Arts have increased to 45.7, up from a ranking of 42.81 percent in 2025; and Math scores are 290 percent up from 27.3 in 2025; but for all of the goods news it shows that Chicago public schools are below average state scores showing 56.4 percent in ELA and 39.6 in math with grades 3-8 as seen on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness.

“In Chicago, the percentage of students considered proficient in ELA increased by 3 percentage points to nearly 46% — a jump that paralleled the state’s gains. CPS Director of Literacy Jane Fleming attributes that performance to the district’s “standards aligned and culturally responsive” initiatives. The increased proficiency is especially impressive considering the district’s large English learner population, which also saw small gains, Fleming said.” 

Teachers have told us that there are many factors outside of the classroom that affect both performance and test scores, as well as absenteeism, and disruptive classroom behavior, often stemming from parental control and emotional upheavals 

Add to those factors English learners whose first language was other than English and the challenges increased with the influx of Venezuelan immigrants after the bussing from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott began in August 2022 swelling the school system and facing a critical shortage of bilingual teachers.

One more caveat: the presidency of the school board has been another financial blockbuster. $8.7 million has earned eye-watering reactions with current board member Jessica Biggs, CTU political director Hilario Dominguez, and attorney Victor Hernandez. Once again following the money Biggs $1.85 million over the last several months, and support from SEIU, plus a cool $1 million from Sacks

Dominguez got $1.75 million from CTU and affiliate Our Schools PAC. Henderson comes in last with self-funded $737,000. 

All of the money withstanding, and it is significant, but the proof of the pudding is in its eating, and a greater awareness of the election has given Chicagoans bodes well for a more targeted approach to the myriad of issues facing CPS -- but with a city of strong shoulders tackling a legacy of distrust, racial and economic segregation, it may be all over but for the fighting.

Chicago schools CEO at the crossroads

When Alice Cooper crooned “School’s Out” in the 1970’s it was at least for the students, and maybe some of the teachers, a sense of relief and freedom from the rigors of education, albeit freedom. But for the Chicago Public Schools CEO Macquiline King, summer break has also brought the headaches of leading America’s fourth largest school system serving 322,000 to 323,000 students.

First she had to face off against a barrage of questions from the US House Education Committee, and as local public media station WBEZ reported, “about transgender students, religion and sex education as she testified under subpoena Wednesday at a contentious U.S. House education committee hearing.”

Battle lines were drawn when, “The Republican chair of the committee, Tim Walberg, came out swinging, accusing King and the other superintendents in attendance of representing school districts with “radical” policies that “sideline parents” and “compromise student privacy rights.”

It’s been well established that any reference to transgender students by the Trump administration is bound to appeal to their political base, and it was a major point in the 2024 presidential election, when President Trump faced off Democratic candidate, Vice-President Kamala Harris.

The Republican chair of the committee, Tim Walberg “ went so far as to say that some practices, such as allowing a transgender girl to sleep in the same room as a cisgender girl on an overnight trip, could rise to the level of “child abuse and neglect.” 

“Advocates for transgender youth say such policies help protect trans students’ privacy and safety.”

This session was watched closely by advocates for inclusion and those against it, and especially with the upcoming midterm elections in November, setting the table for issues to garner votes for the GOP.  And, the administration has threatened to withhold funds from school districts that held in opposition of  their own interpretation of student civil rights.

“Republican lawmakers, meanwhile, questioned King about whether she believes that teachers have to disavow their Christian beliefs to teach in CPS and what grade she thinks it is appropriate to start providing condoms to students. To most questions, including those about accommodations for trans students on overnight trips, King flatly told the lawmakers that CPS policies are aligned with Illinois laws.”

King emphasized in her opening statement, that “Our classrooms are not homogeneous. They are vibrant communities where students learn alongside peers whose lived experiences may differ from their own,” King said. “The only way to truly serve a student is to understand and embrace what makes each student and community unique.”

“The fact of the matter is almost 80% of our citizens polled clearly stated they don’t want males in female sports or restrooms, and yet your schools and the state of Illinois rules that you follow, that you, Dr. King, referred to so often, encourages that,” Walberg said.

In a nod to the increasing number of special education students that are enrolled in Chicago schools resulting in increased hiring for specialized teachers, Walberg, said, “Will that funding also be used to teach our children the truth, as opposed to going along with the cultural setting that is trying to change the reality around gender?” he asked. “Those are our concerns.”

King deflected these questions with a steady refrain, later in a written statement released that said,”reiterated that “CPS policies are rooted in law, the District’s mission and values.”

“Above all else, Dr. King emphasized the District must always prioritize the best interests of students and their families,” the statement continued..

As the media noted: “The Trump administration is investigating CPS over its policy that allows transgender students to use the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity, as well as the district’s Black Student Success initiative, which aims to improve the experiences and academic outcomes of Black students,” which lost a $2 million federal grant for that program.

Chicago School Board President Sean Harden said King “did a fantastic job” explaining to members of Congress what “our values are as a district” and the policies that are guiding CPS. He said the board has “complete confidence” in King.”

“She has shown tremendous leadership,” he added. “Whether it’s building community partnerships, advocating for our schools or testifying before Congress as she’s done today, we applaud her unwavering commitment to keeping students and families at the center.”

The biggest battle for King was crafting a budget for a district that has faced innumerable financial challenges from long-term debt, to a crumbling physical plant to meeting the demands of the powerful Chicago Teachers Union to dwindling enrollment with outside debt totaling $9 billion dollars and debt repayment that is 9 percent of its budget.

With a $732 billion budget shortfall, she has proposed a budget that includes more central office layoffs, and teachers, angering CTU but attempting to preserve a level of education for a student population that is largely Black and brown and which lacks political support.

In an attempt to move away from classroom cuts, King  “proposed [a] $9.88 billion budget to close the district’s funding gap. The plan calls for $200 million in Tax Increment Financing, or TIF, funds from the city, the layoff of 760 teachers and 801 support staff, and five unpaid furlough days for CPS employees” reported WTTW.

In a tone that seemed both philosophical as well as pragmatic she told the media, ““We are not budgeting for the district we had yesterday,” King said. “It is imperative we are budgeting for the students we serve today and the futures of tomorrow.”

“Still, district officials admit it will be a challenge to keep cuts away from the classroom. Emila Zoko, the acting chief budget officer, said Thursday that the district had asked “department leaders to determine what reductions can be made with the least impact on students.”

But “it’s getting harder and harder to make reductions” that don’t “impact direct student programming and student supports,” she said to the Chicago Sun Times.

The plan is for at “least $105 million in cuts to non-classroom costs, such as reducing the number of custodians and central office staffers.”

Questions have arisen from Board members on how the debt reached a crisis point and “Jennifer Custer, a board member representing District 1B, is pointing the finger at Cook County officials who she says have dragged their feet on disbursing revenue from local property taxes.

“We are having some issues with our short-term cash flow because the county hasn’t delivered some of that money to us,” Custer said.

“Property taxes are the district’s single-largest revenue source. Without timely payments, CPS is forced to take out billions in short-term loans to pay staff and keep the lights on, resulting in millions of dollars in interest payments. That’s money that doesn’t get spent on the classroom,” according to the Sun Times.

At last count that amount is $4.5 billion in property taxes this year.

"As a result, CPS has been forced to borrow money through tax anticipation notes (TANs) to cover short-term costs.” And with a junk bond rating they have spent higher interest rates, of at least 80 million in interest payments.

According to Wally Stock acting chief financial officer at CPS said to Chalkbeat Chicago that, "“This year the situation is a little different. The cash flow for the district is different. In order for CPS to make payroll, we have to secure a short-term loan, and that application is due. We’re expected to close Sept. 2 in order for a payroll on Sept. 4. "

Repeated delays in Cook County property taxes “have worsened the problem” reported the Chicago Tribune; and. “CPS will hit its borrowing limit for its previous fiscal year in August so banks won’t approve new tax anticipation notes, or TANS until the next budget is passed.”

Any loans will be dependent on the lenders feeling that an approved budget will get far more favorable terms than without one.

On Tuesday "Two teachers unions have filed a lawsuit against Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas, alleging she is not distributing millions of dollars in taxpayer funds to schools and that students are being harmed as a result.

The Chicago Teachers Union and the Illinois Federation of Teachers are seeking a court order requiring Pappas to issue late tax bills and distribute funds to school districts. The unions contend that money collected through property taxes is not reaching schools in a timely manner."

ABC Eyewitness News reported that, "Steve Yokich, an attorney representing CTU and IFT, said the treasurer has a legal obligation to distribute the money.

"It's really important for the treasurer to do her job under the statute. People have already paid their money. They're entitled to get what they pay their money for, which is education for their families," Yokich said.

According to CTU, Pappas is withholding up to $400 million in tax receipts from Chicago Public Schools.

In a written statement, Pappas responded: "No comment on the pending litigation. We have given the Chicago Board of Education more than $4.5 billion. These attacks are par for the course. It's election season."

Civic Federation President Joe FergIn the last budget cycle CPS got a windfall in Tax Increment Financing dollars of $552 million when local alderpeople passed a budget with a $1 billion surplus, something that will probably not be seen this year.

“The CTU claims the district is considering reducing the number of school days next year to save money. Jackson Potter, vice president of the union, said that’s on top of proposed cuts to librarians, tech coordinators and athletic directors.

“In discussions with the district and the city, we are hearing that up to two weeks of the school year could be canceled in order to meet the budget gap that will still exist after these cuts have been imposed,” Potter said at the end of June to the Sun Times,

“But the district denied that option was on the table. A CPS spokesperson wrote in a statement that “at no point has the District considered shortening the school year to alleviate these financial challenges.”

As we’ve reported before Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has been reluctant to offer more state funds to Chicago emphasizing that there are other school districts in the state, yet “Jitu Brown, a board member representing District 5A, said lawmakers at the state level have not done enough to fund CPS.”

“I think it’s very important to note that you have states like California, where a little over 50% of the local schools’ budgets are covered by the state. In Chicago, we are far below that,” Brown said. “It’s also important to remember that for decades, Illinois, despite having an international city in its midst, was 49th in education funding. … It is time for the state to do some get-right by its children.”

Time is of the essence, say some, plus “Illinois’ evidence-based funding plan, a law signed in 2017 meant to provide more funding to undersourced school districts, says CPS is $1.6 billion short of “adequate” funding." 

Yet the state has expressed that using the 10 year old funding formula is estimated to be 79 percent; to bring the schools to adequate funding.

Custer said that even if a special session were approved and the state agreed to send more money, it’s unlikely that money would arrive quickly enough to help CPS in the short term. 

“Those (state dollars) wouldn’t be realized in this budget to help us in the crisis we’re in now. They wouldn’t show up until next year,” Custer said. “Just because we call for a special session doesn’t mean any of that money will come to our door.”

Questions remain on whether the CTU is working lockstep with other labor organizations and the city. “But Custer said CTU has not made an effort to collaborate on the budget process.

CTU President Stacy Davis Gates has criticized King’s proposal, calling it “dead on arrival,” and told local media: “Students have had to learn in overcrowded classes, practice under unpaid coaches, and be counseled by caseworkers with loads beyond compare all year, and now CPS thinks they can plan a week of furloughs and tell the staff who serve them they don’t have a job? Please,” 

“I think we’ve heard President Davis Gates come and say all the time, ‘come to the table.’ But I don’t think she’s reciprocating that notion,” Custer said. “If you just come in and say, ‘No, we’re not gonna do this. This is dead on arrival,’ it’s not true collaboration,” 

Meanwhile Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a former CPS teacher, and organizer, has said that “to balance the budget off the backs of working people and at the expense of our students, that’s not sustainable.” 

Late breaking news on Tuesday brought a cancellation of the furlough days, based on a revised estimate of $285 million from TIF monies. 

King then noted that “We will continue to advocate with our partners at all levels of government to get the funding we know our students need,” in a statement Wednesday. “But trying to balance the budget on unrealized state revenue at the 11th hour would be a mistake with devastating short-and-long-term consequences.”

For the late money, from the tax coffers, she said in an interview on WTTW, a local public broadcasting station,"We are working with that office, and over the past several weeks it has been a concern that we’ve raised as well. We’re looking to receive a payment as early as next week.” 

Updated 30 July 2026