Voter guide: Chicago school board president

Chicagoans will determine who’s on the first fully elected Chicago Board of Education.

Chicago voters’ choices for the first fully elected Chicago Board of Education will affect issues ranging from the CPS budget to charter schools.

All 21 seats on the board of Chicago Public Schools are up for grabs on Election Day.

The Chicago Board of Education is responsible for the governance and oversight of CPS. It is the president’s responsibility to set the agenda, run meetings and represent the district among other elected officials.

Whoever Chicagoans elect as president will have a say on the CPS budget, union contracts and other decisions affecting their property taxes.

Who is running for board president?

Three candidates are still running for the district-wide position of board president.

None of the three returned a questionnaire from the Illinois Policy Institute. Some quick facts on each:

Jessica Biggs

• Elected board member representing District 6B. Biggs is a director at Southwest Organizing Project and a former CPS principal.
• Does not support continuing the moratorium on school closings.
• Does think CPS should continue raising the property tax levy to the legal limit.
• No. 1 funder as of Oct. 22: Michael Sacks

Hilario Dominguez

• Former Chicago Teachers Union deputy political director and former CPS teacher.
• Does support continuing the moratorium on school closings.
• Does think CPS should continue raising the property tax levy to the legal limit.
• No. 1 funder as of Oct. 22: CTU PAC

Victor P. Henderson

• Attorney at Henderson Parks
• Does not support continuing the moratorium on school closings.
• Does not think CPS should continue raising the property tax levy to the legal limit.
• No. 1 funder as of Oct. 22: himself

A fourth candidate, Sendhil Revuluri, suspended his campaign Sept. 30, saying “the gusher of special-interest cash has crowded out the voices of real Chicagoans.” Revuluri’s name is still on the ballot.

What is at stake for Chicago families?

A fully elected school board will give Chicago voters more say over what happens in the district. Here is what’s at stake this election:

CPS finances and property taxes

Chicago school board members approve the district’s annual budget.

They also can raise property taxes on Chicagoans, which they have done for more than a decade.

CPS began the 2026-2027 budget process with a projected $732.5 million deficit as expenses continued to outpace revenues. The board ultimately approved a record $10.11 billion budget that assumes an additional $150 million in state funding.

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s 2027 budget proposal would give CPS $286 million in TIF surplus money. That would reduce to $110 million the additional state funding needed to balance the district budget.

As spending and property taxes continue to climb, this election gives Chicagoans an opportunity to shape the direction of their school district and how taxpayer dollars are used.

Charter schools and parent choice

The board authorizes CPS charter schools, giving members authority over charter contracts, oversight and renewal decisions. Those decisions have significant consequences for Chicago’s charter schools and the families who choose them.

State law allows charter schools to be renewed for terms of up to 10 years. In 2025, the Chicago school board voted to renew all 21 charter schools, but the renewals ranged from just two to four years, creating instability for families and teachers.

The stakes for charter schools are especially relevant this election. CTU, which has endorsed a slate of candidates, has a history of attempting to undermine charter schools, including a provision in its current contract that restricts the number of charter schools and their enrollment totals. It isn’t likely that CTU’s endorsed candidates would differ with the union on charter school issues.

CTU influence and labor contracts

A core responsibility of Chicago school board members is to approve contracts, including those with unions. CTU is campaigning for its favored school board candidates, funding some who would then vote to approve or reject its future contract demands.

By putting its own candidates on the school board, union leadership can try to get their contract demands met and push CTU’s radical agenda on Chicago families.

How do I vote?

You can cast your ballot in one of three ways:

• By mail. Order a Chicago ballot here.
• During early voting, to avoid Nov. 3 crowds.
• On Election Day. Find your polling place.

Your vote matters. Elections in Illinois can be close. Claim your vote for the Nov. 3 election.