Illinois School District News

Ebony L. DeBerry (left) and Hector Morales (right) are running to represent District 2a on the Chicago Board of Education.

Like many Democratic governors, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is facing an intense pressure campaign from supporters and opponents about a new federal education tax credit. For states to participate, governors must opt in.

A young student reads a sentence in Spanish at Calmeca Academy of Fine Arts in the Brighton Park neighborhood in 2025. One month into the school year, CPS has rehired 350 people as part of the school board's budget...

District 5B school board candidates Anthony Hargrove (left), and Michilla “Kyla” Blaise (right) participate in a Sept. 17 candidate forum hosted at Collins Academy STEAM High School.

Norma Ríos Sierra, candidata a la Junta de Educación de Chicago por el Distrito 3a.

Sendhil Revuluri, school board presidential candidate, poses for portrait in Douglass Park. Revuluri announced Wednesday that he's suspending his campaign.

Chicago Board of Education swearing in ceremony on Wed., Jan. 15, 2025. Chalkbeat Chicago compiled how school board incumbents running to keep their seats voted on a range of key issues.

'Round the Board by Lumpen Radio

Pre-K students at Johnson Elementary School in North Lawndale make trees using popsicle sticks and leaves as part of a STEAM lesson. Johnson's enrollment remained stable this fall, even as Chicago Public Schools overall...

Graphic for campaign finance tracker.

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A map of Chicago school board electoral districts for the 2026 general election.

Connie Anderson (left), Patrick Watson (center), and write-in candidate Rosita Chatonda (right) are running for the District 10b seat on the Chicago Board of Education.

Brittany Preston, a mother of six, didn't make the ballot two years ago but is now running unopposed to represent District 9a on the Chicago Board of Education.

Juan Ignacio Gonzalez is running to represent District 8b on the Chicago Board of Education.

Norma Rios Sierra (left) and Peter Gonzales (right) are running to represent District 3a on the Chicago Board of Education.

Debby Pope (left), Kyna Lenhof (center), and Daniel Basco (right) are running to represent District 2b on the Chicago Board of Education.

Four candidates are competing to be Chicago's first elected school board president. From left: Sendhil Revuluri, Jessica Biggs, Hilario Dominguez, and Victor Henderson.

Jessica Biggs spoke with voters outside Mollison Elementary on Election Day in 2024, when she first won election to the school board.

Attorney Victor Henderson spoke at a Chicago school board president candidate forum at McCutcheon Elementary earlier this month.

For the first time, Chicagoans will elect the entire Board of Education — 20 members plus an at-large president. Find which district you vote in and compare candidates before Election day, Nov. 3, 2026.

Candidates for Chicago school board president attend a WTTW forum on Sept. 15, 2026. From left to right on stage: Jessica Biggs, Hilario Dominguez, Victor Henderson, and Sendhil Revuluri.

Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks to reporters during a press conference about protecting immigrant Chicagoans in October 2025. After months of delay, the mayors office has opened applications for people interested in...

Childcare providers in Illinois are technically required to carry coins with them when they take children on an outing, like a walk or a field trip. Why would a childcare provider need to bring pocket change along?...

Mateo Lopez, 3, interacts with instructor Rebecca Rodriguez at Haugan Elementary School on Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022 in Chicago. Some school board members want the district to study expanding early childhood programs...

First generation high school graduate Froylan Suarez wants to make a difference by voting in the first elected school board election in Chicago in 30 years.

15West's Chicago school board accessible voter guide: Find your district, register to vote, choose how and where to cast your ballot, and learn what voting assistance is available.

WTTW News Explains: How This Year’s Chicago Board of Education Elections Will Work

A student cuts string from fabric at the Community Youth Development Institute on Wednesday, August 3, 2022 in Chicago.

Elementary students learning in the computer lab with their teacher. An Illinois nonprofit is circulating a pledge to ban AI use in schools and limit screen time for Chicago school board candidates.

An exterior photo of the Chicago Arts High School in Chicago, Illinois. School board members decided Thursday to put off a vote on a resolution steering extra resources to the school.

Jennifer Custer, an incumbent member of the Chicago Board of Education, dropped out of the race to become the first elected president of the CPS school board.

Chicago school board member Angel Gutierrez came out in support of Illinois’ participation at a Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, news conference outside South Loop Elementary School in Chicago, Illinois.

Carter Darling, 11, walks to Robert A. Black Magnet Elementary School on the first day of school on Aug. 24, 2026.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who is seeking reelection this November, received a key endorsement on his education policies from the state’s largest union this week. Monday’s announcement marks the third time the Illinois...

The Chicago Board of Education will be fully elected for the first time in several decades this November.

This summer, I ran a one-week artificial intelligence pilot at the Chicago headquarters of Forging Opportunities for Refugees in America, a nonprofit dedicated to helping refugees succeed in school. Most of the students...

A school in Kentucky sent students home with a bound agenda that included absurd errors clearly made by AI. The periodic table was nonsense. The map of the U.S. lists the state of Illinois as “Vitoiis,” and Kentucky is...

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker secured an endorsement again from the Illinois Education Association for his reelection campaign.