Give Your Feedback on Chicago Elected School Board Districts
On November 3, the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus introduced legislation outlining the electoral process for the new Chicago Elected School Board and establishing ethics requirements and conflict of interest provisions for members.
Since 1995, the school board has been appointed by the mayor, which eventually led to demands for greater community representation after the closure of 50 schools in 2013. In 2021, after many years of advocacy and lobbying by Chicago residents and organizations, Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a law to create a 21-member elected school board with phased-in elections.
Under this recent legislative proposal, 20 districts will be created for the 2024 election. The districts are numbered odd and even. The 10 odd-numbered districts will be up for election in 2024, and 10 even-numbered districts, plus the Board Chair, will be appointed by the mayor. In the 2026 election, the even districts will have their election. All elected Board members will serve for four years so that terms are staggered.
A draft map of the 20 districts is now available online. Previous attempts at establishing district lines this year have been met with various levels of criticism based on demographics, locations of student populations, and concerns about the integrity of certain communities. The public is encouraged to review the proposed district boundaries and provide additional feedback via the Illinois Senate Redistricting Committee’s website or through email at ChicagoERSBCommittee@senatedem.ilga.gov. The online map can be enlarged for closer scrutiny of boundaries and school locations. Learn more about the mapping process.
The draft district map will be considered for final approval during this week’s legislative veto session, held November 7–9. There are concerns that if a final district map is not approved soon, grassroots candidates who may be considering a run will have a difficult time getting the necessary resources, defeating the purpose of elected representation. Individuals who want to provide feedback to the map should do so quickly through the links provided. You can also contact your state representative, state senator and alderman with questions or concerns.
In addition to the district mapping, the legislation establishes ethics requirements for Board members that mirror those for other school boards across the state, as well as conflict of interest provisions in line with the state’s existing Public Officer Prohibited Activities Act. The measure also calls for the creation of a Black Student Achieve Committee within the Board, following feedback from education advocates, parents, and community members about the need to focus on the disparity in academic performance among Black students.
