Jessica Biggs has won the election to become the first president of Chicago’s fully elected school board. According to preliminary results, she received more than 48% of the vote. The new board could be divided almost evenly between candidates endorsed by the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and those the union did not endorse.
Jessica Biggs Becomes First Elected School Board President
Biggs, a former teacher and principal in Chicago’s public schools, won more than 48% of the vote. Her rival Hilario Dominguez, who was backed by the CTU, received about 30%, and Victor Henderson about 18%. The vote count was still under way, and Henderson said he would wait for the results to be officially confirmed by Chicago’s election commission.
The election is also seen as a test of the Chicago Teachers Union’s influence. Preliminary results indicate that of the other 20 board members, ten received CTU backing and ten were not supported by the union. In several districts, however, the races remain very close.
The president will chair meetings, help set the agenda and represent the entire district. Unlike the president of the previous board, she will have full voting rights, the same as the other members.
CTU Promises Cooperation but Does Not Rule Out Conflict
Union representatives said they are ready to work with Biggs if she supports their demands for full school funding and an adequate number of staff. Among the key issues, they also named pressure on state officials and the governor to apply a data-driven formula for funding education.
The CTU, on the other hand, opposes any possible school closures during the school year. Asked about the possibility of a teachers’ strike in the event of a dispute with the new president, the union’s vice president declined to speculate. He stressed that he hopes such a scenario will not be necessary.
CPS Budget Among the Biggest Challenges
One of the new president’s first tasks will be balancing the budget of Chicago Public Schools (CPS). The financial plan for the 2026–2027 school year assumes $150 million in additional funding from the state of Illinois. However, that money has not yet been approved or formally proposed by state lawmakers.
If the funds are not granted, CPS may have to borrow money or make spending cuts during the school year.
Biggs will serve a four-year term. Half of the other board members were elected to two-year terms, and the other half to four-year terms. In subsequent elections held every two years, half of the board will be up for election, and all of the new seats will carry four-year terms.
Source: Polski.FM
