As 21 members prepare to take office in January, The Fund thanks those who ran, congratulates those who won, and calls for a shared focus on students in the decisions ahead.
CHICAGO (Nov. 4, 2026) – The Chicago Public Education Fund (The Fund) congratulates Jessica Biggs on being elected president of the Chicago Board of Education (CBOE). We also congratulate the members elected to represent their districts. For the first time in the city’s history, Chicago voters chose every member of the board that governs Chicago Public Schools (CPS).
“The Board of Education carries responsibility to every student, family, educator, and taxpayer in the city,” Dr. Heather Y. Anichini, CEO of The Chicago Public Education Fund, said. “We are grateful to everyone who ran for a seat, and look forward to working alongside those elected.”
The election completes Chicago’s transition to a fully elected school board, which began when voters chose 10 members in 2024. Public interest grew throughout this campaign cycle. In The Fund’s October poll of registered Chicago voters, 77% knew the board election was on the ballot, up from 59% in May.
Increased awareness translated to participation. Early results suggest that, as of 9:25 a.m. on Nov. 4, 86% of the more than 650,000 ballots included a vote for the citywide president position.
The new board takes office in January 2027 at a consequential moment for Chicago’s public schools. In its first year, the board will evaluate CPS Superintendent/CEO Dr. Macquline King, adopt a fiscal year 2028 budget facing a budget deficit approaching $1B, and vote on the property tax levy.
“The decisions in front of this board are significant, and they will come quickly,” Anichini said. “It will be important for the public to remain engaged and informed as the new Board finds its footing.”
Alongside other education partners, the Fund will continue to provide nonpartisan data and information for the public and board members.
The Six Principles of Good Governance, released this fall in collaboration with Kids First Chicago and the Chicago Education Alliance and backed by more than 20 organizations, are intended to guide board decisions and deepen our shared understanding of what is possible for Chicago’s students.
Congratulations to the members of Chicago’s first fully elected board of Education. We look forward to the work ahead.
Methodology
Embold Research, the nonpartisan unit of Change Research, surveyed 1,062 registered voters in Chicago online from Oct. 5 to 14, 2026, in English and Spanish. Results are weighted to match the city’s registered voters by age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, and 2024 presidential vote. The modeled margin of error for the full sample is ±3.2 percentage points. Embold surveyed 1,033 registered Chicago voters from May 14 to 26, 2026.
Media Contact
Brooke Rayford
Senior Manager of Communications
brayford@thefundchicago.org
The Chicago Public Education Fund