Chicago votes Nov. 3, 2026, on its first fully elected school board, and the Chicago Teachers Union is facing opposition from nearly every direction.
Political consultant and Chicago election mapmaker Frank Calabrese joins host Melanie Krakauer to walk through the 2026 Chicago school board election: the citywide school board president race, the union feud between CTU and SEIU, the outside groups spending millions, and the district races to watch.
Why it matters: Chicago Public Schools receives the majority of a Chicago homeowner's property tax bill, more than police, fire or city services. Whoever controls the school board controls one of the largest budgets in Illinois.
In this episode:
- Who's running for Chicago school board president, and why Frank sees it as Jessica Biggs vs. Hilario Dominguez
- Why CTU has endorsed candidates in just 13 of 20 districts after petition challenges
- How CTU and SEIU Local 73 went from allies to rivals
- The roughly $4 million already committed by Common Ground Collective, the Illinois Network of Charter Schools and SEIU, and why spending could approach $10 million
- The CPS budget deficit, under-enrolled schools and the school closing moratorium set to expire in 2027
CHAPTERS
0:00 Is it everyone vs. the Chicago Teachers Union?
1:16 How does Chicago's elected school board work?
2:13 Why CPS gets most of your Chicago property tax bill
7:03 Why CTU has no candidates in 7 districts
10:41 Who's running for Chicago school board president? Biggs vs. Dominguez
19:13 CTU vs. SEIU: Why Chicago's unions are feuding
20:48 Chicago school board endorsements: CTU, SEIU, CFL, Common Ground
23:16 What every Chicago voter should know
24:05 CPS budget deficit, empty schools and school closings
30:58 How much money is being spent? Up to $10 million
33:00 Chicago school board races, district by district
33:32 District 1A: Ed Bannon vs. Margie Lucic (Edison Park, Norwood Park)
36:45 District 1B: Claudia Pallotta vs. Michelle Pierre (Irving Park, Albany Park)
40:30 District 2A: Ebony DeBerry vs. Hector Morales (Rogers Park, West Ridge)
42:33 District 2B: Debbie Pope (Edgewater, Uptown, Lincoln Square)
44:17 District 3A: Norma Rio-Sierra vs. Peter Gonzalez (Logan Square, Avondale)
45:34 District 3B: Carlos Rivas vs. Jason Dones rematch (Humboldt Park)
46:58 District 4A: Karen Zacher vs. [CANDIDATE] vs. Angel Alvarez
48:40 District 4B: Ellen Rosenfeld runs unopposed
50:04 District 5A: Jitu Brown vs. La Palma Williams (West Side)
51:51 District 5B: Michilla Blaise vs. Anthony Hargrove (West Loop, Garfield Park)
53:56 District 6A: Anusha Thotakura vs. Isaiah White (River North, Gold Coast)
56:35 Districts 7A and 7B: Emma Lozano, Yesenia Lopez (Pilsen, Little Village)
58:49 Common Ground, charter schools and outside spending to watch
1:00:32 Why this election is a huge test for CTU
1:01:02 Where to research Chicago school board candidates before Nov. 3
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