The Election

On November 3rd, Chicago Voters will go to the polls to vote for offices up and down the ballot. For the first time on your ballot will be the opportunity to elect a Chicago Public School Board Member to represent your District. Therese Boyle is running to represent District 9B.

The new 21 member School Board will have 20 elected board members and the President. CPS has a budget of more than $9 billion, which is used to serve over 325,000 students across 634 schools. Governing the Board is a tremendous responsibility for the Board Members chosen to lead.

 

Therese’s First Term: 

  • Passed balanced budgets that protect classrooms while avoiding additional costly short-term borrowing that threatens the district’s long-term financial stability. No more loans!
  • Voted NO to an additional increase to the CPS Property Tax Levy for fiscal year 2026.
  • Voted NO to the costly $30 million incubation process to save the five Acerco Charter Schools slated for closure by the charter operator.
  • Advocated for greater transparency, accountability, and community engagement in the Board of Education’s decision-making processes for contracts and vendors. This is essential to making sure the dollars we spend are helping to improve student outcomes.
  • Co-chaired the work to restore the district’s Special Education Advisory Committee with a focus on including parent, student, and educator voices.
  • Worked with community organizations and the district to support the work of Parent Mentor Programming in our schools.
  • Advocated for the voice of Local School Councils to strengthen community-led education.
  • Visited ALL 46 schools in District 9B to listen to concerns of school leaders, educators, and students.
  • Engaged with the Far South Community Action Council (CAC) and numerous community based organizations to listen to concerns and ideas for improving our schools.
  • Worked with CPS Superintendent King and elected officials to ensure our communities’ students received the proportionate share special education services they are entitled to under law.
  • Argued for the return of Crossing Guards and Safe Passage workers who were cut from the CPS budget.

Board Members fulfill a number of specific key responsibilities, including:

  • Hiring and evaluating the CEO
  • Guiding the direction, goals, and priorities for CPS
  • Approving CPS policies
  • Approving purchasing decisions, contracts, and intergovernmental agreements
  • Approving the CPS budget and capital improvement plan
  • Approving the school calendar
  • Approving school continuous improvement plans, school actions, and school charters and contracts
  • Approving the dismissal of probationary appointed teachers, contract principals & tenured teachers, and non-probationary educational support personnel