Hearings Will Focus on Reviewing Proposed Maps Submitted by Public and Exploring Best Ways to Transition to a Fully-Elected School Board
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate Special Committee on the Chicago Elected Representative School Board will hold additional hearings to gather public input on the creation of new Chicago elected school board districts.
The hearings are scheduled to be held online at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 3 and 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 12 at www.ilga.gov. The hearings will focus on reviewing proposed citywide maps submitted through the portal and will explore suggestions on how to transition to a fully-elected school board in a manner that will provide equitable representation for all of Chicago’s diverse communities.
Comments can be submitted via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or online at www.ilsenateredistricting.com. That website also hosts an online map-making portal where stakeholders including parents, education advocates and community groups are encouraged to draw and submit proposed district boundaries ahead of the scheduled hearings. The online map-making portal has been available since March and remains open for submissions.
“We are committed to ensuring voices from across our city’s diverse communities are heard throughout this process,” said Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford, who is serving as Chair of the committee. “We appreciate those who have already taken the time to submit testimony and draw suggested maps, and we want to hear from more of our friends, neighbors and fellow community members on those submissions. I look forward to continuing our shared work of empowering families and uplifting our children.”
Currently appointed by the mayor, the Chicago Board of Education will transition to become fully-elected over the course of a two-year hybrid period.
During the November 2024 election, ten members of the Chicago Board of Education will be elected by voters, and ten members and the board president will be appointed by the mayor. Elected members will serve four-year terms, while appointed members, including the appointed board president, will serve two-year terms. The board will become fully-elected after the November 2026 general election.
School board districts must be consistent with the Illinois Voting Rights Act, which ensures districts are crafted in a way that preserves clusters of minority voters if they are of size or cohesion to exert collective electoral power.
“Our goal is to create a community-centered education experience our city can be proud of,” said Sen. Robert Martwick, Vice-Chair of the Special Committee on the Chicago Elected Representative School Board and sponsor of the legislation creating an elected school board in Chicago. “I thank all of the dedicated advocates who have brought us to this point and am excited to continue this important, transformative work.”
“Students and parents deserve a Board of Education that is accountable to their communities,” said Sen. Omar Aquino, Vice-Chair of the Special Committee on the Chicago Elected Representative School Board. “That’s why we are dedicated to making sure all of our neighborhoods are given a strong voice in how district boundaries are created.”
