Newly elected members of Chicago Board of Education take office amid CPS financial challenges and negotiations with CTU.

CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago Public Schools officially has new leadership.

The district’s 21-person hybrid board was sworn-in during a meeting Wednesday morning.

Eleven of the members were newly handpicked by Mayor Brandon Johnson while 10 others were elected by voters, a very first for the district.

One of the board’s first orders of business was to elect a new vice president.

One of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s appointees, Olga Bautista, was elected by the board to serve as vice president.

ABC7 Chicago spoke with Ellen Rosenfeld, one of the newly elected board members serving a North Side district, ahead of Wednesday’s meeting.

“Rosenfeld expressed the desire for the vice president of the board to be an educator with experience in Chicago Public Schools, emphasizing the importance of having educational backgrounds at the top leadership positions of an organization serving over 300 thousand students.

CPS’ fresh leadership takes the reins of the nation’s fourth-largest district amid a period of financial instability.

The district is facing a more than $750 million budget deficit, according to a budget watchdog group.

Separately, the new board will have to secure a new Chicago Teachers Union contract.

The CTU says progress is being made, but nothing is finalized yet.

The new hybrid board will be in place for two years. Then, in November of 2026, all board members will be elected.

The CTU said in a statement,

“The recent leadership changes at the Chicago Board of Education mark a significant shift towards accountability to the people of the city, after years of advocacy for better educational standards for Chicago students and families.

“A diverse coalition formed in 2013 to amplify the voices advocating for safe, inclusive, and high-quality public schools in Chicago. Despite facing opposition from affluent individuals and private entities, the coalition succeeded in establishing a board of education that prioritizes community representation. This achievement reflects the perseverance and dedication of the coalition in promoting the interests of ordinary working families. Today, we commemorate the efforts of this coalition and the realization of a democratically elected school board in Chicago.

“The elected and appointed board members take their seats at a critical moment. Currently, only 12 CPS high schools have librarians, and 85% of all CPS schools lack libraries or skilled staff to work in them. Moreover, no neighborhood CPS high school in a majority Black neighborhood offers complete access to Advanced Placement or Honors classes. This year, we started with over three hundred vacancies in special education educator roles.

“These challenges and so much more have put a unique charge on our new board to ratify a contract that guarantees a high-quality school day for all our students and provides our educators with the tools necessary to prepare our students to be thriving leaders of the 21st century. The board will have to hold this CEO accountable to the vision of the district’s 5-year strategic plan, prevent any layoffs or cuts, and ultimately choose a new leader suited for the role.

“Board members will have to be strong advocates for the state funding this district is owed. And they will play a key role in building a forcefield around our school communities to insulate and protect our students from the hateful attacks of the incoming administration. It’s essential this work starts today.”