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Chicago Teachers Union leads in nine school board seats but loses presidency

Chicago Teachers Union leads in nine school board seats but loses presidency

Rule Changes Chicago, IL local

Union-backed candidates hold a blocking bloc; Jessica Biggs wins board president as budget pressure looms.

5 days ago: Anti-CTU groups spent $12 million, analysis finds

Overview

Updated 5 days ago

Chicago's first fully elected school board remains split after the Nov. 4 election. Union-backed candidates had won or led in nine of 21 seats as of Nov. 5, and the Chicago Teachers Union says it could win as many as 10 of the 20 district seats. Four races are still too close to call.

Jessica Biggs won the board presidency, defeating the union's Hilario Domínguez. Groups opposing the union spent about $12 million trying to defeat its candidates, including as much as $76 per vote in one losing race, according to a WBEZ analysis. The new board takes office Jan. 15 and faces a budget that assumes $150 million in state money lawmakers have not approved.

Why it matters

A split board can block school closures and budget cuts, but it may struggle to pass a budget without state money.

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Key Indicators

9
CTU-backed seats won or leading
Nine of 14 union-endorsed candidates had won or led as of Nov. 5; the union could win as many as 10 district seats. Four races remain too close to call.
11
Opponent-backed seats
Candidates backed by pro-school-choice groups held or led in 11 of 21 seats, a thin majority.
21
School board seats
The board has 20 district seats and one president.
$6.8M
Sacks donation to Common Ground
The Chicago Sun-Times reported Sacks put $6.8 million into the group in two months; WBEZ reported the group spent about $7 million through Nov. 2.
$12M
Anti-CTU spending
Groups opposing the Chicago Teachers Union spent about $12 million through Nov. 2, including $11.5 million from Common Ground Collective and the Illinois Network of Charter Schools.
$76
Cost per vote in one losing race
Common Ground Collective spent $76 per vote in a district race its candidate lost, according to a WBEZ analysis.
4
Races too close to call
Districts 3b, 5b, 6a and 7a remained too close to call as of Nov. 6.

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People Involved

Jessica Biggs
Jessica Biggs
President-elect of the Chicago Board of Education
Won board presidency; will preside over a board where CTU-backed candidates won or led in nine seats, with four races too close to call.
HD
Hilario Domínguez
Chicago Teachers Union deputy political director, on leave
Lost board presidency; CTU-backed candidates won or led in nine seats, with four races too close to call.
MS
Michael Sacks
Billionaire and former adviser to Rahm Emanuel
Major donor against CTU-backed candidates
 Brandon Johnson
Brandon Johnson
Mayor of Chicago
Half of current school board is appointed by him
 Stacy Davis Gates
Stacy Davis Gates
President of the Chicago Teachers Union
Says the union will strike if needed over state education funding; CTU-backed candidates won or led in nine seats.

Organizations Involved

Chicago Teachers Union
Chicago Teachers Union
Teachers union
Backed candidates who won or led in nine of 21 seats; could win as many as 10 district seats. Fell short of a majority.

The union represents teachers in Chicago Public Schools and is a major political force in city elections.
Common Ground Collective
Common Ground Collective
Political group
Spent about $7 million; its preferred president won, but several costly district races lost.

A political group funded by Michael Sacks that opposed CTU-backed school board candidates.
Chicago Public Schools
Chicago Public Schools
School district
Faces budget pressure and a split board.

The third-largest school district in the United States, serving Chicago students.
Chicago Board of Education
Chicago Board of Education
School board
New 21-member board takes office Jan. 15, 2027; CTU-backed candidates won or led in nine seats.

The governing body of Chicago Public Schools.

Timeline

5 events Latest: 5 days ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Anti-CTU groups spent $12 million, analysis finds

    Latest Election

    Groups opposing the Chicago Teachers Union spent about $12 million through Nov. 2, including as much as $76 per vote in one losing district race, according to a WBEZ analysis. The union spent less than $8 per vote.

  2. Ballot count continues in four school board races

    Election

    Election officials had 12 precincts left to report and about 131,000 ballots uncounted, including mail and provisional ballots. Results in Districts 3b, 5b, 6a and 7a were still too close to call.

  3. Updated count shows CTU with nine seats, opponents 11

    Election

    With four races still too close to call, union-backed candidates had won or led in nine of 21 seats. Candidates backed by pro-school-choice groups held or led in 11.

  4. CTU wins six seats, leads in four; Biggs wins presidency

    Election

    Union-backed candidates won six of 21 seats and led in four more. Jessica Biggs defeated Hilario Domínguez for board president.

  5. CTU president says union will strike if needed over state funding

    Labor

    Stacy Davis Gates said the union will keep pushing for more state education funding and will strike if necessary. She said Illinois owes schools $6 billion.

Scenarios

1

Biggs builds a working majority and passes a budget

Possible Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: Chicago Sun-Times reporting on the board's two-thirds threshold

Biggs needs 11 votes to pass a budget and set the agenda. If she holds the non-CTU members and wins one or two CTU-backed votes, the board can avoid a standoff. The first test is the fiscal 2027 budget.

2

CTU bloc blocks budget, forces school-closing moratorium

Possible Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: Chicago Sun-Times reporting on the 10-member CTU bloc

A 10-member CTU-aligned bloc cannot pass its own agenda, but it can block a two-thirds vote. If it holds together, it can stop budget cuts or force concessions on closures.

3

Sitting board passes school-closing moratorium before leaving office

Possible Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Chicago Sun-Times reporting on the December board meeting

The current board, half appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson and aligned with the CTU, meets in December. It could approve a moratorium on school closings, tying the new board's hands.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

September 2012

Chicago Teachers Union strike (2012)

Chicago teachers went on strike for the first time in 25 years. The walkout closed schools for seven days and ended with a contract that included raises and limits on class size.

Then

The union won some classroom protections but faced public frustration over the disruption.

Now

The strike cemented the CTU's role as a political force in Chicago.

Why this matters now

The union's ability to turn members into voters is central to this school board election.

2013

Chicago school closings (2013)

Chicago's school board voted to close dozens of schools, mostly on the South and West Sides. The decision displaced thousands of students and drew protests.

Then

The closures went ahead despite union and community opposition.

Now

The episode became a rallying point for CTU-backed candidates who want a moratorium on future closings.

Why this matters now

The current board could pass a moratorium before the new board takes office.

Sources

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Chicago Sun-Times Chalkbeat Axios Chicago The Center Square WBEZ Chicago WBEZ Chicago Chicago Sun-Times