Chicago Public Schools (CPS),officially classified as City of Chicago School District #299 for funding and districting reasons,in Chicago,Illinois,is the fourth-largest school district in the United States,after New York,Los Angeles,and Miami-Dade County. For the 2023–24 school year,CPS reported overseeing 634 schools,including 477 elementary schools and 157 high schools;of which 514 were district-run,111 were charter schools,7 were contract schools and 2 were SAFE schools. The district serves 323,251 students. Chicago Public School students attend a particular school based on their area of residence,except for charter,magnet,and selective enrollment schools.
Forrest Edward Claypool is an American politician who has held several positions in the governments of Chicago,Cook County,and the State of Illinois. He was the Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Public Schools from July 27,2015,until December 8,2017. Previous offices held by Claypool include Superintendent of the Chicago Park District from 1993 to 1998,Chief of Staff to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel,and President of the Chicago Transit Authority. In 2007–2008,Claypool served as a key member of Barack Obama campaign's media team,in his capacity as a longtime partner of David Axelrod.
Paul Gust Vallas Sr. is an American politician and former education superintendent. He served as the superintendent of the Bridgeport Public Schools in Connecticut and the Recovery School District of Louisiana,the CEO of both the School District of Philadelphia and the Chicago Public Schools,and a budget director for the city of Chicago.
The Washoe County School District (WCSD) is a public school district providing public education to students in all parts of Washoe County,Nevada,including the cities of Reno and Sparks,and the unincorporated communities of Verdi,Incline Village,Sun Valley and Gerlach. The Washoe County School District is the second largest school district in Nevada with approximately 64,000 students enrolled in 96 schools.
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) administers public education in the state of Illinois. The State Board consists of nine members who are appointed by the Governor with the consent of the Senate. Board members serve four-year terms,with State Board membership limited to two consecutive terms. The board sets educational policies and guidelines for public and private schools,preschool through grade 12. It analyzes the aims,needs and requirements of education and recommends legislation to the Illinois General Assembly and Governor for the benefit of the more than 2 million school children in the state.
Ron Huberman is an American entrepreneur and current CEO/Co-Founder of Benchmark Analytics,a provider of an evidenced-based public safety management system,featuring early warning and intervention analytics software for law enforcement agencies throughout the U.S. He spent 16 years in Chicago city government,with the first nine years in the Chicago Police Department. He started as a beat cop,advancing to Assistant Deputy Superintendent,where he created one of the country’s most advanced policing technology systems,including community-based strategies to help decrease crime on the streets. He also headed up Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications,bringing rapid change to that agency following the September 11 attacks on America. He is also the former chief executive officer and superintendent of Chicago Public Schools (2009–2010). Prior to heading the CPS,Huberman served as president of the Chicago Transit Authority.
Jean-Claude Brizard is an American former school superintendent. He served as chief executive officer of Chicago Public Schools from 2011 to 2012. Directly before coming to Chicago,Brizard served as the superintendent of the Rochester City School District. Brizard is best known as an education reformer,a strong charter school advocate and a champion of labor reform,particularly in regards to limiting teacher tenure status. Brizard started his career as a teacher,then an administrator,in the New York School System. He now works part time as a consultant for education reform organizations in America but primarily focuses on raising his children.
Barbara Louise Byrd–Bennett is an American educator,education administrator,former school superintendent and convicted felon. Byrd-Bennett is the former chief executive officer of the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and the Cleveland Municipal School District. She was CEO of the Cleveland schools from 1998 to 2006. From 2009 to 2011,she was the academic and accountability officer for the Detroit Public Schools system. She was hired as the chief education advisor for CPS in April 2012 and then named CEO by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel six months later.
A chief executive officer of public schools,or CEO of schools,is an educational professional who is responsible for the administration of a public school district. Similarly to a receiver,CEOs replace traditional superintendents in managing the daily operations of struggling school districts in an attempt to improve failing schools. With the introduction of private market ideas into the school system,CEOs are generally given unilateral power to enact necessary reforms. This concept was first introduced by the Chicago Public School System in 1995.
The Chicago Board of Education serves as the board of education for the Chicago Public Schools.
Richard A. Carranza is an American educator who was the Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education from 2018 to 2021. He was appointed by Mayor de Blasio after Alberto M. Carvalho publicly turned down the job in March 2018. He previously was the superintendent of the Houston Independent and the San Francisco Unified School Districts. He is Chief of Strategy and Global Development at IXL.
Jesse Sharkey is an American former schoolteacher and labor leader in Chicago. From 2010 to 2014,he was the Vice President of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU). In October 2014,he became acting President of the CTU after Karen Lewis stepped down as President due to illness. In May 2019,he and other members of the Caucus of Rank and File Educators (CORE) were re-elected to their leadership positions with approximately two-thirds of the vote.
Englewood STEM High School (ESHS) is a public four-year high school located in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago,Illinois,United States. Opened on September 3,2019,Englewood STEM is a part of the Chicago Public Schools district and serves students in both the Englewood and West Englewood community areas.
The 2019 Chicago Public Schools strike was a labor dispute between Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union and the Service Employees International Union Local 73 that lasted 14 days. The strike began on October 17,2019,when both unions failed to reach a contract agreement with Chicago Public Schools over compensation,benefits,staffing,wrap-around services such as counselors,nurses,and librarians,and caps on class sizes. On October 31,the strike officially ended when the mayor and the Chicago Teachers Union reached a tentative agreement allowing students to go back to class on November 1,2019. The agreement included millions of dollars dedicated to reducing class sizes,hundreds more social workers,nurses and librarians,and a 16 percent salary increase over the coming five years,but did not achieve all the main goals of the unions.
Brandon Johnson is an American politician and educator who is currently serving as the 57th mayor of Chicago since 2023. A member of the Democratic Party,Johnson previously served on the Cook County Board of Commissioners from 2018 to 2023,representing the 1st district.
The Chicago Board of Education is led by a president.
Janice K. Jackson is an American educator,educational administrator and former schools superintendent. Jackson served as the CEO of the Chicago Public Schools,the school district's superintendent position,from December 8,2017,until June 30,2021. Prior to her term as superintendent,Jackson was the chief education officer of the district.
JoséM. Torres is an American educator who served as the interim CEO of Chicago Public Schools,superintendent of the Elgin Area School District U46,and superintendent of the San Ysidro Elementary School District. He also served as president of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy.
The Chicago Board of Education election took place on November 5,2024,alongside the statewide general elections. This was the first ever election to the Board,which has been an appointed body since its formation in 1837.
