21 Seats. One Election. The Fight for Chicago’s Schools

For the first time, Chicago voters will elect all 21 members of the Chicago Board of Education. But the fight over who controls the city’s schools has been decades in the making.Juan Rangel and Bobby Sylvester trace the path from local school councils and mayoral control to the rise of the Chicago Teachers Union as a political force. They break down why the elected school board was created, how CTU’s influence changed the balance of power, and why the November 2026 election could determine the direction of Chicago Public Schools for years to come.