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The Photo Issue

While board members decide who Chicago's next school superintendent will be, Board Rule offers photos and video of key moments in early 2026.

The Photo Issue
Chicago Public Schools is encouraging families to enroll their children in the six contract and charter schools that are transitioning into the school district. The message on this billboard at Cermak and Trumbull in Little Village can also be seen on CTA buses. (Photo: Maureen Kelleher)

Happy spring break to all Chicago Public Schools families and educators! While the school board deliberates on the next superintendent/CEO — watch for a special meeting coming next week — Board Rule will share a few photos from the action that has taken place in the first three months of 2026. [Note: Chalkbeat Chicago reported that next week's meeting will take place on Monday. Board Rule was told it will happen on Tuesday. According to the Open Meetings Act, the agenda must be posted at least 48 hours before the meeting is held.]

Late yesterday, both Chalkbeat Chicago and WBEZ published profiles of Sito Narcisse, the former East Baton Rouge superintendent who is vying with Interim Superintendent/CEO Macquline King for the permanent position.

Supporters surround Sendhil Revuluri, who is running for president of the Chicago Board of Education.
Sendhil Revuluri (center, holding child) celebrated his campaign launch on Pi Day. Revuluri is one of three declared candidates for president of the Chicago Board of Education. (Photo: Mark Smithivas)

Sendhil Revuluri kicked off his campaign on Saturday, March 14, with pie and petitions. In a LinkedIn post after the event, he said, "We've already collected thousands of signatures, but given the way politics has been played in Chicago, an independent candidate needs a sizable buffer to ensure ballot access."

From left: Alderman Andre Vazquez (bearded, wearing a green hat, green sweatshirt and green bead necklaces) stands next to school board Member Jennifer Custer (wearing a clear green plastic rain poncho over a dark green coat.)
Board Member Jennifer Custer and Ald. Andre Vasquez pose for a photo at the Northwest Side St. Patrick's Day Parade. (Photo courtesy Jennifer Custer for School Board.)

Jennifer Custer joined the revelers in the Northwest Side St. Patrick's Day Parade on Sunday, March 15. In an Instagram post, she thanked 41st Ward Committeeman John Hanley for inviting her.

Carlos Rivas, in a blue coat, stands in front of a stand of multiple microphones. Ald. Gil Villegas stands behind him (left) and parents and students stand to the right.
Carlos Rivas speaks to the media at a press conference hailing Chicago Public Schools' agreement with the Archdiocese of Chicago to rent the building that houses Acero Santiago school in West Town. Ald. Gilbert Villegas stands behind Rivas. (Photo: Maureen Kelleher)

After months of negotiations, Acero Santiago parents celebrated a victory in early March, when the Archdiocese of Chicago agreed to rent the former St. Mark's elementary school building, which now houses Santiago, to Chicago Public Schools. In late February, the Chicago Board of Education approved adding Santiago and four other Acero campuses to its master lease with the Archdiocese. Chalkbeat Chicago's Reema Amin reported the cost of the lease would increase by roughly $2 million, to about $7 million.

Two teenage boys hold signs reading, "Save ASPIRA."
ASPIRA students protest the closure of their schools before the Chicago Board of Education's February meeting. At the March meeting, the board officially revoked ASPIRA's charter after months of financial problems with the charter operator. (Photo: Maureen Kelleher)

At its March meeting, the Board of Education unanimously voted to revoke the ASPIRA network's charter, bringing to an end months of wrangling over the network's troubled finances. According to WBEZ, this is the first time the school district has revoked a charter during the school year. Chalkbeat Chicago reported that about 500 students in ASPIRA's two high schools have transferred into other schools, including 235 to Schurz High School.

To hear students and families talk about the experience in their own words, listen to this WBEZ audio.

Candidate Updates

District 6A: Academy of Local Leadership Fellow Brenda Anderson, who teaches at Northwestern University's School of Education and Social Policy, has announced she will run for school board.

District 9B: Appointed school board member Ángel Vélez has begun circulating petitions to get on the ballot in November.

Movers & Shakers

Fatima Cooke, formerly chief equity officer for CPS, has joined the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation as senior program officer for education.

Joanna Trotter, who until recently led the Chicago philanthropy team for JP Morgan/Chase, is joining the Paul M. Angell Foundation as vice president of programs.

Your Spring Break Movie (Maybe)

If you just can't put work down, perhaps you can spend 25 minutes watching this short film on chronic absenteeism from the Regional Education Laboratory (REL) Midwest. The film features students and teachers from two Chicago schools: Metcalfe Elementary and Carver Military Academy. It also highlights promising strategies to reduce chronic absenteeism, like building strong, positive relationships with students and educators, and analyzing data in teacher teams to design and test practices to reduce chronic absences.

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