February 11, 2026 • 6:00 pm–7:30 pm
Elected School Board 1 Year in Review: Is the Elected School Board Living Up to Its Promise?
Location: Virtual
Audience: General Public
Category: Town Hall
Join Kids First Chicago for a conversation reflecting on the first year of Chicago’s Elected School Board. We’ll explore how the hybrid Board has measured up to parent priorities [representation, fairness, and accountability] and what’s next as Chicago transitions to a fully elected board.
The event will feature a parent and partner panel sharing perspectives on how the Elected School Board’s first year has impacted families, communities, and schools across Chicago. The discussion will be moderated by Brandis Friedman, an Emmy Award-winning journalist and host at WTTW Chicago Tonight, known for her work elevating community voices and leading thoughtful, accessible conversations on education, equity, and public policy.
Also joining the conversation are several CPS parents, educators and former CPS Board Member:
- Arnie Rivera, Founding Executive Director of the Chicago Education Alliance, and former CPS Board Member
- Melanie Lopez, CPS Educator and K1C Parent Advisory Board Member
- Claiborne Wade, K1C Parent Advisory Board Member
- Alma Sigala, K1C Parent Advisory Board Member
Revisit our Reflections
Published last year and featured in the Chicago Tribune, our piece by Daniel Anello, Janice K. Jackson, Beth Swanson, and Sendhil Revuluri outlined the hopes for Chicago Public Schools’ new Board governance.
One year in, we invite you to revisit these reflections.