New Poll: CPS Budget, Elected School Board Candidates, and Priorities for the New Board

1. Chicagoans overwhelmingly believe Chicago Public Schools (CPS) must make better use of its existing resources—while also supporting additional State and City funding.

As CPS confronts a projected $732.5 million budget deficit and prepares for the transition to its first fully elected Board of Education, Chicagoans are sending a consistent message about both the district's financial future and how it should be governed.

When asked about broad approaches to addressing the budget deficit, respondents expressed their strongest support for improving how CPS spends its existing resources.

• More than four in five Chicagoans (81%) support CPS spending its money more effectively, including 49% who strongly support it and another 19% who moderately support it.
• Nearly three-quarters (73%) support additional State funding for CPS, including 33% who strongly support it and 25% who moderately support it.
• More than two-thirds (68%) support additional City funding for CPS, including 26% who strongly support it and 23% who moderately support it.
  • Parents of CPS students express stronger support for additional City funding: 38% strongly support it and another 29% moderately support it.

The clearest message from the poll is that Chicagoans expect CPS to improve how it manages the resources it already has. At the same time, they do not see better financial management and additional public investment as competing solutions. Rather, they expect stronger stewardship from CPS while looking to the State and City to help address the district's long-term structural funding challenges.

2. Chicagoans reject borrowing to close CPS's budget gap—and also oppose cuts that reach directly into schools.

When presented with four specific options for addressing CPS's projected budget deficit, respondents drew clear distinctions between slowing future investments, reducing existing school resources, and borrowing.

• Borrowing was the least popular option: just 25% support taking on a high-interest loan, including only 5% who strongly support it, while 54% oppose the idea.
• School-level cuts also face more opposition than support: 38% support reducing school-level spending—which could include staff, student supports, or other school resources—while 47% oppose it. Women are significantly more likely than men to oppose school-level cuts (53% versus 41%).
• Chicagoans are slightly more willing to delay future investments than reduce existing services. A majority (54%) support delaying or reducing the launch of new programs or services, such as community schools or dual language programs, while 47% support slowing the expansion of existing initiatives, such as the Black Student Success Plan, teacher diversity efforts, or curriculum investments.

The findings reveal a clear public hierarchy: Chicagoans would rather postpone future investments than reduce resources already reaching schools, and they reject borrowing to finance today's operating costs.

3. Financial stability tops the agenda for the first fully elected Board of Education.

Respondents were asked how the Board should prioritize addressing six issues for improvement in CPS in terms of low, medium, or high importance. Four priorities clearly rise to the top.

• 70% say addressing CPS's budget and long-term financial stability should be a high priority.
• 67% say improving student academic outcomes should be a high priority.
• 67% say ensuring funding and resources are distributed fairly across schools should be a high priority.
• 66% say making Board decisions more transparent and accountable should be a high priority.

Chicagoans are defining the Board's governing responsibilities. They expect Board members to stabilize the district's finances, improve academic outcomes, distribute resources fairly, and govern openly and transparently.

4. Community voice matters across Chicago—but especially in Black communities and on the South and Southwest Sides.

While financial stability and academic performance are more often seen as higher priorities overall, Chicagoans continue to place substantial value on ensuring parents and communities have a meaningful voice in district decisions.

• 46% say parent and community voice should be a high priority, while another 34% rate it a medium priority.
• 59% of Black respondents rate community voice as a high priority, compared with 38% of White respondents.
• High-priority ratings also reach 56% among Southwest Side residents and 51% among South Side residents.

These findings suggest community engagement remains an important expectation citywide, but its urgency varies considerably across Chicago's neighborhoods and demographic groups.

5. Chicagoans want Board members who can listen, lead, and govern independently.

When respondents were asked to define how important eight qualities in candidates for the CPS Board of Education are, two qualities stood above all others:

• 89% say it is important that candidates listen to and engage parents and communities, including 64% who say this is very important.
• 89% say it is important that candidates act independently and make decisions free from political pressure, including 63% who say this is very important.

Chicagoans also place a high value on candidates with experience in education (77% either very or moderately important), experience managing budgets or large organizations (74% very or moderately important), a commitment to improving academic outcomes (73% very or moderately important), and a commitment to student well-being (70% very or moderately important).

The findings suggest voters are looking for Board members who can listen to families, govern independently, understand education, and oversee a complex public institution—not simply candidates with political backing or one defining credential.

6. Chicagoans value direct CPS experience—but broader governance skills matter more.

Respondents were also asked about the importance of potential candidates' professional and lived experience.

• 82% say experience as a CPS teacher or administrator is important, though only 35% rate it as very important.
• 80% say experience as a CPS student or parent is important, though only 36% rate it as very important.

By comparison, respondents assign greater importance to broader leadership qualities: 64% say the ability to listen to families is very important, 63% say the same about political independence, 56% about experience in education, and 50% about experience managing budgets or large organizations.

The findings suggest Chicagoans value lived CPS experience, but they place even greater emphasis on the ability to govern effectively.