Board candidates split on school ratings

Chicago Public Schools will not issue a single letter grade for its campuses in the upcoming election cycle, but a divide among candidates for the Chicago Board of Education suggests that question is not settled. The district eliminated its singular rating system three years ago, ending a practice that had labeled schools from Level 1+ to Level 3. Now, four board president candidates and several district representatives are weighing in on whether that system should return.

Ten of the 44 candidates running for the board support bringing back the ratings. Victor Henderson, a prominent attorney and candidate for board president, argued at a recent forum that ratings provide necessary feedback. He stated, “Ratings, in and of themselves, are not bad. It’s feedback, and we can’t be afraid of feedback.” Henderson, a board member of Urban Prep Academies, is the only presidential candidate who strongly supports expanding the number of charter schools in the district.

Isaiah White, who is running to represent District 6a, also favors the return of clear metrics. He wrote on a candidate questionnaire that parents need “exhaustive, reliable, and easily parsable information on school quality.” White described the selection of a school as a monumental decision and argued that the district must support parents in making informed choices.

Opponents of the ratings system argue that a single grade oversimplifies a school’s performance. Jessica Biggs, another candidate for board president, said the old ratings often reflected the resources a school had rather than the education it provided. She noted, “They’re really set up to pick winners and losers, and I don’t think that’s the responsibility of the district.” Biggs added that she found a fine and performing arts magnet school for her daughter, who attends a dance troupe, because the system offered a specific range of programs.

Hilario Dominguez, the third candidate for board president, said the ratings disproportionately hurt schools serving low-income Black and Latino students. He compared the ratings to standardized tests, noting that framing can affect how different communities interpret results. He said, “We can’t keep playing ‘The Hunger Games’ to find a quality school.” Dominguez, the only presidential candidate who attended CPS schools, wants to ensure every family has a quality option in their neighborhood.

The debate extends beyond ratings to the broader structure of school choice. Most candidates agree that CPS should maintain a choice system that includes neighborhood, magnet, selective-enrollment, and charter schools. However, only two candidates, Connie Anderson and Emma Lozano, said they want the district to retreat from that model. Lozano wrote that every student deserves an excellent neighborhood school without relying on a complex choice system.

Financial interests are also shaping the debate. The political arm of the Illinois Network of Charter Schools has spent more than $2.3 million to support 19 candidates. The group also spent over $600,000 to oppose Dominguez and Karen Zaccor, a retired teacher running in District 4a. The network has not endorsed any candidate in the presidential race, though officials did not respond to questions about that decision.

Twenty-seven of the 44 candidates said the district should support charter schools that fall into financial trouble. Only nine said CPS should open more charter schools, a move that has not occurred since 2019.