DeBerry retains school board seat with 67 percent of vote

Ebony DeBerry held 67 percent of the vote in the District 2a Chicago School Board election results released Tuesday night. The incumbent faced attorney Hector Morales, who received 33 percent of the ballots cast. The Associated Press had not yet officially declared a winner when 95 percent of precincts had reported.

DeBerry is a former Chicago Public Schools teacher and community organizer who first won this seat in 2024. She is one of four candidates who received endorsements from both the Chicago Teachers Union and Service Employees International Union Illinois State Council. Both unions backed her campaign despite their ongoing disputes. DeBerry raised more than $76,000 for her campaign.

The race highlighted differences in how the candidates view school funding. DeBerry has advocated for taxing the wealthy to support Chicago Public Schools. In an interview before the election, she said, “We have to find ways to make corporations, millionaires, and billionaires pay their fair share.” Morales argued that the board should manage existing resources first, stating, “We need to make sure we’re using what we got now, before we start asking folks for more money.”

DeBerry announced her victory in a statement on Instagram, thanking her supporters. She outlined her plans for the next four years, including advocating for fully resourced schools and expanding Sustainable Community Schools. She also called for increased mental health support for students and staff. DeBerry noted that education funding issues “must be carried to City Hall, Springfield, and Washington.”

District 2a covers the West Ridge, Rogers Park, and North Park neighborhoods. The area is home to many immigrant families, with more than 80 languages spoken in Rogers Park alone, according to the Rogers Park Business Alliance. The district's 18 schools serve a diverse student body. About 33 percent of students are Hispanic, 26 percent are Asian American, 22 percent are Black, and 15 percent are white, according to Chalkbeat data.

Students in this district attend neighborhood schools at higher rates than the city average. More than 40 percent of high school students in District 2a attend their neighborhood schools, compared to 24 percent citywide. Morales received endorsements from the Common Ground Collective, a political action committee that opposes the Chicago Teachers Union, and The Urban Center, a centrist group that supports school choice.