CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — As newly appointed members of the Chicago Board of Education gave the public a glimpse of how they see their mission under the new administration, they said not to expect radical changes as they take control. Instead, they plan on a lot of listening to families.
Some of the new school board members have long been advocates of education reform, which might beg the question: Is this like marching around a fortress, and having someone tell you, ‘OK, you're the rulers now?’
For new member Mariela Estrada, the answer is “No.” She was once with the City Inspector General's office doing community engagement, so she's been in government before.
“I did not see myself as an outsider going in, I actually found it to be a direct line to make sure that … community voices were actually brought in in a very clear and transparent way,” Estrada said.
Mayor Brandon Johnson announced his appointees to the school board Wednesday. He replaced all but one of the board’s seven members who had been appointed by former Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
Johnson’s appointees included new Chicago Board of Education President Jianan Shi, who previously headed the education activist group Raise Your Hand. Shi said this is an opportunity.
“Especially at Raise Your Hand, I listened to parents and what they needed: Around special education, around local school councils, and as a team — in collaboration with the mayor’s administration — we have a chance to change some of the things we’ve been talking about,” said Shi.
Shi also acknowledged that one of the challenges facing the new board of education is the fact that the schools are underfunded, and when it comes to that, Shi said he agrees with new board member Michelle Morales — that they must look deeper than that lack of funding.
“What’s going to be really important for us, for an entirely new board, is to understand how funds have been spent,” Morales said. “So, almost conduct a landscape scanner audit to understand how the current funding is being spent, and where are areas where money can be saved? That’s going to be the first project for the board.”
Like the others, board newcomer Tanya Woods said they must also remember that they're the last fully appointed board of education before the transition to an elected one begins.
“Our goal is really to set the stage and to be able to lay the best possible foundation and fertile ground for that next elected board to be able to thrive and do the best that they can do,” Woods said.
Woods said she doesn't expect “seismic” changes.
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