Buckner Measure Increasing Accountability for Elected Chicago School Board Signed into Law

CHICAGO – A measure to strengthen the upcoming elected school board for the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), sponsored by state Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, was recently signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker.

“For far too long, students and parents in Chicago had a school system that was not only unelected, but unaccountable,” Buckner said. “As Chicago prepares to transition from a school system controlled by political insiders to one elected by the people, it is paramount that we ensure that CPS enters a new era of accountability and transparency.”

Buckner sponsored Senate Bill 1784 to strengthen the elected school board law for CPS that was enacted earlier this year. SB 1784 requires CPS to commission an independent financial review with a report due to the General Assembly, Illinois State Board of Education, and other stakeholders by Oct. 2022. The measure also clarifies that Chicago school board members will serve without a salary or benefits. Additionally, the law institutes a moratorium on school closures effective immediately and lasting until elected school board members take office.

“Communities across Chicago deserve a school board that represents their interests and puts the needs of students and parents ahead of what political insiders want,” Buckner said. “With an elected, representative school board, Chicago families and communities that have been ignored and left behind by CPS will finally have a say in how their schools are run.”