Chicago school board president candidates field questions in televised town hall, tell me about this news in (https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/09/15/chicago-school-board-president-candidates-televised-debate/)

The televised town hall held on September 15, 2026, brought together the four candidates running to become the city’s first-ever elected president of the Chicago Board of Education. Moderated by WTTW’s Brandis Friedman, the hourlong forum featured current board member Jessica Biggs, former Chicago Teachers Union political director Hilario Dominguez, trial attorney Victor Henderson, and former board vice president Sendhil Revuluri. (A fifth candidate, current board member Jennifer Custer, had dropped out of the race in late August.)The candidates addressed several central challenges facing Chicago Public Schools (CPS):

• Budget Deficits and Fiscal Management: With the district facing immediate funding pressures and projected deficits approaching $1 billion, candidates clashed on financial strategy. Jessica Biggs emphasized the need for fiscal stabilization, noting that the board cannot budget with money it does not have. Hilario Dominguez contended that funding exists and argued the board president must advocate vigorously for state resources rather than assuming state lawmakers will say no. Sendhil Revuluri argued that budgeting must be rebuilt around student needs rather than traditional interest-group pressures.
• Underenrollment and Potential School Closures: With enrollment declining by roughly 45,000 students since 2019 and a moratorium on school closures set to expire next year, empty facilities were a primary concern. Revuluri stated that keeping significantly under-enrolled schools open hurts educational quality. In contrast, Biggs opposed top-down closures reminiscent of the 2013 mass shutdowns, advocating instead for deep community dialogue. Henderson stated he is neither categorically for nor against closures, insisting that the board must consult neighborhood communities directly before making any determinations.
• Citywide Impact and Governance: Because the board president is the sole position elected at-large by all Chicago voters (while 20 other board members are elected by individual districts), the candidates explained why the race matters to every resident. They underscored that school performance directly drives public safety, economic development, neighborhood stability, and the city’s overall future.