Hybrid board has bumpy road ahead
CHICAGO (WLS) -- It's a new era for the Chicago school district.
Wednesday, its first elected school board will officially be seated.
They'll join members newly appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson.
But, it's expected to be somewhat of a bumpy road ahead, as the district faces serious financial issues and teacher contract negotiations.
Chicago Public Schools will make history Wednesday by seating the first elected school board. Out of 21 members, 11 are appointed by the mayor and 10 are elected, including Ellen Rosenfeld, representing a North Side district.
"My expectation is that all board members come to these board meetings ready to act like the adults that we are, work together with a shared goal of stability," Rosenfeld said.
But, lately, Chicago Public Schools have been anything but stable. The first order of business for the new board is to elect a vice president.
It's being reported the mayor is backing one of his appointees, Olga Bautista. She and the school board president are not educators
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"How in the world can we talk about an organization that serves over 300,000 students and have neither of those that are at the top be educators?" Rosenfeld said.
And since the board president is appointed, Rosenfeld and other elected members would like the VP to be elected. The school board has a tough job ahead: dealing with a huge CPS deficit and approving a yet to be settled teachers contract.
"The thing that is keeping the table dry are the non-economic issues," CTU President Stacy Davis Gates said.
Davis Gates said issues like codifying academic freedom, teachers evaluations and salary remains a sticking point, but both sides are close.
"Look, we're only a percentage away from potentially figuring out the salary," Davis Gates said.
The district is offering teachers a 4% cost of living increase. Teachers with masters degrees get more. By the end of a four-year agreement, a three-year teacher goes from $73,159 to $96,613; 11-year goes from $94,966 to $125, 045; and a 22-year teacher with a masters jumps from $115, 819 to $140,309.
Meantime, distractions continue between the union and CPS.
Davis Gates apologized again for comments she made to the CTU House of Delegates comparing CPS CEO Pedro Martinez to a special education student, who can't get suspended.
"I'm extraordinarily embarrassed the comments should have been made, and I've made those apologies," Davis Gates said.
Davis Gates will be at Wednesday's school board meeting when new members are sworn in.
Johnson has yet to name an 11th appointee.