Short-Term Decisions, Long-Term Consequences?
The interim CEO of CPS has been chosen.
On June 11, 2025, the Chicago Board of Education held a pivotal Agenda Review Committee meeting, making a significant decision regarding the leadership of Chicago Public Schools.
We’ve attended Board of Education meetings and heard from multiple sources that public speakers often represent only one side of the conversation. If you're a parent, your voice matters - and we encourage you to get involved.
CALL TO ACTION:
Join the next Board of Education meeting on Thursday, June 26 at 3:00 PM.
Advance registration for speakers and observers opens on June 24, 2025, at 3:00 PM.
Interim CEO Appointment:
In a closely contested 11–8 vote, with one abstention (Ebony Deberry), the Board of Education appointed Dr. Macquline King as interim CEO of Chicago Public Schools, effective June 20, 2025. Dr. King, a former CPS principal and current senior director of education policy in Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office, will replace outgoing CEO Pedro Martinez, whose tenure ends June 18. While Board President Sean Harden praised King’s familiarity with CPS and highlighted her experience as essential to maintaining educational equity during this transition, the vote has raised serious concerns.
Despite past allegations of negligence during her time as a principal, allegations that called into question her judgment and leadership, King faced no formal discipline. Yet this history was effectively overlooked by the 11 board members who voted in favor of her appointment. Their decision drew strong disapproval from those who believe that such a critical leadership role demands a record free of unresolved issues related to student safety and administrative accountability - regardless of it being an interim role.
King was selected over other qualified finalists, including CPS Chief Portfolio Officer Alfonso Carmona and Chief of Teaching and Learning Nicole Milberg, both of whom had clean records and strong support from various education advocacy groups.
Board members who voted no:
Jennifer Custer - District 1
Carlos Rivas Jr - District 3
Ellen Rosenfeld - District 4
Jessica Biggs - District 6
Yesenia Lopez - District 7
Angel Gutierrez - District 8
Therese Boyle - District 9
Che “Rhymefest” Smith - District 10
Aside from this recent addition of Yesenia Lopez, the other seven appear to be the consistent group of common-sense, children-first board members.
Looking Ahead:
Dr. King steps into a challenging role as CPS faces a projected $529 million budget deficit for fiscal year 2026, beginning July 1. The mayor and his allies have been pursuing a controversial $300 million short-term loan to stave off major cuts - a fiscal challenge that King will likely be forced to prioritize early in her tenure. Meanwhile, the Board continues its search for a permanent CEO, with feedback gathered from community engagement meetings to help shape the selection process.
Public Comments Controversy:
A notable point of contention was the Board’s decision to forgo public discussion on the interim CEO vote. Elected board member Jennifer Custer’s motion for an open discussion was rejected with 12 votes against, limiting transparency in the process. This sparked criticism from some board members and community stakeholders, who felt the decision-making process lacked openness, especially given the divided vote and King’s ties to City Hall.
Jennifer’s statement here:
Next School Board Elections:
The next round of school board elections won’t take place until November 2026, but petition circulation and filing deadlines are closer than they seem. If you or someone you know has considered running, we encourage you to revisit our post from last year on what makes a strong candidate.
So What Makes A Good School Board Candidate, Anyway?
First and foremost, a candidate putting the needs of students and their families is the most critical. As you’ve probably most recently seen, there are many agendas being floated around that highlight outcomes that don’t directly improve the lives of children. Here are some of the positions we've asked the candidates we've spoken with to address:
Community Highlight:
Cultivate Chicago: Pioneering Intergenerational Workforce Development
On May 19th, 2025, Prismatic launched Chicago's first intergenerational workforce conference at the Bank of America Tower. For over 8 years, Prismatic has addressed the crisis of social isolation among young people by building emotional resilience, social connectivity, and career pathways through research-backed social-emotional learning programs. Cultivate represents the evolution of this mission, bringing together 130 professionals and students for a groundbreaking day of mentorship, skills development, and direct job access that's creating new pathways for economic mobility across our city.
Creating Jobs and Opening Career Doors: Beyond traditional networking, Cultivate featured an Opportunity Fair where students connected directly with internships, entry-level positions, and career pathways across Chicago's leading industries. With 55 students mentored by professionals from 48 partner companies, the conference created immediate introductions to job prospects, summer internships, and expanded recruitment pipelines that benefit both emerging talent and employers seeking diverse, high-potential hires.
Powered by Chicago's Business Leaders: Forward-thinking organizations including Bank of America, Harvard Business Publishing, Vi Living, Belmont Village Senior Living, Publicis Media, ThinkChicago by World Business Chicago, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, and Christ The King College Prep invested in Chicago's workforce future, understanding that emotional intelligence and social connection are the foundations of professional success - and that direct job access transforms communities.
Ready to invest in Chicago's workforce future and job creation? Contact Debra Giunta at debra@prismaticmovement.org or visit prismaticmovement.org/cultivate to explore 2026 partnership opportunities.
About Prismatic: Prismatic combats the downstream impacts of social isolation by driving employability, resilience, and social connectivity among Chicago's youth. Through engaging, student-centered social and emotional learning experiences, we create direct pathways to employment while transforming how young people build thriving adult lives and contribute to economic mobility.
See you next week!