Below are organizations that do education-related work that made endorsements in the 2026 Chicago School Board election. We also list education-focused political action committees that don’t endorse but are providing financial support to specific candidates. Election Day is Nov. 3.We are not listi ng all endorsements, including from those from elected officials, from non-education organizations or those that aren’t directly tied to Chicago Public Schools. Those are available on each candidate’s website. Comprehensive information on each candidate is available at our voter guide.Details on each group we included are below.Chicago Teachers Union: The largest union in Chicago Public Schools, including nearly 30,000 teachers, paraprofessionals, clinicians and school-related personnel, known for its strong focus on social justice issues.Chicago Democrats for Education: This political action committee was launched during the first school board election in 2024 to support “independent” candidates for the school board. The group was set up to be a counterbalance to the CTU and the mayor. It was formed by Hugo Jacobo, a heavyweight political consultant.Common Ground Collective: A new pro-business, anti-CTU political action committee that is heavily funded by billionaire Michael Sacks and says it aims to engage voters around “effective progressive policies.” The group says it wants to “defeat extremist efforts from both the far right and far left that seek to divide our city.”INCS Action PAC for Public Charter Schools: This political action committee is affiliated with the Illinois Network of Charter Schools, which advocates on behalf of publicly funded, independently run charter schools. It is “focused on engaging the charter school community in the legislative and political process.” The group hasn’t made endorsements as of mid-September, but has donated to select candidates.Leadership for Educational Equity, LEE PAC: This organization and affiliated political action committee provides support and campaign services for reduced costs for alumni of education nonprofit groups, including Teach for America, New Leaders and School Board Partners, and other civic-minded organizations, that are running for public office. This group also donates under the name Leaders in Education.ONE People’s Campaign: This grassroots campaign says it puts “the interests of regular people before the profits of corporations and the super rich” and focuses on supporting and endorsing progressive causes.Our Schools Action: This coalition of CTU-backed political groups and organizations backs progressives and leftist policies. Its affiliated Our Schools political action committee donated to a few school board candidates.Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Illinois State Council: This union represents thousands of Chicago Public Schools support staff, including special education classroom assistants, security officers, bus aides, crossing guards and custodians. It has split politically with the Chicago Teachers Union in recent years. The CPS affiliate is SEIU Local 73.The Urban Center: This centrist political organization advocates for school choice across public and private schools and supports charter schools. It was founded before the first school board election in 2024 by Juan Rangel, a long-time operative in political and in education circles. It says its mission is “to support candidates in Chicago and across Illinois who back a common sense agenda that builds strong families, safe neighborhoods, world-class schools and greater economic opportunities.”Board presidentVictor P. Henderson - None as of Sept. 18Jessica Biggs - Service Employees International Union Sendhil Revuluri - Chicago Democrats for EducationHilario Dominguez - Chicago Teachers Union, Our Schools PACDistrict 1aEd Bannon - CTU, SEIUMargie Luczak - INCS Action PAC, The Urban CenterDistrict 1bClaudia Peralta – CTU, SEIUMichelle Pierre – Common Ground Collective, INCS Action PAC, Leadership for Educational Equity, The Urban CenterDistrict 2aEbony L. DeBerry - CTU, One People’s Campaign, SEIUBruce Leon -  None as of Sept. 18Hector Morales - Common Ground Collective, The Urban CenterDistrict 2bDeborah “Debby” Pope -  CTU, One People’s CampaignKyna Lenhof - Common Ground Collective, INCS Action PAC, The Urban CenterDaniel Basco -  None as of Sept. 18District 3aNorma Rios Sierra - CTU, SEIUPeter Gonzales - Common Ground Collective, INCS Action PAC, The Urban CenterDistrict 3bJason C. Dónes - CTU, Our Schools PACCarlos A. Rivas, Jr. - Common Ground Collective, INCS Action PAC, Leadership for Educational Equity, SEIU, The Urban CenterDistrict 4aEllen Sherratt - Common Ground Collective, INCS Action PAC, SEIU, The Urban CenterKaren Zaccor - CTU, ONE People’s Campaign, Our Schools PACAngel Alvarez - None as of Sept. 18District 4bEllen Rosenfeld - Common Ground Collective, INCS Action PAC, LEE PAC, SEIU, The Urban CenterDistrict 5aLaPamela Williams - Common Ground Collective, INCS Action PAC, The Urban CenterAaron “Jitu” Brown - CTUKernetha Jones (write-in) - None as of Sept. 18District 5bMichilla “Kyla” Blaise - CTU, Our Schools PACAnthony Hargrove - Common Ground Collective, INCS Action PAC, The Urban CenterDistrict 6aAnusha Thotakura - CTU, SEIU, Our Schools PACIsaiah White - Common Ground Collective, INCS Action PAC, The Urban CenterBrenda Lee Anderson - LEE PACDistrict 6bMichael Neal - Common Ground CollectiveBrittany Kimble - The Urban CenterDistrict 7aEmma Lozano - CTUJesus Ayala, Jr. - Common Ground Collective, INCS Action PAC, LEE PAC, SEIU, The Urban CenterDistrict 7bYesenia Lopez - SEIUErika Diaz-Chavez - INCS Action PACDistrict 8aAngel Gutierrez - Common Ground Collective, INCS Action PAC, SEIU, The Urban CenterDistrict 8b Juan Ignacio Gonzalez - Common Ground Collective, INCS Action PAC, The Urban CenterDistrict 9aBrittany Bailey Preston - Common Ground Collective, SEIU, The Urban CenterDistrict 9bTherese Boyle - Common Ground Collective, LEE PAC, SEIU, The Urban CenterKatherine Dunneback - CTU, Our Schools PACDistrict 10aChe “Rhymefest” Smith - Common Ground Collective, INCS Action PAC, SEIU, The Urban CenterTameka Walton - CTUDistrict 10bConnie Anderson - CTUPatrick Watson - Common Ground Collective, The Urban CenterRosita Chotonda (write-in) - None as of Sept. 18 ...read more read less