Overview

• Board President Sean Harden is lobbying members to rescind a March resolution requiring interim CPS CEOs to hold a superintendent license, clearing the way for Cristina Pacione-Zayas’s appointment.
• Pacione-Zayas, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s chief of staff, is his preferred candidate to replace outgoing CEO Pedro Martinez, who will remain in office until mid-June.
• Critics, including board member Che Rhymefest Smith, argue that overturning the licensure rule undermines professional standards and the board's independence.
• The interim CEO will face significant challenges, including addressing a $500 million budget deficit and decisions on a contested $175 million pension payment.
• The 20-member board, with 11 members appointed by Mayor Johnson, requires a simple majority to approve the rule change and appointment, with a vote expected in mid-May.