Overview
- More than 50 people submitted petitions by the late-May filing deadline for 20 subdistrict seats and a citywide president, and five candidates entered the race for board president.
- The formal window to object to petitions is open through June 2, and signature challenges are expected immediately, repeating a 2024 pattern in which many candidates were removed after contests.
- Two sitting board members, Jessica Biggs and Jennifer Custer, gave up district seats to run for president while appointed president Sean Harden declined to run and incumbents Ellen Rosenfeld and Angel Gutierrez face no challengers.
- The new elected board will oversee roughly a $9 billion budget and hundreds of schools and must confront shortfalls, declining enrollment, charter school oversight and ongoing federal probes if unresolved.
- Public awareness of the change is low and board seats are unpaid, which may limit who can run; the next steps are challenge rulings, a finalized ballot later this summer, campaigning through the Nov. 3 general election, and terms beginning Jan. 15, 2027.