Che “Rhymefest” Smith – District 10
Priorities and Values
How have you personally improved the lives of underserved children or fought systemic racism?
I’ve leveraged my professional success to build and partner with local organizations to service youth and community development.
I’ve provided arts education services and mentoring programs for children of poor and working class families.
- As the co-founder of Art of Culture, I’ve had the honor of hosting writing workshops
with children at Whitney M. Young Magnet Highschool. - I’ve worked with the Healthy Hoods Organization to present a civic engagement education at Crane Academy Highschool.
- I frequently volunteer with Champs Mentoring to do young men’s mental health presentations at the Gary Comer School.
- In a collaboration with Art of Culture and Cook County Commissioner Stanley Moore, we took 350 children from Fort Dearborn elementary to the Brookfield Zoo to celebrate their last day of school with outdoor experiential learning.
What is your long-term vision for CPS, and what specific policies or initiatives would you champion to achieve this vision?
I will prioritize a balanced budget by finding and eliminating wasteful spending as well as demanding the state to come into constitutional compliance to adequately fund our schools.
Our children deserve a culturally relevant modern curriculum that excites them. Too many CPS children are below grade level in reading and mathematics. It’s paramount that student achievement be at the forefront of our mission as a school board.
Chicago Public Schools success stories have traditionally depended on the social economic status of the population attending the school or the affluence of the neighborhood they’re located in. We must prioritize neighborhood schools, teachers and administrators that haven’t equitably benefited in resources and funding.
How would you engage with and be accountable to the communities within your subdistrict? What measures will you take to ensure that community voices are heard and considered in board decisions? Should a school board member primarily consider the needs of students across Chicago, or advocate for the children within their own subdistrict?
We know systemic racism has harmed our neighborhood schools by isolating some children from needed resources based on zip codes. Historically the better service has gone to more affluent areas. My vote as a board member will ensure that equity is achieved by starting in the most underserved schools many of which are in my district.
As a CPS board member, I will ensure that promises made are promises kept. With obtainable school Agendas and Minutes for each meeting, contemporaneous notes, Zoom recordings, and good keeping of the records, I will convey this information to constituents on a monthly basis. I will use my influence to collaborate with fellow board members to serve the public good. I will work to build full capacity and quorum for all the LSC’s in our district which includes advocating for training of all LSC’s members and establishing regular meetings and planning sessions with the presidents of the local school councils.
Position on Issues
Budget and Funding
CPS has a budget deficit looming. We all agree that state funding is inadequate and inequitable, and securing more state resources must be a top priority.
Besides state funding, what else would you do to balance the budget? Would you consider budget cuts, revenue enhancements, borrowing, something else, or some combination of these? Would you support a third-party independent audit of CPS?
I would support an unbiased audit of CPS to ensure financial waste is cut wherever it is found.
I also believe that the low literacy and math comprehension levels of our children combined with lead toxins in the the pipes of our school facilities constitutes a humanitarian crises that the federal government including the EPA environmental protection agency should be responsive to immediately.
We’ve normalized inhumane conditions for too long and now is the time for action! I also believe collaboration with community assets and organizations such as our City Colleges, Park District, DCASE as well as strategic corporate partnerships can help resource our schools.
How will you ensure equitable funding for all schools? How should the Board/CPS determine school-based funding allocations?
I will be 1 of 21 votes on the Board, to ensure equitable funding I believe we must collaborate with other members of the board, use our voice and considerable influence to speak to legislators in Springfield and beyond about the needs of our students. We must begin resourcing the schools and communities in the most need first.
Equity and Inclusion
There are 41 CPS schools in “intensive” status, 29 of which have student populations of more than 90% Black students. Another 71 CPS schools are in “comprehensive” status, leaving students in these schools without the same opportunities as their peers.
How do you propose to support these schools? What specific polices or programs will you advocate for to ensure that Black students receive equitable access to quality education, resources, and opportunities in all schools?
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The legislation to enact the Chicago Elected Representative School Board was passed in April 2024 and includes a standing Black Student Achievement Committee of the Board of Education, that will focus on creating and implementing a comprehensive strategic management plan to close the Black student achievement and opportunity gap in Chicago Public Schools.
What approach would you take to ensure that the Committee is implemented? What steps would you take to ensure that the Committee is adequately staffed and funded?
Those who revere and respect the African American cultural community must have the strongest voice in the Black student achievement committee. The committee should come from a diverse group of high value professionals in disciplines that pertain to Black students’ attainment, achievement, and success. This group of professionals will have peer-reviewed expertise in the respective disciplines to ensure measurable acumen.
What role do you believe selective enrollment, charter, magnet, and gifted programs should play within Chicago’s public education system? How would you ensure these programs serve the broader goals of equity and access?
Every Parent and every student should have access to the school that best fits the child’s highest potential.
All of our schools should have equitable resources. All of our children are gifted.
Given the influx of new migrant students, many of whom are English learners, how would you prioritize and enhance bilingual education across CPS to meet the needs of these students?
Dual language programs are essential, not only for providing English courses to English Language Learners but also for giving English speakers the opportunity to learn a different language, preparing them for an increasingly globalized economy. Bilingual education needs to begin in pre-k.
Staff must be given professional development opportunities that give them the necessary skills to teach ESL across the curriculum.
CPS has a history of inadequate special education services. A State monitor was appointed in 2018 after numerous violations of federal special education laws were discovered. Children must be assessed correctly to qualify for services, but school psychologists often are overworked. Hundreds of special education positions are unfilled and bus driver shortages compound transportation challenges.
How will you ensure that students with special needs receive the full support and resources they are legally entitled to? Please share any specific initiatives you would prioritize to hold the district accountable and improve access to quality education for students with special needs.
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School Culture
Do you support implementing and funding CPS’s new whole school safety plan? Please share any other thoughts on how you would improve school safety, build positive learning environments, and create schools where every student feels a sense of belonging.
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Nearly 40% of CPS students are chronically absent. What strategies would you advocate for to reduce absenteeism, and how would you address the underlying causes that contribute to this issue?
Parents and children should be excited about their schools and eager to participate. I believe the principals and LSC’s are in the best positions know what’s needed in their particular schools to increase attendance. Collaboration and goal setting with leadership at the schools most affected is step 1.
We must also ensure students who live long distances away can actually get to school. The cutting of 5000 general education students from bus service (mostly from underserved Black and Brown communities) is unacceptable.
Many of our diverse learners currently have inefficient bus routes, taking more than an hour for them to get back and forth from school. I support an increase in Yellow School Bus Service with more routes added.
As an elected 10th district Chicago School Board Member, I will champion the recruitment of new drivers with a livable wage.
Curriculum
CPS offers Dual Credit opportunities at a much lower rate than the statewide average. How will you help CPS expand opportunities for students to get a head start on earning college credits?
Jones College Prep and Brooks College Prep offers great dual credit opportunities that should be replicated in underserved schools. I will collaborate with our city Colleges such as Malcom X, Olive Harvey and Kennedy King College to help children in CPS GET prepare for higher education. Chicago State university has a pharmacy program that many children in CPS can benefit from.
Unlike many districts, curriculum has historically been a decision left to each school. Recently, CPS developed Skyline as an optional district-level curriculum. How would you ensure that all students are instructed with high-quality, evidence-aligned curriculum?
We must listen to our principals and teachers about the curriculum that works best for their students needs. This includes early Bilingual education, vocational training and quality arts programs.
Our students deserve culturally relevant curriculum with a global outlook that prepares them to operate in a modern economy.
Governance
How do you plan to empower the role and influence of Local School Councils (LSC) in decision-making processes, and what steps will you take to ensure that LSCs are equipped to effectively represent the needs and priorities of their school communities?
Local School Councils play a pivotal role in diagnosing the health and establishing the goals of the schools they represent. In many cases the LSC has never had a relationship with a school board member to communicate their needs and plan out goals. Unfortunately some of our LSC’s aren’t fully staffed and don’t have the training necessary to be fully effective. I will work with schools, parents and principals to create a plan that increases LSC membership throughout the district, provide training to LSC members and increases discretionary funds based on results.
The most critical player in driving improved outcomes and culture at the school-level is the principal; however, principals must devote a significant amount of their workday to paperwork and bureaucracy over big-picture work leading their school communities.
How much autonomy should rest with principals to lead their schools with freedom from red tape? How much control should the district administration have in hiring and retaining principals and how much should be left to Local School Councils’ decisions?
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Additional Issues
Over a decade ago, CPS closed 50 schools. Most of the buildings remain empty today, without being part of local community plans.
How would you ensure that the buildings are brought back online in a manner that benefits children and families, and the community as a whole? What is your plan to address underutilization and responsible facilities planning to address the districts’ capital needs? How would you pay for these initiatives?
I believe in school repurposing and community use of facilities.
An under utilized building should be a community resource center. Collaborating with not-for-profit organizations that help provide housing, arts infusion, senior and veteran services, food distribution and community wellness.
We must put our community assets to their best use.
Chicago is in the middle of negotiating several labor contracts, including their teacher contract and one for the new principals’ union. How will you approach the collective bargaining process to ensure conversations are productive and driven by the best interests of children?
The purpose of an elected school board is for the community to have a voice in how we are represented and how our tax dollars are spent to increase the health our schools and education of our children. I will represent the community that sends me to the seat by being a voice and vote independent of big money special interests groups. Our teachers and administrators deserve a fair wage and benefits, our students are owed quality curriculum, a nurse in every school, libraries and librarians and safe environments. We should be getting the best value at the lowest cost.
Are there any issues specific to a school, program, or neighborhood within your subdistrict about which voters might want to know your thoughts or position? Please use this space to highlight any local concerns that would be especially relevant to voters in your subdistrict.
No response was received.