Eva A. Villalobos – District 7

Aside from growing, and pouring into my blended family, through adoption, I’ve fought to ensure low-income families have access to resources so their kids can succeed. I championed the Illinois’ tax-credit scholarship program, giving families greater access to educational opportunities for their children. This advocacy was all for underserved children whose families were seeking better fit schools but did not have any path to access them because the system dictated which schools they had access to. I’ve also personally volunteered and worked to create a positive atmosphere in my local schools, always celebrating student growth and achievement, especially for our students of color. I’ve advocated for culturally competent instruction and cultural celebrations year-round, not just during specific months.

My long-term vision for CPS is to create a system that is more inclusive, transparent, and supportive of both students, families, and communities. I want to ensure that ALL students have access to the education they need.

One of my initiatives would be increasing support for parents by fostering greater community involvement in and with schools. This includes developing programs that offer before- and after-school care and programming to better serve working families. I would also advocate for the expansion of extracurricular activities, such as clubs focused on sports, STEM, arts, and music in schools while partnering with nonprofits in an aim to enrich our students to become well-rounded, successful adults.

When it comes to assessing students, we need to move towards more comprehensive diagnostics, using year-round performance indicators like grades and engagement, and a whole-child assessment to measure student achievement. Standardized testing, alone, does not provide the best data on where our students are academically and where we need to meet them. Many students struggle with testing anxiety, and we need diverse tools to understand and support all our kids fully

When it comes to policies, transparency, accessibility, and accountability are essential. The Board has a responsibility to share the data it’s using to make decisions, and share it in a way that makes sense to all stakeholders. I would like to advocate for clearer, school level data share outs where students, parents, and local property owners can see how their funds are being used. This will empower the community to ask questions and advocate from an informed perspective. Additionally, before any policy changes are made, we need to ensure that Local School Council meetings are fully transparent, with public, thorough notes, accessibility issues are concerned, and an emphasis on addressing input from parents and students. Their community should play a driving role in decision-making.

As one of 20 board members elected to represent the interests of one of 20 subdistricts, we have a responsibility to advocate for the community that elected us to be their voice. The Board, however, has an obligation to try and do its best for the city as a whole. This means belonging to the school board will require trust, respect, and collaboration to be able to serve all our constituents while working towards better policies and solutions.

As a Latinx candidate hoping to represent a Latinx district, it is important for me to advocate for the resources my community needs. Although Latinx students make up almost half of our CPS students, the Board will likely only be made up of a third of Latinx leadership. When policies that benefit the city but have negative externalities or unintended outcomes in my district, it is my responsibility to push for those considerations to be solved for in the policy and/or implementation.

I am also committing to work with other candidates and groups that feel the board’s policies aren’t serving their specific communities. CPS has a long history of underserved communities, and I want to make sure that what is best for Chicago is best for all our communities.

Taking into account CPS’ current student enrollment, per pupil spending, and concerns around our city’s cost of living, I would prioritize a full, thorough, and third-party independent audit of the budget provided it is transparent, accessible, and grounded in a shared understanding of its purpose.

CPS serves almost 20% less students today than it did 10 years ago, yet it spends almost 30% more than it did 10 years ago. And, this data also needs to be placed in context of the wonderful growth our students have made and through what specific investments.

I want to conduct a line by line, meticulous assessment of how our funds are being used and measure the impact each dollar spent has on our students. I would pair my district level review of the budget with local assessments of school level budgets. If the same money spent to achieve a goal at one school is yielding better results than another school, we should be interested as to how we can scale best practices for all our students.

We also need to acknowledge the current financial state as it exists. This includes factoring in debt, costs covered by the district vs. the City of Chicago, and the effects of TIF districts on our school budgets. Nothing should be off the table for our newly elected board. We will need to find revenues through Federal and State resources, we will need to find savings, we will need to partner with communities and organizations to do more with less, and we will need to have an honest conversation about what constraints we are working with

Equitable school funding is one of my top priorities because I want to empower schools to make the best decisions for their communities. Providing school leadership, teachers, and staff with autonomy and dollars is the truest form of respect and trust, and that is the relationship I want to build between the district and schools.

When considering how resources are allocated across our 600+ schools, we need to remember that all of our schools are Public Schools. We need a two-pronged approach to distributing funds, considering needs, community ideas, and opportunities at both the district and school levels. The district should be a partner in supporting schools through this process, ensuring that resources are allocated fairly and effectively to meet the diverse needs of all our communities. As mentioned, sharing school level data across the district can help school leadership best allocate their resources to yield better results.

All our schools serve neighborhoods and all our schools serve neighborhood students. Where there are opportunities for some of our schools to leverage outside grants and external resources, we should seize them and ensure that additional funding gets distributed equitably. A full budget audit is the foundation for my plan; and with my accounting background and support from the community, I am confident that we can balance the budget and serve all our schools.

First, I don’t believe struggling schools should be sidelined or denied the same opportunities as their peers, and no student should feel any less than because of their school’s label. Schools in “intensive” or “comprehensive” status need additional support, starting with their need and committing to providing more social workers, counselors, and mental health services. Every student has strengths, and it’s our job to empower them while addressing areas where they need more help. These resources can help improve student outcomes and change a school’s status.

We have to acknowledge that our Black students have historically been disinvested, and identify the communities most impacted. Then, we focus on what’s missing and provide the right support to ensure Black students have equitable access to quality education, resources, and opportunities. This should be driven by the community. I am committed to ensuring the Black Student Achievement Committee of the Board of Education becomes a driving force in this initiative. I will ensure that the committee regularly connects with Black Advocacy groups in my district. I am committed to centering the Black experience in education in Chicago while facilitating connections and collaboration.

I believe that Black Student success should be a top priority for ALL of the board, and I fully support staffing and funding the Black Student Achievement Committee with the board members most invested, most impacted, and best qualified to drive black student success. As a mother of two black daughters, I feel I have a great deal to offer to ensure our black students are being seen. However, I am also happy to drive change as part of the larger board if other members better fit the needs of the committee.

I would propose the Board start drafting a 100 day plan and commit to ensuring that the Black Student Achievement Committee of the Board of Education be supported and operating within the first 100 days. I will commit to the African American community having a strong, autonomous voice in the selection of the committee members, and I would help elevate that voice. This is a fight we all have to take ownership of and support the communities most impacted by disinvestment and structural racism.

Selective enrollment, magnet, and charter schools all serve CPS students, and they are neighborhood anchors also serving their communities. Families choose their schools based on their needs and options, and we should uplift their voice to better serve them. Each option presents different and varying benefits, and the board should aim to elevate all schools without creating a divisive narrative.

This can be done equitably, but it needs to be driven by student-outcomes and no other agenda. As mentioned, a fair, transparent budget builds a foundation for a clearer understanding of resource allocation. For access, we need better efforts to educate students and families about their options. I do appreciate the work the district does to help support schools and families, but we need more. Until every family has some working knowledge of the different types of schools and the different types of needs they serve, the system will remain inaccessible. I would like to work with the Board and our community partners to always make an extravagant affair of GOCPS applications and host citywide education summits and fairs.

Meeting the needs of our bilingual students is one of my top priorities, and this challenge requires creative solutions. In some areas, we need to make sure that policies are not hindering us because we may be limiting our own use of community resources.

Imagine an internship program where college students can supplement our classroom offerings while broadening their experience and making an impact. College students studying languages, even those in non-education majors, can help our younger students grow their English and build positive relationships. This will have minimal impact on our budget as internships can be unpaid/low wage, and there’s significant value added for the intern.

If we don’t find ways to fill opportunities, we are going to find that schools with the highest need are not going to be fully staffed with bilingual teachers. Beyond compliance, I am invested in our bilingual students, including our newcomers, thriving, and acclimating.

Improving special education is a top priority because we need to provide for the diverse needs of our students. We should work to ensure that our students in special education have a fair chance at reaching their full potential in and out of the classroom. Not improving this will impact students who can not fully understand the material being taught and their overall school experience. We all want healthy, productive, and fulfilling lives for our students with special needs.

As a mother who has gone through this struggle, we need to be more empathetic to the struggles of our CPS families. I have experienced firsthand the long waiting periods and frustrations that parents face while seeking evaluations and support. As a Board member, I will work towards ensuring that this remains a priority in our discussions, in our policies, and our budget.

We also have to acknowledge that there is a role for all levels of government to play in supporting our students with disabilities. Schools cannot do this alone. I would like to ensure that the assessments, interventions, and care provided before schooling even begins are accessible to our families. I want to elevate nonprofits and community groups that can help bridge gaps in services. And, I want to ensure that there is sustained funding for our students with disabilities that is aware of all of their needs and is sourced from all levels of government and philanthropy.

Once we start working together, building trust, and centering our students, we can start working together to support our students with special needs at all stages of their education.

Student safety is one of my top priorities, and that includes physical, emotional, relational, and psychological safety. Our students will only be able to grow into their authentic selves when the adults commit to providing them with what they need. There is so much to be proud of in the district’s Whole School Safety Plan in terms of encouraging schools to partner with students in better addressing harm and conflict.

That being said, there is still room for improvement through more community inclusion and conversations. Safety means something different for all our families across the city. I want to work with families to ensure that they’re using the Whole School Safety framework as a guide to implement the most restorative practices that still address their specific needs and honor their values. It is the district’s responsibility to get buy-in for this framework, and there was a missed opportunity in its design. When it comes to implementation, I want to course correct and help families adopt this framework. Where that’s not possible, the board also has an obligation to understand why and partner in finding solutions.

In order to reduce absenteeism, we need to strategically understand and address the root causes. I would partner with other government bodies and nonprofits doing this work. I want to ensure there’s a shared understanding amongst us all, that there is comprehensive and responsive data sharing, and that we commit to better understanding the unique challenges our families face.

There are cases of absenteeism where transportation is the leading case, and we should work together to support families that don’t have a car, single parents that have work schedules preventing them from ensuring their students make it to school, and students needing the support to understand the importance of attendance.

There are also more serious cases where families need more involved interventions or rigorous support. Families struggling with absenteeism are probably doing their best, and it’s our responsibility to see how we can support them in getting their students to schools. Nothing is more important than ensuring our youth get to school to have every opportunity to succeed. I want to target our supports, resources, interventions, incentives, and even enforced mandates to close the gap on this.

I would work to build partnerships with colleges, universities, and even college access nonprofits to not only support CPS students earn dual credit while in high school but also secure financial assistance or scholarships. Imagine a rising Junior earning college credits and a scholarship over the summer. That incentive to finish high school strong and collect on that scholarship in two years can change their trajectory. That investment is worth it, and it makes higher education accessible for our students.

This while keeping our Board focused on student growth and achievement, so that they can be ready to take dual credit classes at some point in their high school career.

The aim is to have a comprehensive, dynamic, and enriching curriculum. Curriculum should be tailored to meet the needs, current events, and demographics of each community. If the board cannot commit to being responsive and adaptive in its offerings, then schools should be given autonomy to implement what works best for them. Schools in my district are already doing this work in their efforts to welcome newcomer families while still trying to serve all our students. The board should offer guidance, but it should not restrict schools or slow schools down when it comes to instruction.

I plan to empower Local School Councils (LSCs) by ensuring their feedback and advocacy is central to decision-making, especially when it comes to policy changes. Their insights into the unique needs of each school are crucial. I would advocate for monthly data dashboards and reports on students’ academic progress, emotional well-being, and extracurricular activities to guide these decisions. This transparency should be candid, and the relationship between LSCs and schools should be collaborative, so that collaboration can solve for real challenges and extend beyond those groups.

Additionally, I will work to hold LSCs accountable and encourage them to do the same for myself and their school leadership, ensuring we are all effectively representing our school communities. LSCs are an extension of the board, and their decisions must consider input from parents, staff, and most importantly students.

During the hiring process, Local School Councils (LSCs) should thoroughly involve different level school staff and parents, as they will work most closely with the principal and understand the school’s unique culture and needs. This ensures that the principal selected is not only qualified but also aligned with the community’s vision.

When this is the case, Principals should be given a great deal of autonomy seeing as they’ve been vetted and are aligned with the school community. They should be able to operate with enough room to realize the community’s vision without being hindered by constant approvals and micromanagement.

That being said, there needs to be opportunities for feedback. Accountability is key. Regular surveys conducted by independent third parties, as well as feedback from parents, students, and staff, should play a role in evaluating the principal’s performance.

First, we need to assess building safety and the costs associated with updating or rehabbing buildings to see what potential each building has. While recognizing where these buildings currently exist and what the needs of the community are, I would like to reinvest in these spaces by integrating community programs that offer counseling, therapy, sports and recreation, music, and other extracurriculars for the community. Imagine a community where this is not currently happening and families are going without these services or traveling outside their community to seek these services.

To fund these initiatives, I would look for marketing opportunities and partnerships, rather than having to look at the pockets of taxpayers. We have room for investing in school facilities that can increase community involvement and, at the same time, bring funds. We have to be open minded with multi purpose stadiums for sports, performances and other community engaging activities.

I will approach the collective bargaining process much like any other Board responsibility by always centering the question: “How does this decision benefit our kids?”

It’s essential that all discussions, including negotiations, prioritize the best interests of students. Our budgets should reflect this commitment by ensuring that all dollars drive student impact. I want to make sure our educators and staff can focus their efforts on our students, and we can do that while making sure the dollars reach our students and lead to growth. This focus will guide productive conversations and lead to agreements that truly enhance student outcomes.

One issue that is sometimes expressed, and other times overlooked, is employee morale and school pride. Many of the teachers I talk to feel undervalued, and many district employees are at capacity. All of this has a trickle down effect on our students, and we don’t always make that connection. If we want students to take ownership, have pride in their work, and always lead with a collaborative spirit, then we need to model that behavior. Our schools are just buildings, but the people inside are a reflection of the school’s character. I want to celebrate all our employees who are dedicating their life to true public service, and I want my community to join me. A more positive culture district wide is the way to build bridges, face challenges, and ensure we always meet the needs of our students.