Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) CEO Forrest Claypool reminded parents and other residents across the city today to participate in Local School Council elections this week by voting for parent and community representatives to oversee important school matters. Elections will be held this week, on Wednesday, April 13th for elementary schools, and Thursday, April 14th for high schools, from 6:00am to 7:00pm.

Local School Councils (LSC) are the primary parent and community engagement vehicle in CPS and represent the community voice in important decisions made at the local school level. All eligible district-run schools elect a local school council to oversee principal contracts and selections, and approve school budgets, among other important administrative functions.

“Our Local School Councils play an essential role in holding our schools accountable for quality instruction and ensuring student success at their local school,” said Mayor Emanuel. “Each of us has a stake in our children’s future, and our LSCs provide parents and community members across the city a way to ensure that our schools are providing students with the 21st century education that they need to succeed in college and career.”

A total of 5,888 Chicago residents submitted to the required nomination process to serve as an LSC member. A full list of candidates and details on each LSC election is available at www.cps.edu/LSCmap.

“Local School Councils provide parents, community members and school staff members with the power and responsibility to guide our schools to a bright future,” said CPS CEO Forrest Claypool. “LSC elections empower members of the community to determine who will help lead their neighborhood schools, and we highly encourage all Chicagoans to cast a vote in this week’s elections.”

Traditional LSCs consist of a principal, six parents, two community members, three school staff members and a student representative on high school councils. LSC members serve a two-year term beginning July 1 in even-numbered years and ending June 30 two years later. High School student members serve a one-year term beginning every July 1 and ending June 30 of the following year.

Schools with traditional LSCs conduct elections in which parents and community residents vote for the parent and community member candidates, and polls in which school staff vote for the school staff member candidates, which are appointed by the Board of Education.

Newly-elected LSC representatives will assume their terms on July 1, 2016. For more information on LSCs, visit www.cps.edu/Pages/Localschoolcouncils.aspx.

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