Chicago Board of Education Launches Black Student Achievement Committee Application

Chicago Board of Education Launches Black Student Achievement Committee Application

CHICAGO–The Board of Education for the City of Chicago (Board) Black Student Achievement Committee (BSAC) is currently accepting membership applications. The BSAC will appoint 14 members to each serve a 1-year term. Applicants must reside within the city of Chicago and, if selected, complete the CPS New Volunteer Application.

Those who successfully complete the volunteer application will complete an onboarding process before their names are released publicly. Committee onboarding includes, but is not limited to, participation in CPS’ Mandated Reporter, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Open Meetings Act (OMA), and Ethics trainings. The BSAC plans to appoint its new members in early 2026.

The BSAC is committed to a fair and transparent process for selecting members. The application process uses an initial screening and scoring methodology to ensure candidates align with the profile criteria outlined in the Illinois School Code, including a demonstrated commitment to racial justice and public education. The application is open to a broad range of CPS stakeholders, including students, parents, public school educators and administrators, social service providers, residents, and community leaders.

Apply online through Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at 5 p.m., at https://tinyurl.com/4v25npym.

Established in accordance with the Illinois School Code, 105 ILCS 5/34-18.85, the BSAC is a standing committee of the Board. Its purpose is to provide Black students with the maximum opportunity for success in areas where research shows there has been persistent disparities in educational opportunities and outcomes among this group of students during their elementary and secondary education experience.

In addition to helping the Board shape educational policies, the BSAC will provide reporting and progress monitoring for the Black Student Success Plan, which CPS launched in February 2025. This plan sets a path forward for the next five years, with a focus on immediate action and long-term sustainability for driving student success.

The Chicago Board of Education (Board), founded in 1840, is responsible for the governance, organizational, and financial oversight of Chicago Public Schools, one of the largest school districts in the United States. The Board establishes policies, standards, goals, and initiatives to ensure accountability and provide a high quality, world-class education for the 21st century that prepares our students for success in college, work, and life.

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is dedicated to providing a high-quality education to all students, beginning with the District’s free full-day preschool programming for four-year-old scholars and continuing through neighborhood, magnet and selective-enrollment elementary schools that provide a rigorous K-12 education with schools that specialize in the fine arts, world language and culture, dual language, STEM, International Baccalaureate (IB), classical programs, and more. The rising District-wide freshmen-on-track and high school graduation rates reflect the hard work of the CPS community, including families, staff, and students across 635 schools. CPS celebrates the diversity of its more than 325,000 students who cite about 180 home languages. Learn more about CPS at www.cps.edu and connect with CPS on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn.


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