Chicago’s Kids Deserve Better for CEO Search The superintendent search needs strategy, not politics

CHICAGO, March 19, 2026 – In a recent appearance on WBEZ, Mayor Johnson doubled down on his claim that choosing the next CPS CEO is his call to make, going so far as to say that the CPS CEO "only serves the mayor."

Former Board Vice President and candidate for Board President Sendhil Revuluri issued the following statement in response:

“Selecting the next leader of Chicago’s public schools is a critical decision to deliver the results that matter for our kids. It’s too important to get wrong, and should be strategic, not politicized. Our kids deserve to be centered with an intentional process that sets the next superintendent up to succeed.

What’s happening is deeply concerning. Attempts to sidestep the authority of a representative Board of Education aren’t grounded in law and don’t serve students. No matter how many times he says so, Mayor Johnson doesn’t have the authority to choose a superintendent for his own reasons rather than for our kids’ success. This isn’t democracy; this is Trumpian political maneuvering, plain and simple.

At the same time, Board leadership hasn’t yet done the foundational work required to hire a superintendent effectively. There are no clear goals, no transparent criteria, and no real evaluation framework. Hiring a new leader without doing our homework isn’t just premature, it’s irresponsible. Our kids deserve better.”

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For press inquiries: Molly Mitchell, molly@mitchell-media.com

For more information, visitwww.SendhilforCPS.comor emailinfo@SendhilforCPS.com.