First candidate in historic election enters with national endorsements & a mission to put kids—not politics—first.

CHICAGO, October 15 –Former teacher, Chicago Public School (CPS) parent, and education leader, Sendhil Revuluri today became the first candidate to launch a campaign for President of the Chicago Board of Education, which will be chosen by voters for the first time next year.

Launching with a coalition of national and local supporters, Revuluri’s campaign is laser-focused on one urgent goal: ensuring every Chicago child can learn and succeed.

“I’m not a politician. I’m a parent and a former teacher who believes every child in Chicago deserves a great education,” Revuluri said. “For too long, politics and adult self-interest have taken priority over our kids’ futures. The results are devastating: declining enrollment, record absenteeism, wasted resources, and too many of our students falling behind. It’s time for leadership that restores trust, focuses on learning, and puts children—not politics—first.”

A former Vice President of the Chicago Board of Education, Revuluri helped lead its Finance and Audit Committee, championing greater fiscal transparency, including the district’s first public long-term financial outlook. As a nationally certified school board coach, he’s advised districts across the country on improving governance and accountability.

Earlier in his career, Revuluri taught math, co-founded a public high school in the South Bronx. Later he helped lead a regional math initiative serving 40,000 students across nearly 40 Chicagoland districts and also developed a math curriculum used by more than 1,000 teachers nationwide.

Revuluri, who lives in West Town with his wife and two CPS-enrolled children, says his campaign is personal.

“My kids are CPS students. I’ve sat where parents sit, I’ve led in the classroom, and I’ve served on the board,” he said. “We can’t keep losing ground because adults are distracted by politics and ideology. Chicago’s children can’t afford that, and our city’s future can’t afford that.”

Revuluri’s campaign centers on three commitments:

• Prioritize students’ success above all else. Every policy, every budget, and every decision should help advance measurable improvements in student learning.

• Stand up to special interests. Keep the focus on students, not adult agendas.

• Commit to effective governance. Listen to families, monitor results, and hold district leadership accountable for student outcomes.

Revuluri’s early supporters include Congressman Ro Khanna, CPS alumna and education leader Aida Flores, Marcus Flenaugh, Co-Chair of the Far South Community Action Council, Chicago youth nonprofit leaders Doug O’Roark, Jesus Ayala, Noah Pickens, and cognitive scientist and professor Dr. Pooja Agarwal.

“This race is about our children’s futures,” Revuluri said. “Chicago’s families are ready for a Board that listens, leads, and delivers for students.”

Additional endorsements include: 

• Tanya Ortiz Franklin, Board Member, Los Angeles Unified School District, California

• Alicia Sebastian, Board President, San Antonio Independent School District, Texas 

• Anne Savage, Board Member and Past President, City School District of Albany, New York 

• Ben Mackey, Board Member, Dallas Independent School District, Texas 

• Evetty Satterfield, Former Board Member, Knox County Schools, Tennessee 

• Leroy Tré Hutchins, Board Member, Cobb County School District, Georgia 

• Luisa Santos, Board Member, Miami Dade County Public Schools, Florida 

• Michelle DePass, Board Vice Chair, Portland Public Schools, Oregon 

• Everton Blair, Former Board Chair, Gwinnett County Public Schools, Georgia 

• Antonia Watts, Board Member, Howard County Public School System, Maryland 

• Christopher Jaramillo, Board President, Norristown Area School District, Pennsylvania 

• Joe Greenheron, Board Director, South Whidbey School District, Washington

• Tamillia Gosa Chapa, Former Board Member, Washington Elementary School District, Arizona 

• Kareem Moncree-Moffett, Board Member, Cincinnati Board of Education, Ohio

• Nate Easley, Vice Chair, Colorado State University System Board of Governors, Colorado; former President, Denver Public Schools Board of Education