A Look at Brandon Johnson's and Paul Vallas' Education Policies

As the 2023 Chicago mayoral election comes to a close, a topic of concern for many Chicagoans is Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas’ education policies.

These concerns are justified. According to the Department of Education, students' reading levels are where they were in 1992, less than two-fifths of eight-graders and a quarter of fourth-graders understand basic math concepts, and according to the Illinois Board of Education, 80% of Chicago Public School students are below their grade’s reading level.

Johnson, a former public school teacher, is particularly concerned with establishing a holistic approach to education. Citing racial disparities in education quality and violence done by Chicago youth, Johnson plans to put into action his 12 Point Plan for Stronger School Communities. Included within this plan are implementing bilingual education, child care for CPS parents, and working with Governor J.B. Pritzker to overhaul CPS’s funding system.

Similarly to Johnson, one of Vallas’ biggest points of contention with the Chicago Public Schools revolves around the question of funding. Claiming on his website that only 60% of all CPS funds actually reach the classroom, Vallas plans on decentralizing the CPS funding system, and incorporating school-level administrators, teachers, parents, and the students themselves into the funding conversation. Vallas also plans to utilize charter schools in his attempt to change Chicago's public education system.

Sticking with his holistic approach to education, Johnson believes that tackling social problems such as homelessness in CPS will drastically improve the quality of education for all. According to Johnson’s website, Black CPS students encompass 80% of all homeless students despite only constituting 40% of all CPS students. In order to combat this Johnson plans to support the general expansion of housing aid, as well as implement a one-time tax on homes sold for $1 million or more in the hopes of generating revenue for housing programs.

While not a core aspect of his educational policies, Vallas also claims to understand the importance of a holistic approach to education, professing on his website that he’ll establish a “universal cradle to the classroom strategy.” Included within this proposed strategy are pre- and post-natal care, social and financial support, as well as renewed advocacy to support teen mothers, fathers, and their children.

If you are not registered to vote you can register in person on April 4 with two forms of ID (one needs an address), at your nearest Illinois Secretary of State’s Office, or online at https://chicagoelections.gov/en/register-to-vote-change-of-address.html

To learn more about Paul Vallas and his campaign, visit his website at https://www.paulvallas2023.com/

To learn more about Brandon Johnson and his campaign, visit his website at https://www.brandonforchicago.com/