At Mikva Challenge, we believe young people should have a meaningful voice in the decisions that affect their schools and their futures.

That belief guided our participation in the new CPS School Board Field Guide, developed by the Academy for Local Leadership Chicago in collaboration with Mikva Challenge and the Kersten Institute for Urban Education at the University of Chicago.

In November, Chicagoans will elect every member of the Chicago Board of Education for the first time. The Field Guide helps students, educators, families, and community members understand the Board’s responsibilities, evaluate whether candidates are prepared to govern, and stay engaged after the election.

ALL Chicago’s Governance Compass, featured in the guide, was developed over two and a half years through research and 40 community roundtables and focus groups involving hundreds of Chicagoans. Mikva Challenge students were among the young people who contributed their perspectives and lived experiences to the process.

Their voices reinforce one of the guide’s central messages. Students must be treated as partners in shaping public education.

Owen, a Mikva youth leader and 2025 graduate of Lane Tech College Prep, explained why student knowledge must be considered alongside academic data.

“Students who experience our schools every day possess knowledge that no data dashboard, attendance report, or standardized test can fully capture.

If we genuinely want schools to improve, we have to begin trusting them as partners in shaping the future of public education.”

Liz, a Mikva youth leader and 2025 graduate of Chicago Bulls College Prep, challenged candidates and future Board members to involve students before decisions are made.

“If I could ask a school board candidate one question, I would ask, ‘How are you going to make sure students’ voices are actually included when important decisions are being made, instead of asking us after everything has already been decided or not asking us at all?’

It doesn’t sit right when decisions are already made before students have a chance to share their opinions. It feels like we’re being left out, even though these decisions affect our future. I want Chicago schools to make sure students have a real voice in the decisions that impact us.”

The Field Guide provides practical tools for turning these principles into action. Students can use it to ask candidates and Board members how young people will be included in decision-making. Educators can use it to connect conversations about governance to school culture, attendance, academic progress, and student experiences. Families and community members can use it to evaluate candidates, understand student outcome data, attend Board meetings, contact their representatives, and participate in Local School Councils and Community Action Councils.

The guide also identifies five responsibilities of an effective school board.

  • Set a clear direction focused on student outcomes
  • Protect community values
  • Hold the system accountable
  • Operate transparently
  • Govern collectively

We are proud that Mikva Challenge students helped bring youth voice to this important resource. As Chicago enters a new chapter in school governance, their message is clear. Decisions about students should never be made without students.

A Spanish-language version of the guide is forthcoming.