Students, parents, staff, and community members interested in running for an open seat on their Local School Council (LSC) can now apply online at cps.edu/lscelection. Serving on an LSC offers an excellent opportunity to take an active role in shaping and supporting school communities. The deadline to file as a candidate is January 20, 2026, and elections will be held on March 18.
Dear Parents/Guardians, School Staff Members, and Community Members:
The 2026 Local School Council Election will be held on Spring Parent-Teacher Conference Day,
Wednesday, March 18, 2026, for all schools from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. In the Election, parents and
community members will have the opportunity to run and vote for up to 5 candidates for 8 positions on your school’s LSC (6 parent members and 2 community members) and school staff will have the
opportunity to run and vote for up to 2 candidates for 3 positions on the LSC (2 teacher members and 1
non-teacher staff member).
We encourage and invite you to participate in the election by becoming a candidate for your school’s
council and by voting in the parent/community election and the school staff poll. Since 1989, Local
School Councils have helped improve the quality of education in the Chicago Public Schools by playing
an important role in governing their schools. They participate in selecting the principal, approving the
school improvement plan and school budget, and performing other important duties. Each LSC includes
the principal, 6 parents/legal guardians, 2 community residents, 2 teachers, 1 non-teacher staff member,
in elementary schools with grades 7 and 8, 1 student, and in high schools, 3 students. Parent member
candidates must have a child enrolled and attending the school. Community member candidates must
be at least 17 years old and live within the school’s attendance area or voting district, but cannot have
any children enrolled in the school.
NOTE: Parents of children graduating before June 30, 2026, may run and serve as community members if they will have no children attending the school as of June 30, 2026, and are otherwise eligible.
The nomination procedures for interested candidates are as follows: All adult candidates must submit all
forms online and must present identification in person in schools where the candidates will run or in person at the Office of Local School Council Relations (OLSCR), 2651 W. Washington Blvd., 3rd Floor. Candidate submissions are not final, and you are not a candidate until the school receives the IDs in person. Online submissions are the primary method for applying for candidacy. Online forms are available in English and Spanish. Any other language must be submitted on paper. Mailed, faxed, emailed, or copied forms will NOT be accepted. Candidates submit online the Candidate Nomination Form (Form 1-26); Criminal Conviction Disclosure Form (Form 2-26); and Telephone Number Disclosure Form (Form 3-26) and present two pieces of identification* by 3:00 p.m. on January 20, 2026 to the school or to the Office of LSC Relations, 2651 W. Washington Blvd., 3rd Floor. School staff candidates must also submit a Teacher/Non-Teacher Staff Candidate Information Form (Form 5-26). For community representative candidates, at least one I.D. must bear a current home address in the school’s attendance area or voting district boundaries (for multi-area enrollment schools). Each candidate is also encouraged, but not required, to submit a Candidate Statement Form (Form 4-26), which is a brief statement of their
qualifications and plans if elected (or appointed) to the LSC.
LSC Candidate Forms are available as part of the online nomination process and online at the CPS
website. For more information, call the Office of Local School Council Relations at (773) 553-1400. Please review the LSC Election Guide, available in the school’s main office or online, for additional rules and procedures. NOTE: If you are unable to submit your forms online, please contact your school election coordinator or the Office of LSC Relations for assistance.
We look forward to your participation in the Local School Council Election, and thank you for your interest
in your school. Working together, we can continue to improve our children’s education.
Sincerely,
Kishasha Williams-Ford
Director, Local School Council Relations
