Here’s what to know about the race in District 3A, including the candidates and their campaign platforms.
The district
District 3A is located on the Northwest Side of Chicago, roughly covering slices of Albany Park, Avondale, Belmont Cragin, Hermosa, Irving Park, Logan Square and Portage Park. By racial demographics, the population is approximately 58% Hispanic, 31% white, 6% Asian and 4% Black.
The district boasts 20 schools in all, with over a dozen neighborhood schools, three charter schools and two citywide schools, serving both elementary and high school-age students. A number of these schools also feature dual language and personalized learning programs that cater to students’ needs and learning styles.
The school board member currently representing District 3A is Norma Rios Sierra, appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson in 2024.
The candidates
Two candidates running in District 3A: Pete Gonzales and incumbent Norma Rios Sierra.
Gonzales serves as a legal adviser for the Illinois Secretary of State, and Rios Sierra is a special projects manager at the Chicago Park District.
Pete Gonzales
What are your top three priorities if elected?
- Stronger academics.
- Real support for teachers and families.
- A budget that sends resources where they matter most: into classrooms, neighborhood schools and the lives of our kids.
Do you support continuing the moratorium on school closings? YES / NO
A school is not just a building. It is where children grow up, families build relationships and neighborhoods come together. I will not support closing schools as a shortcut to solve budget problems. Families deserve a real voice, honest data and a clear showing that any change will truly help students.
Do you support the Chicago Board of Education’s decision this summer to budget an additional $150 million in state funding to reverse layoffs and prevent a spending freeze? YES / NO
I support restoring teachers, clinicians and staff because children feel those losses immediately. But caring about kids also means being honest about the budget. Chicago Public Schools should fight for every dollar Springfield owes us, while refusing to make promises to families based on money that has not actually been appropriated.
Should Chicago Public Schools continue raising its property tax levy to the legal limit? YES / NO
Families across Chicago already are being stretched to the breaking point. We cannot keep asking them to pay more while they wonder whether their school will have enough teachers, counselors or programs. CPS must cut waste, demand its fair share from Springfield and prove every dollar is reaching kids.
Norma Rios Sierra
What are your top three priorities if elected?
- Increase funding for CPS.
- Prioritize neighborhood schools. Every child at CPS should be able to walk to a fully resourced school.
- Improve student mental health. Too many schools are overcrowded, lack adequate mental health professionals and lack arts and extracurricular programming.
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Do you support continuing the moratorium on school closings? YES / NO
I do not think we should be closing or consolidating neighborhood schools. Schools are community resources and hubs for community connection. Prior closures have not resulted in better learning environments for students. We should fight for additional funding to fully resource all of our schools.
Do you support the Chicago Board of Education’s decision this summer to budget an additional $150 million in state funding to reverse layoffs and prevent a spending freeze? YES / NO
As a board member, I voted for a budget that maintained funding for classrooms. The state has a constitutional obligation to fully fund its schools in Chicago and statewide, and for years it has not fulfilled that duty. I voted to ensure Chicago receives full state funding and am in coalition with elected officials and community to get it done.
Should Chicago Public Schools continue raising its property tax levy to the legal limit? YES / NO
I believe that those who are most able to pay should be taxed to fund our schools. I think raising property taxes on everyday working Chicagoans should be a last resort after all other options have been exhausted.