Here’s what to know about the race in District 5B, including the candidates and their campaign platforms.
The district
District 5B is located on the West, Near West and Near Northwest sides of Chicago, covering East Garfield Park, West Garfield Park and North Lawndale, along with parts of Humboldt Park, Near West Side and West Town. By racial demographics, the population is approximately 56% Black, 25% white, 12% Hispanic and 5% Asian.
The district boasts a whopping 61 schools — the most of any district. There are 40 elementary schools, more than a dozen charter options, several magnet schools and prestigious high schools, including George Westinghouse College Prep and Whitney Young, both selective enrollment schools and among the top-rated high schools in the city.
The school board member currently representing District 5B is Michilla “Kyla” Blaise, appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson in 2024.
The candidates
Two candidates are running in District 5B: Incumbent Michilla “Kyla” Blaise and her challenger, Anthony Hargrove.
Before becoming a school board member, Blaise was the chief of staff for Cook County Commissioner Frank J. Aguilar. Hargrove is a former CPS dean.
Michilla “Kyla” Blaise
What are your top three priorities if elected?
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- Continue working closely with operations to transition closed school buildings from eyesores back to the tax rolls.
- Standing up the Black Student Achievement Committee and making inroads on ensuring that Black students close the achievement gaps from other groups.
- Push for sustainable structural revenue from Springfield.
Do you support continuing the moratorium on school closings? YES / NO
Every child has the right to a quality educational experience near their homes. Due to decades of disinvestment on the West Side of Chicago, our schools have been underresourced. Black families travel farthest for their children’s education, and we deserve better. We need investment in our neighborhood schools to restore confidence and attendance.
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
Just as the Chicago Public Schools budget assumed TIF revenues from the city, we needed to budget additional revenue from the State of Illinois. While the EBF funding slipped from 87% to below 70%, CPSA needed to put the governor and state legislators on notice that continuing to underfund Illinois schools was unacceptable.
Should Chicago Public Schools continue raising its property tax levy to the legal limit? YES / NO
With CPS slipping further and away from adequacy, we have to do what we can to get resources for our schools.
Anthony Hargrove
The candidate did not respond to the Tribune’s questionnaire.