Bridget Lee of Academy for Local Leadership: WCPT 820 Interview

Scott Duff and guest co-host Ken Mejia-Beal are joined by Bridget Lee, founder of the Academy for Local Leadership (ALL Chicago).

Here is a brief summary of the conversation:
- Lee explained that Chicago is transitioning from a mayor-appointed board to a representative, community-led school board. Following a 2024 hybrid trial run involving 10 elected seats and 11 appointed seats, the upcoming election will feature all 21 seats up for election across 20 districts.
- The election is scheduled for November 3.
- Voters will select candidates for their specific district and also vote for the board president.
- Residents can identify their district by using the Board of Elections website or local news sites.
- Lee introduced the Governance Compass, a framework created by ALL Chicago to help voters evaluate candidates based on five core principles:
* Setting vision and direction: Working with the superintendent to establish clear educational goals. * Protecting community values: Ensuring schools are a safe, well-resourced, and equitable environment.
* Transparency: Conducting business in public meetings that are available via YouTube.
* Accountability: Using levers like hiring/evaluating the superintendent, passing the budget, and passing policy to ensure the system meets its goals.
* Collective governance: Governing as a team to implement decisions effectively rather than acting as individual political actors.
- Lee suggested several ways for citizens to be involved:
* During the election cycle: Attend candidate forums and ask tough questions regarding a candidate's understanding of their ability to function within a board structure.
* After the election: Watch public board meetings, contact elected officials via their email addresses, or engage with them during community office hours and neighborhood events.
* Resources: Voters can utilize localleadership.org to access resources or consult the Chicago Sun-Times voter guide.