District 7a neighborhoods: South Lawndale, Near West Side, Lower West Side, Garfield Ridge, Archer Heights
Longtime Pilsen activist Emma Lozano was leading in this majority-Latino district as of early Wednesday but the race was too close to call.
Lozano had received 54% of the vote with 82% of precincts reporting, according to the Associated Press.
Lozano, first appointed in 2024 by Mayor Brandon Johnson, faced a challenge from Jesus Ayala Jr., a Chicago Public Schools graduate who worked for a nonprofit after-school program.
Lozano was endorsed by the Chicago Teachers Union, while Ayala had the backing of charter school advocates, groups that oppose the CTU and the Service Employees International Union Illinois State Council — which represents thousands of support staff in CPS and has split politically with the teachers union in recent years. Ayala tried to run in 2024, but his name was removed from the ballot after a successful challenge to the signatures on his nomination paperwork.
Ayala had raised $74,000 more than Lozano but she said the decades she spent advocating for education issues gave her the edge in the race.
“I think people remember that and that was able to carry me through,” Lozano said just after 10 p.m.
For Lozano, being part of Tuesday’s election felt like a revolutionary act, recalling a time when community members fought to get an elected school board. She was critical of how much money was poured into the various races.
Lozano will have to work with Jessica Biggs, who won the race for board president and was supported by groups who oppose the Chicago Teachers Union. Lozano said she would respect the election results but she won’t budge on her principles when it comes time to vote on matters before the board.
“There’s going to be some times, hopefully not just myself but others, will have to keep [Biggs] in her place,” Lozano said, adding that she wants to ensure resources are allocated to students living in mixed-status immigrant homes and providing better school lunches.
This Southwest Side district is home to 48 public schools. Last year, 64% received the state’s second-highest designation, “commendable,” while 4.5% received an “intensive” designation, indicating they remained among the bottom 5% of low-income schools in the state for four years after receiving comprehensive support or continued to have a graduation rate of 67% or below.
The students who attend District 7a schools are primarily Latino, matching the community demographics, and most come from families with low incomes. Nearly half are English learners.
Both Lozano and Ayala identified protecting immigrant communities and securing progressive revenue among their priorities.