To help inform voters about who is running for elected Chicago school board, the Chicago Tribune’s education team asked a series of questions to candidates in each district. These questions ranged from basic information about their background and campaign platform to where they stand on several issues facing Chicago Public Schools.

See the answers of Andrew A. Davis, candidate for school board elected in Sector 4below.

About the Candidate

Name: Andrew A. Davis

Age: 68

Neighborhood: Lincoln Park

School District: 4

Education: University of Chicago Laboratory School; Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Beloit College

Current Job: Non-profit executive

Previous political experience: None.

Questions and answers

In the interest of transparency, candidate responses presented here are published as written and have not been edited by the Tribune.

Did you attend Chicago Public Schools or is someone in your immediate family a CPS student? Yes, a close family member.

Have you worked at Chicago Public Schools or another school? What is your background in education?

I was the executive director of the Illinois Student Aid Commission for five years and steered the six billion dollar entity safely through the Great Recession. I then moved into the private sector and ran an Income Sharing finance company. I am now the Chair of The Education Equity Fund, the NFP I founded five years ago. We help Chicago teachers pay for principal training in UIC’s EdD program. My experience in educational governance includes seventeen years on the Beloit College Board of Trustees, the last five as Board Chair. I worked at the Newberry School’s LSC.

Why are you running for a seat on the Chicago Board of Education?

I’m a lifelong Chicagoan, and I believe the city’s future depends on changing a system that currently fails two out of three students.

How would you describe your school district?

Mostly very lucky.

How would you describe your campaign platform?

I propose that the Board charge CPS staff with dramatically increasing student outcomes while also acting as prudent stewards of taxpayer dollars.

What is the most important issue facing CPS students?

Two out of three third graders are not reading at grade level. This cannot lead to anything good.

Provide three to four key points you want voters to know about your campaign.

My focus is on student achievement, parent choice, budget transparency and financial solvency.

Given this year’s budget problems and disagreements over how to resolve them, what do you propose for the district’s funding in future years? Would you support the district in taking out any loans in future years to finance the annual budget?

I oppose any borrowing to finance current operations. I will work to merge Chicago Teacher Pensions with the state TRS. The state pays for the pensions of every other district in Illinois. Chicago should be included in this obligation. This will free up hundreds of millions of dollars to spend in classrooms to meet student achievement goals.

The Chicago Board of Education recently adopted a new 5-year Strategic Plan. What aspects do you support and what, if any, would you change?

In general, I support the goals, but I am skeptical about the methods.

As thousands of migrant families settle in Chicago, how should the district handle the influx of English language learners? What more should be done to ensure that consistent bilingual education is provided and funded?

If we want Chicago to be one of the great cities of the world, we should see students who bring new languages ​​and multilingual skills as a resource. I support the expansion of bi and multilingual education in the many different languages ​​that our immigrants bring.

Do you think the district has historically underinvested in the south and west side schools? Yes.

If so, what solutions would you propose to address inequities and opportunity gaps in the school system?

A citywide program that focuses on teaching all of our third graders to read. In different neighborhoods and schools, the resources needed to meet this goal will vary. We should meet this need.

Since his election, Mayor Johnson has expressed his desire to move away from school choice and strengthen neighborhood schools. This has recently been consolidated in the District’s 5-year Strategic Plan. Do you share this position? Why or why not?

I support the effort to improve neighborhood schools. I also support the right of parents and students to have a selection of neighborhood, selective-enrollment Magnet, and Charter schools to choose from.

What solutions do you propose to provide busing for students at selective enrollment and magnet schools?

The Council’s role is to make policy. The staff’s role is to figure out the logistics. I support a policy of having sensible transportation solutions for every student in every school.

Please share your thoughts on how the District and the Chicago Teachers Union can reach a new 4-year contract.

Teachers are of course the foundation and infrastructure of a school system. I am in favor of robust compensation for them. I believe that the scope of negotiations proposed by the CTU is too broad.

In 2024, the average literacy proficiency rate of Chicago Public Schools is 31%, an increase from pre-pandemic years. These rates, however, were lower for students from low-income families, English language learners, and students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs). How should the district try to improve literacy rates in the future?

Similar to the shipping question. The board should challenge staff to create a plan that will double the literacy rate in the next five years. The Council’s task will then be to assess the progress and performance of staff in achieving this objective and also to ensure that the reading program is the highest priority in the allocation of limited resources.

What is your position on extending charter school funding and renewal terms?

Last week I had a long conversation with a Charter executive. Renewal terms that are only two years misdirect staff time into a hamster wheel of renewal preparation rather than running their schools. The terms should be extended. Funding for Charters should be allocated equally with other public schools. Charters should be included just as other public schools are in Safe Passage, capital spending plans and all dollars that come from CPS.

Please provide your thoughts on how to keep Chicago Public Schools safe havens for students to learn and thrive in fear of violence. How do you propose this district approach?

Inside schools and in the field, principals and LSCs should have a great deal of freedom in how they determine to keep children safe.