001President Harden, before you begin today's meeting, I would like to note the next meeting. The next board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 28th, 2026 at 3:30 p.m. Please note the later start time. The board meeting will be held at 42 West Madison Street, Garden Level Board Room. For details on how to register, speak, or observe at the meetings, and to learn about the speaker lottery process, please visit the Chicago Board of Education website at cpsboe.org. If you have any questions questions about registration or public participation, please contact the board office for assistance. Thank you for joining us today. President Harden, we are now ready for you to begin the meeting. Morning, everyone. Welcome to the Chicago Board of Education special meeting. Today is May 19th, 2026. I'm President Shawn M. Harden. On behalf of
002my fellow board members, thank you for joining us today. We're holding today's special meeting in the board room at CPS Loop Office, 42 West Madison, Garden Level. I would like to note that board members and senior leadership are physically present in the board room. Registered speakers may join us in person or virtually if they've opted to do so, and registered observers are joining us in person. Special board meeting of Tuesday, May 19th, 2026 is hereby called to order. Board Secretary, please call the roll. Member Smith? Here. Member Lopez? Present. Member Boyle? Here. Member Wallace? Present. Member Custodio? Present. Member Pope? Here. Member Bannon? Present. Vice President Velez? Here. Member Biggs? Present. Member Soto-Mayor? Present. Member Blais, who's joining us virtually via Zoom? Present. Member DeBerry? Present. President President Harden? Here. We have 13 members present.
003We do have a quorum. I'd also like recognize Elizabeth Barton, General Counsel, Dr. Karim Asaf, Chief Chief Education Officer. Thank you. The order of the meeting will be as follows, public participation, going to close session, reconvene from close session, and then adjourn. It don't appear to be any public speakers today. So, we'll go right into executive session. Board member Custer, do you have motion MO1? Yes, I do. I move for the passage of motion number 26-0519-MO1, and the commencement of a close session to consider matters permitted under Section 2C of the Open Meetings Act, subsection 1 and 16, as specified in the motion. Is there a second? I second the motion. I'll proceed with a roll call. Member Smith? I. Member Lopez? I. Member Boyle? Yes. Member Wallace? I. Member Custer? I. Member Pope? Yes.
004Member Bannon? I. Vice President Velas? Yes. Member Biggs? Yes. Member Thodakura? Yes. Member Blaze? Yes. Member DeBerry? I. 12 eyes, zero nays, the motion is adopted by the board. This meeting will now go into close session. The special board meeting of the Board of Education is reconvened. Board Secretary, please proceed. I do want to note for the record that board member Rio Sierra joined the meeting at 1:00 p.m. And I would like to note for the record that there are no items to vote on from the executive session. Thank you. Is there a motion to adjourn? So moved. Is there a second? So moved. All in favor? I. We are adjourned. Thank you, everyone. I think it was actually it was really