Illinois teachers union endorses JB Pritzker for reelection as governor

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Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who is seeking reelection this November, received a key endorsement on his education policies from the state’s largest union this week.

Monday’s announcement marks the third time the Illinois Education Association, which represents more than 135,000 teachers, professors, and support staff statewide, has endorsed Pritzker for governor. The Illinois Federation of Teachers — the other statewide teachers union and the parent organization to the Chicago Teachers Union — has yet to make an endorsement in the race.

The IEA’s endorsement comes at an important crossroads for Pritzker, as two closely watched education issues loom over the final months of his second term.

“This governor is on the right side of history, which means a better future for public education in Illinois,” said IEA president Karl Goeke, citing Pritzker’s policies on minimum teacher salary raises, preventing book bans, and restricting cellphones in schools.

The first issue for Pritzker, who has championed public schools, is whether Illinois will opt into the Trump administration’s federal tax credit scholarship program by the end of the year. Starting in 2027, individuals can donate up to $1,700 to specific education nonprofits and be reimbursed by the federal government. Governors have the sole responsibility for deciding whether their states will participate, although their ability to mold programs to their liking seems increasingly unlikely.

Pritzker hasn’t indicated publicly whether Illinois will participate, although text messages obtained by the Chicago Tribune signaled he was wary of the program earlier this year. So far, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis is the only Democrat to have opted his state into the program, although a handful of other Democratic governors have said they intend to opt in.

The other problem facing Illinois’ governor is how to respond to the Chicago Board of Education’s demand for $150 million additional state dollars to fill the district’s budget deficit during the upcoming veto session. Chicago’s school board voted to pass a budget that assumes it will receive that funding last month, but the request faces an uphill battle to get approval from state lawmakers and Pritzker.

Pritzker’s name has also circulated in the past year as a possible contender in the 2028 presidential race. Education remains a core point of contention across the country, meaning Pritzker’s record on Illinois schools could wind up on the national stage.

Facing off against Pritzker in his bid for reelection is Darren Bailey, a former Republican state lawmaker. This is the second time voters will see this matchup on their ballots, as Pritzker handily defeated Bailey in 2022 to win his second term as governor.

This story has been updated to include mention of the Illinois Federation of Teachers.

Makiya Seminera is a reporter covering how the state and federal government affect education in Chicago and across Illinois. Contact Makiya at mseminera@chalkbeat.org.