Olga Bautista, the appointed vice president of Chicago’s school board, announced that she will step down from her role after receiving an award to continue her work in environmental justice.
Bautista, a longtime community organizer on the Southeast Side, said at a Board of Education meeting Wednesday that she received a sabbatical award from the Chicago Frontlines Fund.
Mayor Brandon Johnson appointed Bautista in 2024, following the resignation of the previous board. She remained on the board the following year as it transitioned to a hybrid body, with 11 appointed and 10 elected members.
Bautista represents District 10B on the Southeast Side and works as the co-executive director of Southeast Environmental Task Force, a nonprofit fighting pollution and promoting environmental education.
“Public service is never easy, but it really matters,” Bautista said. “Our students deserve schools that are well-resourced, communities that are heard, and leaders that remain focused on the long-term future of our city.”
Johnson will be tasked with appointing a replacement for her board seat through the end of her term. In November, all 21 board seats will be up for election, and a fully elected body will be seated next year. Several appointed members have already indicated that they intend to run to keep their seats.
As vice president, Bautista leads meetings in the absence of appointed President Sean Harden. After she departs, members will take a special vote to choose her successor.
“It’s been a true pleasure to work with you,” Harden said. “My first board meeting, when I was a deer in headlights, you grabbed my hand and showed me the way.”
Bautista, who is a close Johnson ally, was among the board members who voted to fire former CEO Pedro Martinez in 2024. She was also part of the subset of members who voted against the district’s budget in August, which did not include a controversial pension payment to the city and a short-term loan.
The Chicago Frontlines Fund provides grants to grassroots environmental justice initiatives, according to the organization’s website. Bautista said she will also be temporarily stepping away from her professional work.
Bautista is the mother of two Chicago Public Schools students, according to her board bio, and a former Local School Council member.
Several board members praised Bautista as a steady presence on the board and a fierce champion of environmental rights. Board member Karen Zaccor, District 4A, a retired CPS teacher, said she used to teach about Bautista’s work in her environmental science classes.
“Every interaction just confirms what a dedicated, amazing person you are, that I had known from your other work,” said Zaccor, whose district covers parts of the North Side.
After concluding a brief speech, Bautista received a standing ovation from board members.
“Is there a way to veto this?” quipped board member Jitu Brown, who represents District 5A on the West Side.
The board has become increasingly divided over thorny topics like the district’s budget, and most recently, the district’s ongoing CEO search. Those divisions often fall along elected-appointed lines. But elected board member Angel Gutierrez said Bautista would often seek middle ground.
“One of the things I could always appreciate about you, even though we have our differences on things, we can both have a conversation,” said Gutierrez, representing District 8A on the Southwest Side.
Eight months before elections, the race to shape the next board is already on. Elected board member Jennifer Custer, who represents District 1B on the Northwest Side, announced Wednesday on social media that she is running for board president.
Custer was elected with support from the Chicago Teachers Union, but has frequently broken ranks with other union-backed board members. Only one other candidate — former board vice president Sendhil Revuluri — has so far announced a campaign in what is expected to be a crowded race.
