Chicago School Board Candidate Jessica Biggs Faces Scrutiny Over 2018 Principal Dismissal
Jessica Biggs, a current Chicago School Board member running for the board's presidency, is facing scrutiny over her 2018 dismissal as a principal. Opponents point to findings of improper attendance data handling and student transportation safety issues during her tenure…
Chicago, IL, September 23, 2026 —
Jessica Biggs, a current member of the Chicago School Board and candidate for its presidency, is confronting renewed scrutiny regarding her 2018 dismissal from her role as principal at Burke Elementary School. The circumstances surrounding her departure have become a focal point for opponents as her campaign for board leadership progresses.
Key issues cited by those questioning Biggs’s past include findings related to improper handling of attendance data and concerns about student transportation safety during her time leading Burke Elementary. These issues were reportedly part of the basis for her dismissal.
However, Biggs has consistently maintained that her termination was unwarranted and unjust. She has also denied allegations that she was involved in a scheme to falsify attendance data. The exact details of the attendance data handling issues and specific student transportation safety concerns have not been further elaborated in the provided information.
Further complicating the situation are questions concerning the timeline of Biggs’s removal from a ‘Do Not Hire’ list. The timing of this removal, which occurred shortly before she announced her candidacy for the School Board presidency, has drawn attention and raised concerns among some observers. The specific dates of her removal from the list and her presidential campaign announcement were not provided. The entity that placed her on the ‘Do Not Hire’ list and the subsequent process for her removal were also not detailed.
The scrutiny over Biggs’s past employment record and the allegations associated with her departure from Burke Elementary are expected to remain a significant aspect of the Chicago School Board presidential race. No further information regarding the specific findings against her or the investigations into the attendance and transportation issues during her tenure was available.
Story summarized from the original created by Mila Koumpilova, Chalkbeat Chicago,Sarah Karp on www.wbez.org, see more information here.
