Mayor Brandon Johnson first appointed Thomas to the board last fall after the previous board resigned en masse.
In a close vote, the board voted to appoint King, despite concerns by some members over her record.
The program started in seven Chicago schools in 2019. Today, it’s expanded to about 400 schools.
Since an influx of migrant students began arriving in Chicago in 2022, the number of Chicago Public Schools required by state law to open a bilingual program increased by about 20%, according to records obtained by Chalkbeat and Block Club Chicago.
The school board is currently considering five people for the job of interim CEO, who will replace outgoing schools chief Pedro Martinez.
The district is putting together a budget for the 2025-26 school year with no cuts to schools, but the proposal may not come to fruition.
The mayor said the raises are necessary to address a teacher shortage in the early childhood education sector.
A presentation used to brief school board members and obtained by Chalkbeat outlined potential cuts, many of which include staff and programs supported by federal COVID relief money. District officials and school board members look to lobby City Hall and Illinois lawmakers for funding.
The school board’s vote seals the contract with the teachers union. The final deal includes limits on class sizes and more preparation time for elementary school teachers.
The school board has delayed its charter renewal votes for two months, leaving many charter families and educators wondering about the future of their schools.