Anusha Thotakura for Chicago Board of Education DIstrict 6A

Dear neighbors,

When I first ran for the Chicago Board of Education, I made you a promise: to put our students first and make sure every child in District 6A has the schools they deserve. As a former teacher, I’m proud to report back on what we’ve accomplished together for Chicago Public Schools students and families.

I came to this Board with a plan for CPS, and we've delivered — with cleaner buildings, smarter spending, and real career opportunities for our kids.

Removing Mold, Lead, and Asbestos: Our children cannot learn in toxic buildings. I created the Healthy Green Schools Fund to remove mold, lead pipes, and asbestos from schools across the district. Healthier buildings mean better attendance, better focus, and better outcomes for every student.

Responsible Spending: I championed the Healthy Green Schools Resolution, which passed unanimously, launching solar panels, heat pumps, and geothermal systems across the district. I made sure the energy savings and rebates from these projects are reinvested directly into our classrooms — saving CPS millions in utility costs and freeing up funds where they belong.

Career Pathways for Students: Under my leadership, CPS is embedding job training in clean energy projects, giving District 6A students hands-on experience in solar, construction, and clean energy fields.

This work is just the beginning. I'm asking for your support as I continue fighting for the schools our kids deserve. Join our campaign and let's keep building together.

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Anusha’s Priorities

Anusha Thotakura is a former middle school math teacher and current Chicago Board of Education member for District 6A. She is running to continue delivering results for CPS students and families.

🍎 Pre-K and Early Childhood Education

As a teacher, I saw every day how much harder it is to close an achievement gap than to prevent one. Children who start behind in kindergarten spend years catching up — and too many never fully do. That's the failure of our current education system. I'm fighting to expand access to high-quality Pre-K programs across District 6A, because every child in our neighborhoods — from Humboldt Park to Streeterville — deserves a strong foundation before they ever walk into a kindergarten classroom. When we invest early, we change the entire trajectory of a child's life.

🍎 Mental Health and Wellness

Our kids are carrying a lot, especially in today’s political and social climate. Stress at home, trauma in their communities, pressure at school — and too often, they're carrying it alone. A child who is struggling emotionally cannot focus, cannot learn, and cannot thrive. Every CPS school should have a full-time counselor and social worker — not shared across three buildings, not stretched impossibly thin, but present and available for students who need support. I'm committed to pushing the Board to make that a reality, because when we take care of the whole child, the academic outcomes follow.

🍎 Career and Technical Education (CTE)

I want every student in District 6A to be able to look at their school building and see their future in it. And we’ve started — I spearheaded the Healthy Green Schools Resolution that connects CTE directly to the clean energy projects underway in CPS buildings right now, so students can get hands-on training in solar installation, construction, and clean energy fields while still in high school. Good jobs are being created in this city. Our kids should be first in line for them. In my second term, I'm going to keep expanding these pathways — because a diploma is more powerful when it comes with real skills and a real shot at a career.