Dr. Janice Jackson is a lifelong resident of Chicago. With over 22 years of experience working in Chicago
Public Schools (CPS), she is a nationally-known and respected educator and leader in the field of public
education. Her life’s work and commitment to public education and student outcomes began at a young age.
After graduating from CPS and receiving her B.A. and M.A. from Chicago State University, she began her
teaching career as a social studies teacher and debate team coach at South Shore High School. From there
she went on to serve as a high school principal, District Network Chief, and Chief Education Officer all while
completing an M.A. and Ed.D. from the University of Illinois at Chicago. In 2017, she was appointed CEO of
CPS by Mayor Rahm Emmanuel. She was the first CPS alumna to serve in the position.
Jackson’s tenure at CPS—the nation’s third largest school district with more than 355,000 students, 38,000
employees, and an annual budget of $7 billion—is most notable for the results the district attained in advancing
equitable outcomes for its students. In fact, Bill Gates noted the data-driven approach to student success
developed under Jackson’s leadership was “a model for the nation.” Jackson’s efforts, along with those of
Chicago’s dedicated teachers and principals, propelled CPS students to record-breaking improvements in
academic achievement, high school graduation, and post-secondary completion. Education experts across the
country regard Chicago as a national leader in improving results for young people at scale.
Upon leaving CPS after 22 years, Jackson joined the Carnegie Foundation as a Senior Fellow where she is
focusing on equity issues, such as improving high school and college attainment nationwide and ensuring that
African American, Latinx, and Indigenous students receive exemplary education and social and emotional
support. She was also selected as a 2021 Resident Fellow for the Institute of Politics at the University of
Chicago.
In September 2021, Jackson became CEO of Hope Chicago, a new two-generation scholarship organization
that will eliminate barriers to educational and economic equity by guaranteeing debt-free college and
wraparound support services to Hope Scholars and their parents. Jackson brings dynamic leadership, deep
knowledge of student need and circumstance, and a personal passion for transforming lives through education
to this work. She is also a board member of the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning
(CASEL), the Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center (CCAC) and A Better Chicago (ABC). Dr. Jackson is
married with two children and resides on the southside of Chicago, in the Bronzeville community.