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Good morning!

You’ve heard a million times in the past few months, and you’re gonna hear it a million more within the next week. One more reminder won’t hurt, right? This is Makiya Seminera, one of your Chalkbeat Chicago reporters, telling you to make sure you go out and VOTE.

We’re less than a week out from Chicagoans fully electing their school board, and if you want to take part in making history, you better get to the polls! Early voting is available throughout the city through Monday, Nov. 2. And if early voting doesn’t work out, you can always cast your ballot on Election Day, Tuesday. Nov. 3. Click here to see where early voting sites are located.

Even though the intense campaign cycle might make it feel like Chicago is the only city on Earth this concerned about education for the midterms, I assure you we’re not alone. At least, I was just reminded that’s not the case by reading a new piece from our National reporters Lily Altavena and Erica Meltzer highlighting the education issues to watch nationwide as Americans head to the polls. There are a lot of hot topics, and depending on the outcome for Democrats running in competitive districts across the U.S., we may be in for an interesting dynamic on education policies for the remainder of President Donald Trump’s final term.

And as a medium aside, once you’re done reading Lily and Erica’s piece, there’s another story I’d love y’all to check out from NPR. The story, which gives special educators the mic to explain what it takes to do their job, came at an coincidental time for me personally. That’s because my mom, a special educator, just won Teacher of the Year at her middle school! She’s not one for shout-outs, but it feels like a relevant addition to a newsletter about all things education. I have so much admiration for the work she does, and NPR’s piece really encapsulates the essential work special education teachers like her do to support students with disabilities.

What education issues are bringing you out to the polls this year? Let us know by replying to this email!

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Special ed diaries: Teachers tell NPR about their most joyous, most difficult moments, NPR

Small colleges are starting football programs, hoping to boost enrollment as student shortage looms, The Associated Press