Miguel del Valle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Miguel del Valle
del Valle in 2011
President of the Chicago Board of Education
In office June 26, 2019 – June 30, 2023
Appointed by	Lori Lightfoot
Preceded by	Frank Clark
Succeeded by	Jianan Shi
City Clerk of Chicago
In office December 1, 2006 – May 16, 2011
Preceded by	James Laski
Succeeded by	Susana Mendoza
Member of the Illinois Senate from the 2nd district
In office 1987–2006
Preceded by	Edward Nedza
Succeeded by	William Delgado
Personal details
Born	(1951-07-24) July 24, 1951 (age 74) Vega Baja, Puerto Rico
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Lupe del Valle
Children	3 sons 1 daughter
Education	Northeastern Illinois University (BA, MA)
Signature

Miguel del Valle (born July 24, 1951) is an American politician. He has held many important jobs in the government of Chicago and the state of Illinois.

In 1987, he was elected to the Illinois Senate. He was the first Hispanic person to serve in that group. He worked there until 2006. Later, in 2006, he became the Chicago City Clerk. He won another election for this job in 2007.

In 2011, he ran for Mayor of Chicago. He finished third in that election. From 2019 to June 2023, he was the president of the Chicago Board of Education. He was chosen for this role by Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

Early Life and Career

Miguel del Valle with his wife Lupe in 2009

Miguel del Valle was born in Puerto Rico. When he was four years old, his family moved to Chicago. He grew up in the West Town and Humboldt Park areas of Chicago. These neighborhoods had many working-class Latino families.

After finishing Tuley High School (now Roberto Clemente Community Academy) in 1969, he went to Northeastern Illinois University. At college, he was active in student groups. He was part of the Union for Puerto Rican Students. He also led the Spanish Action Youth Committee.

After college, he earned two degrees in Education and Guidance. He then worked at the Barreto Boys & Girls Club. Later, he became the leader of Association House. This is a group that helps people with social services and education. The Chicago Tribune newspaper called him an "emerging young leader."

In 1982, Miguel del Valle helped get city money back for a jobs program. This program helped young people find work. He did this by organizing meetings and talking to the Chicago City Council.

Miguel del Valle is married to Lupe. They have four children: Miguel Jr., Ivan, Esteban, and Vanessa.

Serving in the Illinois Senate

In 1987, Miguel del Valle made history. He was elected as the first Hispanic Senator in the Illinois General Assembly. He beat Edward Nedza in the election. He later became the Assistant Majority Leader in the Illinois Senate. This was another first for a Latino person.

He worked hard to make sure Latino people were represented in government. He helped create districts where Latino voters were the majority. This gave them a stronger voice in elections.

Laws He Helped Pass

Miguel del Valle helped create laws to protect homeowners. These laws stopped people from illegally taking property deeds. He also supported laws to:

• Punish ATM crimes more severely.
• Increase the number of Early Childhood Teachers in Illinois.
• Provide health coverage for every child in Illinois.
• Increase money for Advanced Placement (AP) courses in high schools.

Community Involvement

Miguel del Valle started the Illinois Association of Hispanic State Employees (IAHSE). He also helped start other Latino groups. These include the Illinois Latino Advisory Council on Higher Education (ILACHE). He also created a yearly conference for Hispanic families.

He was the Vice-Chairman of the Education Committee. He also helped lead the Senate Select Committee on Education Funding Reform. He was a member of other important committees too.

In 2008, Miguel del Valle was chosen as a delegate for Barack Obama. He spoke at the Democratic National Convention. He also started the Miguel del Valle Youth Leadership Development Foundation. This group has given over $200,000 to help young people.

Chicago City Clerk

In 2006, Mayor Richard M. Daley chose Miguel del Valle to be the City Clerk of Chicago. He took over after the previous clerk left office. In 2007, Miguel del Valle won an election to keep the job. He was the first Latino person elected as Chicago City Clerk.

What the City Clerk Does

The City Clerk's office keeps official city records. It also gives out about 1.3 million vehicle stickers each year. These stickers are needed for cars in Chicago. The office also gives out residential parking permits and business licenses.

As City Clerk, Miguel del Valle worked to make services better. He made it easier for people to find public records online. He also helped put City Council meetings online. This meant people could watch them live or later. He made it simpler to get dog registrations, city stickers, and parking permits.

Running for Mayor

In 2011, Mayor Daley decided not to run again. Miguel del Valle was the first person to announce he would run for mayor. He was the first candidate to have a TV ad and a website. He also promised not to take money from companies that did business with the city.

Miguel del Valle ran a campaign that focused on local communities. He wanted to bring change from the ground up. He talked about making government more open and honest. He hoped to get many people involved in his campaign. He also highlighted his Latino background and his work as a state senator.

Ideas for Schools

Miguel del Valle believed the school board should be elected by the people. He also wanted longer school days and school years. He supported working with the Chicago Teachers Union. He wanted to create a better way to evaluate teachers. His ideas were very similar to what the Chicago Teachers Union wanted.

He received support from many Hispanic politicians. He also got endorsements from groups like Northside Democracy for America.

His campaign did not have a lot of money. He raised less than $132,000. He was only able to show one TV ad. Even with his efforts, he did not get as much support as he hoped. In the election, he came in third place. He received about nine percent of the votes.

Illinois Commerce Commission

On February 8, 2013, Miguel del Valle was appointed to the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). Governor Pat Quinn chose him for this five-year job.

The ICC makes sure that utility services are fair and reliable. This includes electricity, gas, and water. They also oversee transportation, like railroad safety and trucking companies.

President of the Chicago Board of Education

Miguel del Valle became the president of the Chicago Board of Education on June 26, 2019. Mayor Lori Lightfoot appointed him to this role.

During his time as president, the school district faced challenges. One big challenge was the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2020, some students protested the school district's contract with the Chicago Police Department. This contract provided police officers in high schools. Protesters gathered outside Miguel del Valle's house. He was in a virtual school board meeting at the time. He voted to keep the contract with the police department.

In 2023, Miguel del Valle shared his concerns about the school district's money. He said that even though things were getting better, financial problems could still happen. His time as president ended on June 30, 2023.

Other Leadership Roles

Miguel del Valle has been a leader in many other groups. He helped start Advance Illinois. He also led the Illinois P-20 Council. He served on the boards of several non-profit organizations. These include Josephinium High School and the Latino Institute.

In 2013, he was appointed to the Illinois Students Assistance Commission (ISAC). He served as Vice-Chairman. ISAC helps make college affordable for students in Illinois.

He has also advised the Illinois Supreme Court on choosing judges. He taught a class at Roosevelt University about Latinos and public policy. In 2008, he received an honorary degree from National Louis University for his leadership.