Chicago Public Schools (CPS), in partnership with Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), announced a significant increase to the sustainable community school program. The move will add 16 more schools in the Austin, Belmont Cragin, and Englewood neighborhoods, according to a ABC7 Chicago report, with CPS planning to nearly double the number of sustainable community schools.
During the announcement, Johnson highlighted the holistic approach of sustainable community schools, which integrate the needs of the school, students, and the surrounding community. "That means more mental health support, more mentorship programs, more community oriented events," Mayor Johnson said, an expansion that aims to provide a range of services beyond just academic needs, including access to GED and ESL courses and health and wellness programming. This approach aims to ensure students are given every opportunity to not only succeed but to also thrive in their educational environment.
According to a CBS Chicago article, CTU President Stacy Davis Gates voiced her support for the initiative, stating, "That is why we have advocated for Sustainable Community Schools rather than school closures and privatization. It is why we fought so hard for a contract that invests in our children and their families. And it is why we fought to elect a mayor who understands that schools are anchors of communities."
The expansion arrives at a challenging financial time for CPS, which faces a $734 million budget deficit. Mayor Johnson recognizes the severity of these challenges; "So here's what I can say is that as a collective we're working to ensure that you know this year's budget allows for these investments to be maintained and we're going to need those same parents who are concerned, like all of us, to work with the General Assembly to ensure that they are fully funded as a district," he informed ABC7 Chicago. CPS is currently bracing to present its 2026 budget in less than two weeks, with a school board vote scheduled for August 28.
In the meantime, the sustainable community school program continues to grow with CPS setting an ambitious target of reaching 70 total sustainable community schools by the 2027 school year. This initiative underscores a commitment to offering world-class education within walking distance of students' homes—reinforcing the idea that schools should serve as integral pillars of their communities.
