CHICAGO – Mayor Brandon Johnson, Chicago Public Schools (CPS), and the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) today announced the expansion of its Sustainable Community Schools (SCS) model, growing from 20 to 36 participating schools across the city. This strategic growth reflects the District’s deepening commitment to transforming schools into vibrant community hubs that offer wraparound support, build authentic partnerships, and meet the academic and social-emotional needs of students and families. 

“As a former educator and community organizer, I understand the power of schools that are deeply connected to the neighborhoods they serve,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “The expansion of the Sustainable Community Schools model is an investment in our children, our families, and the future of our city. It reflects our shared belief that every student deserves access to a supportive, inclusive, and opportunity-rich learning environment.” 

Launched in 2018 as a joint initiative between CPS and CTU, the SCS model centers community voice and collaboration to address both academic and non-academic needs. The model pairs schools with community-based organizations to provide integrated support, including health and wellness services, trauma-informed care, restorative justice practices, and expanded after-school learning. 

“The expansion of Sustainable Community Schools reflects the District’s commitment to equity and community voice,” said Dr. Macquline King, CPS Interim CEO/Superintendent. “We know that students do best when schools are equipped to support their academic, emotional, and social well-being. This model recognizes and supports our schools as the anchors they are for students, staff and families.” 

With this expansion, 16 additional schools across Chicago will begin implementing the SCS model, receiving resources and partnership support that enhance student learning, promote family engagement, and strengthen school-community ties. 

The Board of Education affirmed this vision by passing a resolution in December 2023, officially naming Community Schools a strategic priority within CPS’s Success 2029: Together We Rise five-year strategic plan. The initiative directly advances the plan’s goal of ensuring that every school becomes a community hub, a place where educators, families, students, and community partners come together to promote collective well-being. 

“Expanding this model allows us to build on the strengths of our communities and ensure that every child has access to the resources they need to succeed both in and out of the classroom,” said Chicago Board of Education President Sean Harden. “This is how we create lasting change based on community leadership and shared responsibility.” 

“Sustainable Community schools are more than a place where lessons are taught. It’s where a child gets a hot meal, a health checkup, a trauma counselor and the wrap-around services they need to grow, thrive and achieve,” said Stacy Davis Gates, CTU president. “With 16 new schools joining the Sustainable Community Schools family, we are deepening our commitment to equity and it comes at a time when students and their families need it the most.” 

This strategic expansion prioritizes historically underserved communities and aligns with the District’s equity framework, which seeks to close opportunity gaps and elevate student voice. Planning and community engagement for the newly selected schools are already underway, with full implementation beginning in the 2025–26 school year. 

For more information about the Community Schools strategic priority, visit the District’s website as well as the CTU’s Sustainable Community Schools Page. 

Newly Selected Sustainable Community Schools for 2025-26 Implementation 

• Ira Aldridge Elementary School 

• Austin College and Career Academy High School 

• Belmont-Cragin Elementary School 

• James H. Bowen High School 

• Cesar E. Chavez Multi-Cultural Academic Center 

• George W. Collins Academy STEAM High School 

•  James R. Doolittle Elementary School 

•  Englewood STEM High School 

• Stephen F. Gale Community Academy 

•  Harold Washington Elementary School 

• Gurdon S. Hubbard High School 

•  Stephen T. Mather High School 

•  McCutcheon STEAM Elementary School 

• Richard J. Oglesby Elementary School  

• Telpochcalli Dual-Language Elementary School 

•  George Washington High School 

Existing Sustainable Community Schools 

• Oscar DePriest Elementary School 

• Herbert Spencer Technology Academy 

• Charles Steinmetz College Prep 

• Brighton Park Elementary School 

• Thomas Kelly Preparatory School 

• Donald L. Morrill Math & Science Specialty School 

• John B. Drake Elementary School 

• Jacob Beidler Elementary School 

• Daniel R. Cameron Magnet School of the Arts 

• Carl Schurz High School 

• Richard Yates Elementary School 

• Richards Career Academy 

• Christian Fenger Academy High School 

• Adlai E. Stevenson Elementary School 

• David Farragut Community Academy IB World School 

• Cyrus H. McCormick Elementary School 

• Uplift Community High School 

• Fort Dearborn Elementary School 

• Walter H. Dyett High School for The Arts 

•  Ralph H. Metcalfe Community Academy 

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