{
  "id": 104609,
  "title": "15 more Chicago campuses join Sustainable Community Schools program",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/03/15-more-chicago-campuses-join-sustainable-community-schools-program",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-03T22:05:41.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Chalkbeat",
    "slug": "chalkbeat",
    "url": "https://www.chalkbeat.org/chicago/2026/08/03/fifteen-more-schools-join-sustainable-community-schools-program/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Chicago Public Schools (CPS) will add 15 new Sustainable Community Schools to its program this upcoming school year, marking roughly 10% of district schools benefiting from the initiative. The expansion was announced on Monday morning at Malcolm X College by Mayor Brandon Johnson, alongside Chicago Board of Education members, CTU President Stacy Davis Gates, and educators. Currently, there are 51 schools in the program, launched in 2018 in collaboration with the CTU. The district is contractually obligated to include 70 schools in the initiative by 2028. Each participating school receives $500,000 annually to collaborate with a community-based organization and provide additional academic and social support for students and families. Mayor Johnson emphasized the program's role in providing \"wraparound, academic, and social support that's extended to the entire community,\" signaling an end to previous policies of closures, consolidation, and privatization. The program's budget has increased significantly, from $24.6 million to $38.6 million, yet schools and partner organizations have left over $6.6 million unspent since its launch. While the program has led to higher graduation rates and reduced suspensions in participating schools, chronic absenteeism and lower enrollment have been noted issues. To address these challenges, CPS has altered the application process, requiring schools to meet with potential nonprofit partners and select a suitable match. One of the new schools joining the program is Gage Park High School, which will partner with the Southwest Organizing Project to offer more extracurricular activities and resources for its needy students.",
  "summary": "Chicago Public Schools will open 15 more Sustainable Community Schools this upcoming school year, meaning roughly 10% of district schools will receive extra funding to partner with nonprofit organizations and provide wraparound support for students and families. Mayor Brandon Johnson…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}