The expansion of the model, which seeks to nourish both students’ academic and non-academic needs by including wraparound services alongside a traditional school experience, will increase the number of schools under the banner by 15 from 36 to 51 for the 2026-27 school year, with an additional 19 planned for next year. 

“Every child deserves a school that opens doors not only to academic success, but to the opportunities and support that strengthen entire families,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a news release Monday ahead of an announcement at Malcolm X College. “Expanding Sustainable Community Schools reflects our commitment to investing in neighborhoods, empowering communities, and creating learning environments where students can thrive. When we strengthen our schools, we strengthen the future of Chicago.”

Last year, the model expanded by 16 schools, and Johnson on Monday said, “we will not be satisfied until we have an entire school district that’s built off of the Sustainable Community Schools model.” 

Related: Mayor, CPS announce expansion of Sustainable Community Schools program 

“This is a wonderful day because it signifies progress,” said CTU President Stacy Davis Gates, who said progress is often “elusive.” 

Under the initiative, schools are given resources and paired with community-based organizations to provide wraparound services to students, such as health and wellness services, trauma-informed care services, restorative justice resources and additional after-school programming.

“Sustainable Community Schools demonstrate what is possible when schools, families, and community partners work together with a shared purpose,” said Chicago Public Schools (CPS) CEO and Supt. Macquline King in a news release. “The expansion of this model means we are creating more opportunities for students to succeed academically while ensuring they have access to the services, relationships and supports that help them reach their full potential.” 

The expansion is in line with a resolution approved by the CPS Board of Education in 2023 that named the role of local schools as “community hubs” as a priority in the district’s 2029 five-year strategic plan.

“The goal of Sustainable Community Schools is creating stronger connections between our schools and the communities they serve. By building on local partnerships and listening to families, we are creating learning environments that respond to students' needs and reflect the strengths of every neighborhood,” Chicago Board of Education President Sean Harden said in a statement. “This is an investment in long-term success for our students and our city.” 

During an event on the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 2024, Johnson traveled to Walter Dyett High School in Bronzeville to tout the successes of the SCS model and to urge continued financial support for it from the highest levels of government.

The new schools include: