More sustainable community schools will be making their way to Chicago.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has a direct allegiance to the public school district. At a news conference on Aug. 4, he shared that he became the first mayor to send three children to study at Chicago Public Schools (CPS), according to Forbes. He added that the same desires he has for his children he has for others across the city, which had over 450,000 people (17.2%) living below the poverty line in 2022, research shows. This has inspired the expansion of an initiative to plant sustainable community schools across the Chicago.

ABC7 Chicago reports that more sustainable community schools will be created in the Austin, Belmont Cragin, and Englewood communities, in addition to the 20 that already exist. The schools will be open for extended hours and will offer GED and English as a second language courses, as well as health and wellness programming and community resources.

“That means more mental health support, more mentorship programs, and more community-oriented events,” Johnson said, according to the outlet.

 Interim CPS CEO Dr. Macquline King commented:

“I believe that students can only succeed and learn when they are supported, and that’s what this village model does.”

The city currently supports its 20 sustainable community schools through a $10 million commitment and plans to scale to 36 schools. However, a $734 million funding gap is prompting some to call on the state legislature to support the project’s expansion.

“The challenges that we are facing are severe,” Johnson explained, per ABC7 Chicago. “So here’s what I can say, it’s 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.”