CPS CEO outlines mental‑health supports, transportation gains and algebra improvements; says SNAP changes won’t affect school meals

Chicago — Interim Superintendent and CEO Dr. King used prepared remarks at the Jan. 29 board meeting to emphasize mental‑health investments, transportation expansions and academic gains while cautioning the district would not rush funding decisions on Chi Arts.

Mental health and supports: "Our students' mental health is top of mind for me right now," Dr. King said, announcing increased clinicians, counselors and social workers and the availability of no‑cost virtual mental‑health services for high‑school students. He urged families and staff to access district resources via mentalhealth@cps.edu and the CPS website.

Transportation: Dr. King reported the hub‑stop program launched earlier than expected and in mid‑November expanded access, resulting in a roughly 10% increase in students accessing bus transportation compared with the prior year. He praised the transportation team for increasing options for general‑education students.

Academic results: On math results Dr. King highlighted major growth in middle‑grade algebra: participation rose to a record level with over 8,877 students taking the algebra exit exam and a pass rate of 60.2%, the highest since the test began in 2013. He framed algebra mastery as a key lever for the district's early‑college strategy.

SNAP and food security: Dr. King flagged imminent SNAP eligibility changes effective Feb. 1 and said CPS has worked to inform families; he emphasized that school meals will not be affected: "Every CPS student will continue to have access to free breakfast and lunch at school every single day." He directed families to district SNAP resources at cps.edu/snap.

Next steps: Dr. King closed by urging continued community engagement, promoting LSC elections on March 18, and reiterating that district leaders are assessing funding models for arts transitions carefully to avoid short‑term fixes.

Ending: The board opened for follow‑up questions; several members raised implementation and equity questions about access to dual‑credit pathways and outreach to middle‑grade students.