End of Week Message: Changes to SNAP Benefits Effective February 1; Celebrating the Success of our Middle-Grades Algebra Program
30 January 2026
Dear CPS Colleagues, Families, and Supporters,
Thank you to everyone who has worked to keep our school buildings safe, warm, and dry during the continued cold weather this week! In particular, I want to shout out our building engineers and custodial teams, along with the crossing guards and Safe Passage Workers who have braved the elements outdoors to make sure students can travel to and from school safely. We appreciate your dedication and I’m sure that we are all looking forward to a change in forecast in true Chicago style.
Update to Timing on Academic Calendar
Thank you to everyone who provided feedback through our most recent academic calendar survey. To ensure we have time to review and consider all stakeholder preferences, a vote on the calendars for both the 2026–27 and 2027–28 school years will be taken up by the Chicago Board of Education during their February 2026 meeting.
Changes to SNAP Eligibility Effective February 1
As of this Sunday, February 1, significant changes will go into effect regarding eligibility requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP. These changes were originally scheduled to begin in December of 2025, but were pushed back to February. Click here to see a communication we sent earlier this week outlining the specifics of these changes.
We know that the impending changes to the SNAP program will be challenging for many families. We want to be clear — this will not impact students receiving meals at school. Every CPS student will continue to have access to free breakfast and lunch at school every single day.
Details on the changes to SNAP, along with information on where families can access meals and groceries to supplement their benefits, is available on our website at cps.edu/snap.
Exciting Growth in Middle-Grades Algebra
Over the past several years, CPS has made an intentional effort to expand access to algebra for students before they reach high school. I am thrilled to share that we are seeing remarkable progress in this area, as outlined in our District’s 2024–2025 Middle Grades Algebra End of Year Report. By expanding both access and quality of instruction simultaneously, CPS has seen tremendous growth for students across our District.
Highlights of the report’s findings include the following:
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In the spring of 2025, 8,877 students took the Algebra Exit Exam—our highest participation rate ever!
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These students achieved a 60.2% pass rate, the highest since CPS began offering this specific exam in 2013.
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In 2019, just over 1,000 Black middle-grades students took algebra. By 2025, that number has more than doubled, and the number of these students achieving competency in Algebra nearly tripled.
Mastering Algebra by eighth grade empowers students to take advantage of our District’s Early College strategy, with 72.5% of students who place out of 9th grade algebra going on to take college-level math before they graduate — more than double the rate for students who do not take algebra until high school. This path also gives students the opportunity to take more rigorous electives, growing their potential and preparing them for high-salary careers in the growing fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).
I congratulate our District’s Math Team, our Algebra instructors, and most importantly, our middle-grades students on this promising growth, and look forward to seeing our expanding Algebra hubs open doors for even more CPS students in the future. We want to build on this progress toward even stronger growth across CPS.
Sincerely,
Dr. Macquline King
Interim Superintendent/CEO
Chicago Public Schools
Share Your Good News!
We love highlighting the great things that are happening in our schools, along with the people who are making them happen! Please use the Good News Form to tell us your stories so that we can share them with the District!
Here are some ideas to consider:
- What events, projects, or festivities does your school community have planned for the celebration of Black History Month in February?
- February is Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month. Is there a CTE program, instructor, or student at your school that deserves a shout-out?
- February 7 is National Girls and Women in Sports Day. Is there a female athlete or coach at your school who deserves to be recognized?
- February 11 is International Day of Girls and Women in Science. Is there a program at your school that is empowering female students to explore careers in the STEM fields?
Share your story with us today so that we can feature it through this newsletter, on CPS social media, and even in the news!
A Look Around the District
Take a look at what schools in our district have been up to!
Students at the Brooks Academic Center (AC), located in the Roseland neighborhood of Chicago, participated in the school’s inaugural Spelling Bee, with 1st–3rd place winners taking home prize trophies.
At Stone Elementary in West Ridge, author and artist Kadir Nelson, best known for his New Yorker Magazine cover portraits, visited students to share his story and details on his artistic process. Ahead of the visit, 7th- and 8th-grade students conducted an author study and created their own New Yorker cover art depicting significant events in their lives or current public issues.
The school community at Belding Elementary in the Old Irving Park neighborhood participated in a day of service at Share Our Space, where they sorted, quality-checked, and bundled brand-new and gently used children’s essentials for those in need.
And at Steinmetz High School in Belmont-Cragin, students in the School-Based Mentoring (SBM) Semester 1 Group celebrated their recent graduation from the program. Over the past semester, students participated in lessons on self-esteem, academic achievement, and postsecondary success, and used methods such as art therapy for self-expression!
CPS Winter Surveys Now Open
The CPS SY26 Winter Survey is available now and will close on February 20, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. This survey covers the following topics:
- School Food: Share your experience and preferences around the food at your child’s school. If you have children attending multiple CPS schools, you can complete a different survey for each school.
- Health Education: This section asks about how Health Education is scheduled, structured, and staffed at CPS. Note: If you are interested in participating in a focus group on this topic, please fill out this form.
- GPA and Promotion Policies: The Grade Point Average (GPA) Policy is about how high school students’ GPAs are calculated. The Promotion Policy is about how students are moved from one grade to the next in high school.
- Special Education Services: Share your experience with special education supports and services at CPS.
You can fill out the SY26 Winter Survey at cps.edu/wintersurvey, and learn more at cps.edu/surveys. Each section of the survey should take 5–10 minutes to complete. Please note that each section should be done in one sitting, because your data will not be saved if you close your browser. However, if you only have time to finish one section, you can always come back later to complete additional sections. All survey responses are anonymous.
Window Reopening to Apply for the Black Student Achievement Committee
The Black Student Achievement Committee (BSAC) is an important part of the Chicago Board of Education’s oversight and monitoring of the District’s Black Student Success Plan. To ensure the Board’s committee reflects robust representation across key stakeholder groups, the application window will reopen on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, at 9 a.m., and close on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, at 5 p.m. Access the application here on Monday, February 2!
The BSAC will appoint 14 members to each serve a 1-year term. Applicants must reside within the City of Chicago and, if selected, must complete the CPS New Volunteer Application. Those who successfully complete the volunteer application will participate in an onboarding process before their names are released publicly.
The decision to reopen the application period reflects a commitment to building a membership body that is broadly representative of the communities it serves. As such, the application is open to a broad range of CPS stakeholders, including students, parents, educators and administrators, social service providers, labor partners, and community leaders and residents.
The application extension does not change the committee’s application criteria, evaluation process, or selection standards. All applications will be reviewed, regardless of when they were submitted, using the same established scoring methodology.
This will be the final opportunity for stakeholders to apply for the BSAC this school year. If interested, please apply here by the deadline of Monday, February 9 at 5 p.m.
Apply Now for the 2026 RE•VER•BER•ATE Festival
Attention CPS performers! The deadline to apply for the RE•VER•BER•ATE 2026 Festival is this Sunday, February 1!
The RE•VER•BER•ATE 2026 Festival will run from May 5 to 8, and is a chance for our students to showcase their incredible talent at the Chicago Cultural Center. Whether they’re a musician, dancer, or actor, this multidisciplinary festival is designed to amplify their voices and celebrate the breadth of arts across our district.
Benefits of the festival include:
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Performance opportunities
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Workshops with professional artists
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Connection to arts organizations from around the city
Let’s not leave the stage empty! Apply here by the deadline of February 1!
FREE Tax Help for CPS Families
As we begin tax season, CPS is excited to partner with Ladder Up (Spanish flyer)—a trusted nonprofit providing free, IRS-certified tax preparation services to hardworking families across Chicago. Our trained volunteers are ready to help CPS families maximize refunds, claim eligible credits, and file with confidence, all at no cost. Services are available to households earning up to $40,000 a year. Visit goladderup.org for complete details.
Do You Work with Students with Disabilities? CPS Needs Your Feedback!
The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) is developing the SY26-27 IDEA Procedural Manual and the SY26-27 504 Procedural Manual, and we need your help to ensure both provide the clearest and most effective guidance possible on special education and related services.
Please review the SY26 IDEA Procedural Manual and the SY26 504 Procedural Manual, making note of any sections that need updating, clarification, or additional information. We are specifically looking for guidance on the following:
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How the guidance aligns with the needs of CPS students with disabilities.
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Any areas that could benefit from further clarification or improvement.
Please use the dedicated forms below to submit your suggestions for each manual by the deadline of March 13, 2026.
We thank you for your feedback and invite you to email Jessica Steiner at jsteiner1@cps.edu with any questions.
ProgramBridge Update
ProgramBridge is modernizing our District’s workstreams. In this brief video, learn how our First Conference Room Pilot (CRP1) helps ensure the future system reflects how work really gets done at CPS.
Summer Internship Applications Now Open
CPS high school students are encouraged to unlock their potential with real-world experience through an internship this summer! This opportunity is open to all students ages 16 and older, including soon-to-be graduates from the Class of 2026.
Summer interns typically work 20 to 25 hours per week with a local corporation, business, or nonprofit organization. These paid internships provide students with mentorship, skill development, and networking opportunities.
More information is available at cps.edu/summerinternships, or by contacting summerinternships@cps.edu.
Stay Protected Against Flu and Other Respiratory Viruses
Chicago is currently experiencing a high level of flu cases, with the most notable increase coming among children. And we know families are also vulnerable to RSV and COVID-19. Thankfully — it’s not too late to get vaccinated this winter!
All required and recommended vaccines, including the flu shot, are widely available at little to no cost, regardless of health insurance or immigration status. Families can visit cps.edu/vaccines for information on where to find vaccines.
For any questions about upcoming vaccine opportunities, families should email schoolhealth@cps.edu, or call the Healthy CPS Hotline at (773) 553-KIDS (5437).
CPS Scoreboard: This Week in District Athletics
CPS SCORE! Elementary Sports
Student registration for CPS SCORE! wrestling is now OPEN! Click here to register for the 5–8th grade wrestling programming! CPS is proud to partner once again with Beat the Streets. Season begins February 9!
CPL High School Sports
REMINDER: CPS is proud to partner with BOWA Gives for National Women and Girls in Sports Day in February, featuring panels with sports figures and speakers, track and field activities, and more! Click here to learn more and register for the FREE summit on February 7 and 8!
As we jump back into athletics in 2026, we are already in the playoff and championship swing of some of our winter sports! Upcoming championships below!
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Girls Bowling | January 31 | Waveland Bowl
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Boys Diving | Feb 6 | Jones HS
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Boys Swimming | Feb 8 | Whitney Young
CPS is proud to continue its partnership with Honest Game to ensure students are academically eligible to play sports in college if they so choose. Families can learn more about Honest Game’s services for their student-athletes through family-facing webinars throughout the year. Please click here for the upcoming list of webinars and to register!
And as a reminder, for the latest content surrounding CPS student-athletes, make sure to follow us across social media!
Enjoy Winter in the Parks
Work out for free at Park District Fitness Centers Feb. 1–15. Details here.
Celebrate Heart Health Month this February with a FREE heart health screening. Don't delay. Take care of your heart today! Learn more about free screenings here.
Winter programs are happening (Spots still remain). Find something to get you out and active over winter! There is something for every age group throughout the city, and classes are very affordable. Most programs run January 5 through March 15, 2026. Learn more here.
Teens and parents, join us for the 10th annual Teen Opportunity Fairs. Hosted at three locations across the city, these FREE events offer information about summer opportunities in the parks for Chicago youth ages 13-19. Learn more here.
Learn more about the Citywide Participatory Budget process at a virtual information session on Tuesday, February 3 at 6 pm. Register here to provide public input into park project priorities and improvements.
All outdoor ice rinks are now open (weather permitting). Pre-registration is required for all ice rink programs, including open skate sessions. Learn more and register for a skating session here.
Get your summer job plans in motion now—make $20.50 an hour next summer as a Chicago Park District lifeguard. Apply today, and then register to take the next Lifeguard Test on Friday, Feb. 27 at 4:30 pm at Ellis Park (3520 S. Cottage Grove Ave). Must be a Chicago resident and at least 16 years old by July 1, 2026. Learn more and apply here.
On your mark, get set, GO! The Chicago Park District and its partners will host the BOWA Gives Girls’ Invite this February! This event will include two full days of programming and competition at the Dr. Conrad Worrill Track and Field Center (10201 S. Cottage Grove Ave.) This will be a chance for Chicago’s female athletes to lead, excel, feel inspired, and become empowered to grow. Learn more here.
For questions, please email play@chicagoparkdistrict.com.
Special Ticket Offers from the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Fire
CPS staff are invited to cheer on the Chicago Bulls with an exclusive ticket offer for the below games.
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Bulls vs. Raptors: Feb. 19
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Bulls vs. Knicks: Feb. 22
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Bulls vs. Hornets: Feb 24
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Bulls vs. Trail Blazers: Feb. 26
The Chicago Fire kickoff their home schedule on Saturday, February 28 with an 1:30PM afternoon match vs CF Montreal at Soldier Field! The Fire are offering CPS families a discount of over 30% off tickets to the match! Get your tickets here.
The Chicago Fire can also assist with STEM & Soccer or Career in Sports field trips for your students! If interested in learning more, please reach out to their group sales team at grouptickets@chicagofirefc.com or call (872) 710-0550.
Important Dates
For more upcoming events around the District, visit cps.edu/calendar.
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Wednesday, February 11: Board Agenda Review Committee meeting. Learn more at cpsboe.org.
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Monday, February 16: CPS offices and schools are closed in observance of Presidents' Day; no classes for students.
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Tuesday, February 17: Professional development day for staff; no classes for students.