Full STEAM Ahead: Chicago Public Schools Celebrates Next Steps to Bolster Academic Offerings at North Lawndale Schools

CHICAGO – Chicago Public Schools (CPS) officials today celebrated the next milestone in a District-community collaborative project to provide high-quality science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) programming at three North Lawndale schools.
Newly approved TIF funding – greenlighted last week by Chicago City Council – paves the way for a slate of STEAM-related academic enhancements and building renovations for Chalmers STEAM Elementary School, James Weldon Johnson STEAM Elementary School, and The Collins Academy STEAM High School. The planned improvements will further the District’s goals to provide students with a well-balanced education that deepens their knowledge in STEAM subjects, starting in elementary school and continuing through high school – yielding more graduates prepared for in-demand STEAM careers.
“This exciting new programming means our students will have more opportunities than ever to benefit from a well-rounded education that allows them to fully explore their academic and creative potential,” said CPS CEO Pedro Martinez. “When I walk through the doors of these schools, I see hopes and dreams of our young people coming to life. It is an incredible reminder of the great work we are doing as a District to serve Chicago’s children and I am grateful for our many families and community partners who helped get us here.”
CEO Martinez, District and local officials, including Alderperson Monique Scott, Alderperson Jason Ervin, Cook County Commissioner Michael Scott Jr., and Community Action Councils members convened Tuesday morning at The Collins Academy STEAM High School to celebrate the recent City Council-approved $10 million in TIF funding, in addition to a $30 million allocation in the CPS Fiscal Year 2025 capital budget for an anticipated $40 million total for renovations at all three schools.
A nearly decade-long collaborative effort among community partners drove this programming forward. In 2015, North Lawndale Community Action Council (NLCAC)/North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council (NLCCC) Education Committee developed a Quality-of-Life Plan that included the creation of the STEAM partnership. The group has advocated for investments to support stronger educational opportunities since 2017 with efforts increasing among the member organizations of the NLCAC/NLCCC and the District under the leadership of CEO Martinez and CedO Chkoumbova, said Dr. Betty Green, co-chair of the NLCAC with Dr. Leonard Moore.
“It is exciting to see all this come together after so many years of community planning and collaboration,” said Dr. Betty Green. “I want to thank CEO Martinez and CEdO Chkoumbova for bringing our collective vision to fruition. We are now one step closer to making sure that children in North Lawndale have equitable access to high-quality STEAM learning.”
Since the beginning of School Year 2024-25, the three schools have already started incorporating a number of enrichment experiences into its curriculum under the leadership of Chalmers STEAM Elementary Principal Romian Crocket, Principal Steve Fisher of James Weldon Johnson STEAM Elementary School and Principal LaKenya Sanders-Sharpe of The Collins Academy High School.
For younger elementary-age students, this can look like time to explore music, arts and technology from a STEAM lens, or exposure to animals and plants to better understand ecosystems. For high school students, the early STEAM college and career-connected learning can include digital media & film, coding, engineering, mechanical and technical trades, and biological sciences with the goal of all students graduating with a semester of college credit, an associate degree or advanced technical certifications through partnerships with City Colleges of Chicago, industry partners, and four-year universities.
Renovations at the schools are slated to begin in the summer of 2025 and be completed by the end of 2026. The renovations call for designing or improving on maker spaces, art and computer rooms, and science labs. At Collins, re-organized space will allow for expanded learning in areas such as cosmetology, automotives, and robotics. STEAM-centered design will be woven throughout modernized common areas, including: living museums to display students’ creative artwork; hydroponic gardens to grow plants, vegetables, and herbs; and even a 1,000 gallon aquarium that houses a variety of sea life to inspire and deepen student interest in science and ecosystems. The updates to the three sites will go beyond STEAM-specific improvements to address critical facility needs such as accessibility upgrades and roof, HVAC, plumbing and electrical replacements.
CPS is investing in STEAM staffing and supports, including professional development, at each school and will continue to build out the curriculum, tapping the many extraordinary partners across the city from world class museums to top architectural firms, and more.
A STEAM curriculum promotes creative and critical thinking, cross-disciplinary problem-solving, and gives students the opportunity to investigate, analyze, solve problems and work in teams. To ensure students are prepared for post-graduation, they will also have opportunities to earn college credit or an associates degree in high school, mentorship and paid internships, industry-approved certifications, and scholarships.
These opportunities are available due to Collins’ conversion into an early college STEAM high school, becoming one of 13 such Early College STEM/STEAM High Schools. Another 37 elementary schools offer STEM and STEAM programming across the District. Career forecasts show that 80 percent of jobs created in the next decade will require some form of math and science skills.

The efforts to bolster STEAM programming reflect CPS’ new five-year strategic plan, Success 2029: Together We Rise, approved unanimously in September 2024 by the Chicago Board of Education. The plan builds off of current practices and strategies over the past three years, including a concerted effort to double down on core instruction and interventions to help struggling students. It emphasizes a vision for strengthening neighborhood schools and improving the daily learning experience for all students, especially those who have been historically furthest from opportunity.

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