Hubbard High School Parents, Elected Officials Urge Expansion of Overcrowded SW Side School
Overcrowding Crisis at Hubbard High School
Hubbard High School in West Lawn has an "overcrowding crisis" with more students enrolled than the 1,226-person capacity building can accommodate, according to Ald. Silvana Tabares (23rd). The school has 1,527 students and 114 teachers, with every classroom, every period used and shared by multiple teachers.
Plans for Expansion
For about two years, Southwest Side officials and school staff have worked on plans to expand the high school by building an annex in an empty lot on 3710 W. 63rd St. The lot, located a block southeast of the high school, could be purchased using tax-increment financing (TIF) funds, and state funds are available to support the building construction, Tabares said.
Conditions at Hubbard High School
According to Principal Angelica Altamirano, the school has been "grossly overcrowded" for years. Students and teachers use offices as small classrooms, service providers use closets as offices, and classes are taught inside the library, auditorium, and cafeteria outside of lunch hours. Students are crammed during class breaks and are often late to their next class as they cannot easily walk through the school, said Leticia Herrera, a West Lawn neighbor and mother of a 10th-grade student.
Safety Concerns
The lack of space also raises safety concerns, with teachers sharing classrooms and setting up wall dividers, leaving students packed in spaces where they can overhear activity from the other class. The school’s locker rooms and parts of the gym are used for classroom space, limiting physical education and other activities.
Elected Officials’ Support
Tabares, along with state Rep. Angie Guerrero-Cuellar and Sen. Mike Porfirio, have proposed building an annex via committing TIF and state funds. The annex would be used to provide career and technical education classes for seniors, Tabares said, urging the board and CPS to support plans to complete the expansion.
Funding and Next Steps
Between $10 million and $14 million in state money has been allocated to fund the school expansion and cover construction costs, Guerrero-Cuellar said. Board of Education officials have been invited to tour the school on Friday to see the school’s conditions, Tabares said.
Conclusion
Hubbard High School is in dire need of an expansion to address its overcrowding crisis. The proposed annex would not only alleviate the school’s capacity issues but also provide vital resources for students preparing to enter the workforce. We urge the Board of Education and CPS to support the plans for the school’s expansion.
FAQs
- What is the current capacity of Hubbard High School?
- 1,226
- How many students attend Hubbard High School?
- 1,527
- What is the proposed solution to address the school’s overcrowding issue?
- Building an annex in an empty lot on 3710 W. 63rd St. using TIF and state funds.
- What are the plans for the annex?
- Providing career and technical education classes for seniors.
