CHICAGO — Mayor Brandon Johnson stopped by a few Chicago Public Schools Monday morning ahead of a new school year, swearing in six new school board members.

Johnson visited a Garfield Park elementary school that CPS considered closing more than a decade ago. This will also be the earliest start to the school year for the district’s more than 3,000 students. Traditionally, kids did not return until after Labor Day.

The Board of Education approved a new calendar year that is more closely aligned with the schedules of suburban school districts and local colleges.

New challenges include helping migrant children learn English and help them navigate the trauma of making their journey to the U.S.

CPS estimates an additional 3,000 migrant children with many of them still living in migrant shelters and police stations.

Funding for bilingual education will be increased by $15 million and other challenges include helping students catch up from pandemic learning along with negotiating a new teacher’s union contract which expires in 2024.

Johnson also visited Brighton Elementary school and Kenwood Academy Monday morning.

CTA is again offering free rides to students and schools are opening with extreme heat in the forecast.

A CPS spokesperson told the Tribune 99% of schools had air conditioning as of last week but the school spokesperson did not say the percentage of classrooms with air conditioning.

Illinois Department of Public Health says classrooms should not exceed temperatures over 79 degrees.