The disintegration of negotiations between Chicago's teachers union and the city of Chicago not only brought the first teachers strike in 25 years but also left more than 400,000 students without school to attend.
In the wake of the strike, Chicago was forced to put in place a contingency plan that will have churches, community centers and limited number of schools and public facilities open to students, Reuters reported.
According to Reuters, students will be supervised for half a day and will receive breakfast and lunch. The plan will allow 144 schools to remain open while Chicago Public Schools goes on strike, NBC News reported.
Chicago police Supt. Garry McCarthy told NBC that he's "emptying our offices" to patrol unsupervised students on the streets following a particularly violent Chicago summer.
Parents, who are now scrambling to find caregivers for their children during the strike, can sign up their children for Safe Haven sites that are part of the contingency plan. NBC Chicago reported that parents can sign their children up for one of the locations their student ID numbers at www.cps.edu/childrenfirst or can call 311.
Chicago Public Schools has published lists of schools and Safe Haven sites open during the strike on its website.
Non-CPS Children First Locations by Type | Non-CPS Children First Location by Zip Code
All Children First Locations | Elementary Children First Locations | High School Children First Locations
Negotiations broke down late Sunday night, despite offers from the city to raise wages three percent this year and an addition two percent for the following three years, Reuters reported. However, disagreements over health benefits, teacher evaluation system and job security eventually ended talks.
Students attending charter schools, about 12 percent of the city's student enrollment, will continue to attend school on Monday, NBC reported.
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