Chicago's board of education has authorized the school district to execute a contingency plan to care for and feed students if teachers go out on strike.

District spokeswoman Becky Carroll says the board on Wednesday authorized the district to spend up to $25 million to carry out its plan.

Carroll would not detail the plan that she says is near completion. But she says it will provide students a safe place to go if there's a strike. And she says the plan will make sure that the students will be fed. A majority of students receive two meals a day at school.

The teachers union and the city are in contract negotiations and teachers have authorized the union to call a strike if talks break down.