5Essentials Survey
Survey-based evaluation of essential components for school success
The 5Essentials survey evaluates essential components for school success.
The chart above shows the level of implementation of each Essential, as well as overall school organization. This is calculated from teacher and student survey results.
The table (right) shows the response rate for the student and teacher 5Essentials surveys.
Principals may comment about the survey results in the text box below the display.
All district schools, including alternative schools that fall under the district’s domain, are required to participate in a school learning conditions survey at least every other year. In 2015, districts participating in Race to the Top and those that did not participate in the survey last year will be required to participate. Any district that had teacher or student responses last year will not be required to participate. However, all districts will have the option to participate and are strongly encouraged to do so to inform ongoing school improvement. This information comes from illinois.5-essentials.org
NOTE: If the 5Essentials results graphic is blank, then either the school did not participate in the current school year or the response rate was insufficient
The 5Essentials Survey results offer a comprehensive assessment of a school’s organizational culture, generating data that allows schools to develop improvement plans and target resources to areas known to be related to increases in student learning.. The survey also demonstrates that teachers and students can play a crucial role in school reform.What they share about their schools has been demonstrated to reliably predict whether those schools are likely to improve or stagnate.
The University of Chicago developed and administered a version of the survey in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) for the past 20 years, helping the city’s diverse schools develop pathways to improved student performance. The research has found that schools that are well organized, safe, and supportive are much more likely to be successful.
In addition to CPS, school districts in Connecticut, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri and New York have used the survey results to help frame and direct school improvement plans. While districts in these states have administered the survey, Illinois is the first state to administer the survey across all schools in its 860 districts. The School Report Card shows the scores from this norm-referenced survey, meaning school’s survey results will be compared to a specific normative – or similar – group. That means that each school is scored against the statewide average for their particular school type, i.e. elementary schools to elementary schools, middle schools to middle schools and high schools to high schools.