Lake County Gazette

Beginning February 18, students and teachers across Illinois have an opportunity to participate in the eleventh annual statewide Illinois 5Essentials Survey. This survey is designed to generate a detailed picture of the inner workings of schools. As a parent or guardian, this opportunity will allow you to share your thoughts on important elements of school effectiveness in a survey about your child's school.

On behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education, the 5Essentials Survey will be administered online by UChicago Impact at the University of Chicago. The survey gathers data related to five indicators that can predict important student outcomes, including improved attendance and larger test score gains. These five indicators that affect and predict school success are:

- Effective Leaders

- Collaborative Teachers

- Involved Families

- Supportive Environments

- Ambitious Instruction

Prior research in more than 400 schools has shown that schools strong on at least three of these "5Essential" indicators were ten times more likely to improve student learning gains in math and reading than those weak on three or more Essentials.

All teachers and fourth through twelfth-grade students will be responding to this survey. 5Essentials Reports will be generated for schools if their teachers or students meet the response rate threshold of 50 percent. These reports will be sent to schools and districts in May and will also be included in the State School Report Card.

Additionally, your district has chosen to provide the optional supplement parent survey. If at least 20 percent of Fairmont school parents or guardians complete this survey, a parent report will also be generated. The parent data will not be included on the State Report Card.

Your participation in the parent portion of the survey will help understand conditions at your child's school and guide improvement efforts. Your identity and survey responses will be kept completely confidential and never connected to you or your child.

The Illinois 5Essentials Survey for students and teachers will be conducted from February 18 – March 28. The Parent Survey Supplement will run during that same period. To take the survey please visit https://survey.5-essentials.org/Illinois/ and select the appropriate survey to begin.

For more information about the Illinois 5Essentials Survey or to view previous years' Reports, please visit https://www.5-essentials.org/illinois. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact UChicago Impact Survey Support at 1-866-440-1874 or impact-surveys@uchicago.edu.

Sincerely,

Elisabeth Patton