The survey is designed to generate a detailed picture of your child’s school.  As a parent, you have this opportunity, too, and it will allow you to share your thoughts on the important elements of school effectiveness in a survey about your child’s school.

On behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois 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.

The Illinois 5-Essentials provides a comprehensive picture of a school’s organizational culture in an individualized report measuring five “essentials” critical for school success: 

• Effective Leaders
• Collaborative Teachers
• Involved Families
• Supportive Environment
• Ambitious Instruction

Prior research at the University of Chicago in more than 400 schools has shown that schools that were strong on at least three of the 5-Essentials were 10 times more likely to make substantial gains in improving student reading and math than schools that were weak on three or more of the Essentials. Strength on components within the Essentials also correlated with increased teacher retention, student attendance, college enrollment, and high school graduation.

All teachers and 4^th through 12^th grade students will be asked to respond to this survey. 5-Essentials Reports will be generated for schools if their teachers and/or students meet the response rate threshold of 50 percent. These reports will be sent to schools and districts in May 2023 and will also be included in the State School Report Card.  If you do not want your 4^th to 12^th grade child to participate in this survey, please reach out to your school office by February15th to notify them.

Additionally, the Byron School District has chosen to provide the optional Parent Supplement survey.  If at least 20 percent of parents from each school complete this survey, a parent supplement report will also be generated. The parent data will not be reported on the State Report Card.

Your participation in the parent portion of the survey will help us understand the conditions at your child’s school and guide improvement. Your identity and survey responses will be kept completely confidential and will never be connected to you or your child.  The Parent Survey Supplement will be conducted during that same timeframe. To take the survey please visit https://survey.5-essentials.org/Illinois/ and select the appropriate survey to begin.