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. These five indicators that affect and predict school success are:

·         Effective Leaders

·         Collaborative Teachers

·         Involved Families

·         Supportive Environments

·         Ambitious Instruction

Research in more than 400 schools has shown that schools strong on at least three of these “5Essential” indicators were 10 times more likely to improve student learning gains in math and reading than those that were weak on three or more Essentials.

All teachers and 6^th through 12^th graders will be responding to this survey. 5Essentials 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 June and will also be included in the state school report card.

If at least 30 percent of Lincoln parents complete the parent survey, a parent supplement 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.  

For more information about the Illinois 5Essentials Survey, or to view sample school reports, please visit https://illinois.5-essentials.org. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact 5Essentials Client Services at 1-866-440-1874 or 5essentials@uchicago.edu.