- Huff Elementary
- Homepage
School Environment Matters: U-46 Administers Seventh Illinois 5Essentials Survey to Improve Student Learning
School District U-46 will join the Illinois State Board of Education again in the seventh statewide survey of school climate and learning conditions. From November 15 through January 18, parents have the opportunity to take the annual 15-minute research-based survey.
The Illinois State Board of Education announced the student and teacher portion of the 2018-2019 5Essentials Survey has been delayed and is now slated to open December 11, 2018 and run through February 15, 2019.
“We encourage every parent, student, and teacher to let their voice be heard through this confidential survey,” said U-46 CEO Tony Sanders. “The results provide valuable feedback to help us identify our strengths as well as our opportunities for improvement.”
The Illinois 5Essentials Survey provides a comprehensive picture of a school’s organizational culture in an individualized report focused on five elements or “essentials” that have proven to influence school success:
- Effective Leaders
- Collaborative Teachers
- Involved Families
- Supportive Environment
- Ambitious Instruction
The survey has historically captured feedback from sixth through 12th graders. This year the Illinois State Board of Education has expanded the eligible student population to include fourth and fifth graders.
To take the survey, parents are instructed to visit survey.5-essentials.org/Illinois/ and answer important questions about their child’s school. Parents can complete a survey for each child and their school. At least 20 percent of a school’s parent population must submit a completed survey in order for the state to generate survey results. The survey is mobile friendly and available in English and Spanish. Students and teachers will have the opportunity to take the survey while they are at school.
Those results can inspire a school to try new approaches or efforts to improve leadership, instruction, staff collaboration, or school climate and culture. At Sycamore Trails Elementary in Bartlett, for instance, the 5Essentials parental feedback led to the creation of a Safety Pledge to help keep students safe during arrival and dismissal, more after-school offerings, and a sixth grade parent panel to support students transitioning to middle school.
U-46 parents, students, and teachers with any questions on 5Essentials are encouraged to please use Let’s Talk.