5  Essentials

Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),

Starting January 23, 2024, students and teachers across Illinois will 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 your child’s school. As a parent, this opportunity 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. 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 that were strong on at least three of these “5 Essential” 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 4th through 8th grade students 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 May and will also be included in the State School Report Card.

Additionally, we have chosen to provide the optional Parent survey supplement. If at least 20 percent of St. Anne Grade School parents 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 Illinois 5Essentials Survey for students and teachers will be conducted January 23, 2024 through March 29, 2024. 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.

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 5Essentials Client Services at 1-866-440-1874 or impact-surveys@uchicago.edu. 

Sincerely,

 The School Improvement Team



Parent(s)/Guardian(s), once you have completed the survey, please fill out the paper below and have your student return it to the main office by one of the following deadlines to be entered into up to 3 possible drawings for Amazon gift cards. 

  • Friday, February 2, 2024- entered into all 3 gift card drawings

  • Friday, February 23, 2024- entered into the final 2 gift card drawings

  • Tuesday, April 2, 2024 (After Spring Break)- final gift card drawing

One lucky parent/guardian and a student will have a chance to win an Amazon gift card during each drawing.  

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Student’s Name: ________________________________________________________

Grade Level: ___________________________________________________________

Parent/Guardian Signature: _______________________________________________  

**All Parents/Guardians are encouraged to take the survey, so if more than one person in the home takes the survey, please attach a copy of this slip or an extra paper with the information above on it and all will be entered into the drawings.