The CCSR 5 Essentials Survey
Helping Schools Organize
for Improvement
© CCSR
Elaine Allensworth
The University of Chicago Consortium on
Chicago School Research
Chicago 5 Essentials Surveys
 Demonstrate that student and teacher reports have an
empirical relationship to school improvement
 Provide an evidence about
how policies and initiatives
affect students’ and
teachers experiences in
schools
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 Give actionable information
that schools can use to
prioritize initiatives and drive
improvement
Chicago 5 Essentials Surveys
Administered to teachers in all grades and students in
grades 6-12
- Response rates of about 80% in 2013
- Yearly administration since 2011, biennial from1997
Framework developed in 1994
- Developed jointly by researchers,
teachers, principals, members of
reform organizations
© CCSR
- Grounded in research and school
practice
- Iterative process – collaboration
with researchers & practitioners
Each Essential Represents
Multiple Measures
Questions
5 Essentials
Measures
Course Clarity
I learn a lot from feedback
on my work.
It's clear to me what I need
to do to get a good grade.
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The work we do in class is
good preparation for the
test.
Course Clarity
Math Pedagogy
English Pedagogy
Student Discussion
Classroom Behavior
Challenge
The homework assignments
help me to learn the course
material.
I know what my teacher
wants me to learn in this
class.
Surveys used for both research
and school practice
 Diagnostic tool for school improvement
- Individual school reports provided confidentially to school leaders
since 1997
- In 2008, CPS adopted the “Five Fundamentals” for school
improvement planning, based on survey tool
- In 2009, reports became publicly-available
- In 2013, survey results included in school accountability
 Research tool
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- Allows researchers to understand how policies worked – effects on
instruction, learning climate, support for student learning
- Provides insight into key processes in schools – what matters most
Surveys validated and refined
through two decades of research
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 Initial study 1990-1996
 Replicated from 1997-2005
 Measurement of each component
refined over time
- Identify key construct from theory or
practice
- Develop measures – refine with each
survey administration
- Use in research – discover how it matters
for schools or student outcomes
- Refine theory
- Track progress in schools
Reports to schools: 5 Essentials
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https://cps.5-essentials.org/2013/
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Reports to schools: Effective leaders example
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Reports to schools: Program coherence
example
Reports for Area/Network Leaders
School
Instruction
1. School A
2. School B
3. School C
4. School D
5. School E
6. School F
7. School
G
100%
8. School H
9. School
I
94%
10. School J
11. School K
-
School
Leadership
Professional
Capacity
Family &
Community
Ties
Learning
Climate
Legend
94%
100%
87%
94%
73%
87%
66%
73%
87%
© CCSR
66%
73%
-
0.31
0.2
-
100%
94%
Area X
0%
-0.45
0.69
-
-0.32
0.09
-
0.52
0.53
1.27
1.47
1.39
0.42 0.19
-0.58
1.18
-0.56
1.33
1.96
-0.43
-1.08
-0.55
0.45
0.02
0.41
1.29
-0.32
-0.55
-
-0.46
-1.08
-0.51
0.16
0.11
-0.67
1.51
0.89
-
0.39
0.04
0.00
-
-0.67
-0.31
-0.3
-0.36
0.28
0.38
-2.09
-0.29
100%
0.70
87%
-
94%
100%
© CCSR
Expansion of 5 Essentials Surveys
through UChicago Impact
 Now given in multiple cities by different organization
 Adopted by State of Illinois in 2012-13 school year
- Mandated by law
- Five Essentials Day
- High participation in first year
- Stakeholder meetings in first year – not enough at local
level
- Pushback once results were given to schools
- Need for validation across settings, adapting to different
contexts
© CCSR
2012-13 Illinois Statewide Participation
Issues in design, implementation
 Trade-offs from survey length, report length
 Trade-offs from making results public vs
confidential
 Framework - useful or confusing
 Comparisons to other schools – context with
challenges
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 Content stability vs adaptability over time and
across places