Every public school in Illinois must take the 5Essentials Survey annually. It’s considered mandatory for students and teachers, with parents also being encouraged to take it in the early spring.
The 5Essentials Survey collects data from students and teachers on a variety of factors, including school environment, academic rigor, and cooperation among staff and students. The Illinois State Board of Education uses this information to create a public school report card. This report card provides ratings for each public school and is available online through the Illinois Report Card or as a PDF.
The survey includes over 150 questions based on those subjects and is expected to take about 15 minutes.
The survey measures five key areas: instruction, teacher collaboration, parent engagement, school environment, and academic rigor, according to Principal Dr. Limaris Pueyo.
“So it gives us an opportunity to hear their voice and allow them to give us feedback… it gives us a lens into what their experiences are,” Pueyo said.
Nonetheless, many students do not answer all of these questions with complete honesty, and to some, it becomes more of a “clicker game” than a survey. It is common for students to ask why they are required to take it when they do not see the effects directly. The survey is administered during gym periods.
“Nobody really takes it too seriously… I feel like if students saw something actually getting done or the effects the surveys have, I feel they would try a little bit more,” Hugo Martinez, senior at WCCHS, said.
However, administrators say this information plays a significant role in school improvement behind the scenes. Each year, WCCHS administrators review the data and identify areas for growth.
Pueyo said parent engagement has been one area of concern in recent years, as participation rates have been low. The school has since worked to increase outreach to families and encourage more responses.
The survey results are also connected to the district’s strategic plan, helping guide decisions on where the school should focus its efforts.
Pueyo encouraged students to take the survey seriously, emphasizing that their responses directly influence school decisions.
“We’re listening, and we’re looking at the data, and we’re looking at it from the lens of how can we make experiences better,” Pueyo said.
