5Essentials Parent/Caregiver Survey
Please Complete our Annual Parent/Caregiver Climate Survey
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November 30, 2023
Dear WPS Parents and Caregivers:
Over the next three weeks WPS teachers, parents, caregivers, and students across the district will have an opportunity to participate in the 5Essentials Survey. This survey is designed to generate a detailed picture of the inner workings of your child’s school. This will be our third administration of the survey and have found the information provided from the results to be very impactful in our practices.
As a parent/caregiver, this opportunity will allow you to share your thoughts on the important elements of school effectiveness in a survey about your child’s school. The 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, better overall experiences for students and teachers, 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 has shown that schools that were 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 4th through 12th 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 the district in January 2023.
Additionally, our district has chosen to provide the 5Essential parent/caregiver survey. If at least 20 percent of parents/caregivers in a particular school complete this survey, a parent/caregiver supplement report will also be generated for each school. Your participation in the parent/caregiver portion of the survey will help us understand the conditions at your child’s school and guide improvement.
The Parent Survey will be conducted now through December 22, 2023. Your identity and survey responses will be kept completely confidential and will never be connected to you or your child.
To take the survey please visit https://survey.5-essentials.org/watertown/survey/parent/.
Thank you in advance for taking the time to participate!
Dede Galdston, Superintendent of Schools
Student Survey Information and Opt-Out Option
As mentioned above, WPS will be administering our student survey for students in grades 4-12 called the 5Essentials Survey. This survey, developed by the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research, asks students about their experiences in school including academics, belonging, support, and general perceptions about school. Having direct information from students is critical for developing plans to improve schools.
Students’ identities will be completely confidential. Teachers or administrators will never see individual responses to survey questions only summary-level responses, such as the percentage of students who agree that homework assignments help them learn the course material.
Please be aware that under the Protection of Pupil Rights Act. 20 U.S.C. Section 1232(c) (1) (A), you have the right to review a copy of the questions asked of your student(s). Survey questions can be requested from your school or district. Please contact the Superintendent's office at (617) 926-7708 if you wish to see the survey.
If you DO NOT want your child to participate in this survey, please fill out the following Google Form by December 6, 2023.
Thank you for your cooperation!