Five Essential Supports framework for improving student learning

Theory · All theories
Evidence · 11 claims (9 for, 2 mixed) · 9 studies (4 associational, 2 design, 1 causal, 1 review, 1 theoretical), q2 · 0 of 9 report an effect size · 10 claims rest on one study

Description

The agenda describes the Consortium's Five Essential Supports framework, in which five dimensions of school organization are "known to be linked to improving student outcomes". Involved families is one of the five essential supports, documented for more than 20 years as linked to advances in student outcomes; supportive environment and ambitious instruction are measured by the annual 5Essentials Survey, whose re-validation showed its measures continue to predict improvement in outcomes. The framework structures both the agenda's research strands and CPS's accountability use of survey results.

Design Implications

Context

Requirements

• The 5Essentials Survey must be administered to teachers and students to measure the dimensions of school organization.

Constraints

• The agenda reports educators fear accountability use of the survey creates pressure to respond more positively than they otherwise would.

Target Learners

• K-12 students in Chicago Public Schools

Target Learning Objectives

• Academic achievement
• Social-emotional development
• School improvement

Claims

• Student Reports Safe Supported Challenged Growth [+M]
• Proximity Decided Post Closing Enrollment [~M]
• Programs with strong essential supports are more likely to have higher teacher-child interactions and better child attendance than programs with very weak supports [+W]
• Parents offer a unique perspective best captured by a distinct sixth essential, Parent Voice [~W]
• Elementary GPA improved more in schools with strong 5Essentials Survey scores, a new outcome beyond the original validation [+W]
• Yearly high school attendance grew up to 3.55 percentage points more in schools with strong 5Essentials Survey measures than in schools with average scores [+W]
• Family engagement is connected to stronger social-emotional development, higher attendance, and better academic outcomes [+W]
• Family engagement in schools is closely linked to improved student academic achievement, social skills, and fewer behavior issues [+W]
• Freshman OnTrack rates improved by as much as 3.25 percentage points more in high schools with strong 5Essentials Survey measures [+W]

The evidence by question

• Are schools strong on several of the five essential supports more likely to improve student learning than schools weak on them? Elementary schools strong in three or more of the five essential supports were ten times more likely to substantially improve student math and reading scores (attributed to Bryk et al., 2010) [+M]
• Do schools that score strong on the 5Essentials Survey go on to improve more on attendance, grades and on-track rates, and in which schools? 5Essentials Survey measures predict school improvement in elementary and high schools, but not all measures relate to all outcomes [+M]

Related Theories

• The Early Education Essentials framework: six organizational essential supports for ECE programs
• Five Essential Supports for School Improvement (5Es) framework
• The five essential supports framework: five mutually reinforcing organizational dimensions that enable or inhibit improvement in classroom practices
• The Five Essential Supports framework identifies five organizational conditions for school improvement
• Five essential supports framework for school improvement
• The Five Essential Supports framework organizes school development measures

Examples

• 5Essentials survey-based diagnostic tools
• Consortium on Chicago School Research five-year research agenda 2004-2008 by topic and study type

Key Sources

• Sebring, Sall, Kheraj, Davis, Allensworth, de la Torre, & Beechum. (2021). Research and Engagement Agenda, 2021–25. UChicago Consortium on School Research. https://www.5-essentials.org/cps/5e/2018/s/610268/essentials/families/#trends?c=district&o=-change

Page metadata

Field	Value
type	theory
title	Five Essential Supports framework for improving student learning
description	The agenda describes the Consortium's Five Essential Supports framework, in which five dimensions of school organization are "known to be linked to improving student outcomes".
status	review
canonical	True
generated	by process:wiki-ingest on 2026-10-08
trust	unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content
sources	1 — sebring-2021

Frontmatter is the page's machine-readable record — see the Schema & Guide.