U-46 asks students, parents, and staff to take equity survey

Elgin Area School District U-46 is asking staff, parents, and students in fourth through 12th grades to take a survey on their experiences within U-46 as part of an equity audit to determine the extent to which the district is effectively serving all students.

"This is a comprehensive dive into all layers within our district," said Dr. Teresa A. Lance, Assistant Superintendent of Equity and Innovation. "It will equip all of us with information to aggressively work toward eradicating inequities on paper and in practice and provide a blueprint for improving student outcomes for years to come."

The online survey will be open for three weeks, from Sept. 13 through Oct. 5.

Students will take the survey in class after receiving a link to the survey in their student email account. A link to the survey for parents/guardians and staff will be emailed to them from the district.

Paper surveys will be available at each school upon request. The survey will take roughly 20 to 30 minutes and responses will be kept confidential and anonymous.

The survey is part of the district's Equity Audit which is being conducted with Curriculum Management Solutions, inc. (CMSi). The focus of the equity audit will fall under five key areas: vision and accountability, achievement, equity and access, culture and climate, and curriculum.

In addition to the survey portion, the audit will include site visits to classrooms; focus group interviews with students, parents, and staff; one-to-one interviews with parents and staff; and data review of documents including board policies, curriculum guides, human resources data, state reports, and more.

Results are expected to be shared with the U-46 Board of Education and the public during spring 2022.

More information about the equity audit can be found here under the Equity & Diversity section of the u-46.org website.

U-46 serves families in 11 communities: Bartlett, Elgin, Hanover Park, South Elgin, Streamwood and Wayne, as well as portions of Carol Stream, Hoffman Estates, St. Charles, Schaumburg, and West Chicago. In total, the district encompasses 90 square miles within the Fox River Valley, approximately 45 minutes west of downtown Chicago, and includes communities within Cook, DuPage and Kane counties. More than 37,000 pre-K through 12th graders attend the 57 district schools and programs. To learn more, visit the U-46 website, or follow on Facebook or Twitter.