Section 1.97  Survey of Learning Conditions

In accordance with Section 2-3.153 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5], each school district shall administer a climate survey on the instructional environment within a school. The survey shall be identified and paid for by the State Board of Education and shall provide feedback from, at a minimum, students in grades 4 through 12 and teachers. Each school district shall annually administer the climate survey in every public school attendance center by a date specified by the State Superintendent of Education, and data resulting from the instrument's administration must be provided to the State Board of Education. The survey component that requires completion by teachers must be administered during teacher meetings or professional development days or at other times that would not interfere with the teachers' regular duties or classroom instructional duties. The State Superintendent shall publicly report on the survey indicators of learning conditions resulting from administration of the instrument at the individual school, district, and State levels and shall identify whether the indicators result from an anonymous administration of the instrument.  A regional-based program, special education cooperative, district-based alternative site or program, community-based early childhood center or program, State-authorized laboratory school, or any other site or program deemed appropriate and applicable by the State Board of Education may, but is not required to, participate in the survey established under this Section. 

a)         Each school with students in any of grades 4 through 12 shall administer the survey to teachers and students in those grade levels no sooner than 100 days from the start of the school year and no later than March 31.  The State Superintendent of Education shall annually identify the survey to be used and post the specific dates of the survey's administration by July 1 annually at https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Educational-Supports.aspx. The Survey administration window may not last longer than 75 days or fewer than 14 days.  For the purposes of this Section:

1)         "Teacher" means any individual who holds an educator license issued pursuant to Article 21B of the School Code and whose primary responsibility is to provide instruction to students at any grade level of prekindergarten through grade 12 for more than 50 percent of the school day or school year.  "Teacher" does not include paraprofessional educators, substitute teachers, tutors, instructional coaches who do not meet the criteria specified in this subsection (a)(1), or student teachers.

2)         "School" includes any alternative school established by the school district, including Alternative Learning Opportunity Programs authorized under Article 13B of the School Code operated at a location other than one of the district's schools.

b)         A school district shall not require a student or teacher to participate in the survey nor respond to each question on the survey; however, at least 50 percent of the teachers in a school must submit a survey in order for the school district to receive results. 

c)         The climate survey's ethical code of conduct may be found at www.isbe.net.

d)         Schools with fewer than eight teachers shall administer the survey to their student population only.

e)         Survey results shall be used to meet the requirements of Section 10-17a(2)(E) of the School Code regarding reporting, on the State and district school report cards, 2 or more indicators from any school climate survey.  School districts using a survey instrument identified under subsection (g), or those districts choosing to survey parents, shall submit the results to the State Superintendent of Education no later than May 1 for inclusion on the school report cards. 

f)         For purposes of Section 24A-20 of the School Code, the survey required under Section 2-3.153 of the School Code and this Section shall be the instrument to be used to provide feedback to principals on the instructional environment within a school (Section 24A-20 of the School Code).  A school district may incorporate results from the survey into the principal evaluation rubric or instrument required under 23 Ill. Adm. Code 50.320 (Professional Practice Components for Principals and Assistant Principals).

g)         A school district may elect to use, on a district-wide basis and at the school district's sole cost and expense, an alternate survey of learning conditions instrument pre-approved by the State Superintendent.  (Section 2-3.153(b) of the School Code) 

1)         The State Superintendent shall post annually the survey instruments authorized under this subsection (g) no later than July 1 at https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Educational-Supports.aspx.

2)         Any school district wishing to use a survey instrument authorized under this subsection (g) shall annually submit a form developed for this purpose and posted at https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Educational-Supports.aspx to the State Superintendent no later than September 15.  The form shall state, at a minimum, the requirements for and conditions of administering a survey instrument authorized under this subsection (g) that are stipulated at Section 2-3.153(b) of the School Code.  A school district approved under this subsection (g)(2) to administer an alternate survey must submit to the State Board of Education the appropriate survey data no later than May 31. The data submitted by the school district will be used to meet the requirements of subsection (f) and for calculating a summative designation for school accountability.

3)         A school district's failure to annually submit the form required under subsection (g)(2) shall result in the district's being required to use the survey identified for statewide administration and posted at https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Educational-Supports.aspx.

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 867, effective January 4, 2021)