Educational researchers find that successful schools focus their improvement efforts on a few key areas. The Five Fundamentals for School Success model, built on research and refined by CPS practitioners and stakeholders, helps all schools focus on what matters most. These levers for whole-school improvement are:

• Instruction
• Instructional Leadership
• Professional Capacity
• Learning Climate
• Family & Community Involvement

Each Fundamental can be described in terms of its three dimensions. For example, the three dimensions of the Instruction Fundamental are instructional vision, content and pedagogy, and data-driven improvement.

Click on the links above for the resources referred to in the Defining Excellence booklet.

Valuable School-Level Information on the Five Fundamentals
The Consortium on Chicago School Research at the University of Chicago conducted anonymous surveys of teachers and students in spring 2007 related to the Five Fundamentals for School Success. Each participating CPS school received an Individual School Report that summarized the school’s survey responses by Fundamental. The confidential report was mailed to each principal in December; district personnel do not have access to this information. Click here for a useful guide on how to use this information in your SIPAAA.