Our Approach to Accountability
Following a multi-year process of planning and development, CPS has introduced a new system for evaluating school performance and progress. The Continuous Improvement and Data Transparency Policy (CIDT) transforms the District’s accountability system by focusing on the holistic development of students. It fosters a collaborative relationship between the District, schools, and communities by providing equitable resources and supporting each school’s unique priorities. And it sets out a systematic means for measuring a school’s performance and identifying schools in need of support.
CIDT replaces the School Quality Rating Policy (SQRP) and improves on many aspects of its predecessor by being built from the ground up using stakeholder feedback, advice and participation. Throughout the process of developing the policy, the District engaged over 20,000 stakeholders and formed a diverse advisory group to reimagine our approach to accountability.
How CIDT Changes CPS' Approach to Accountability
Our new approach to accountability focuses on working with schools to address challenges, not penalizing them. Watch our video to learn more about how CIDT is changing the District's system of accountability.
Principles for Continuous Improvement
The District's commitment to continuous improvement is about creating better learning environments that support every student's growth, well-being, and academic success. Our approach focuses on key principles that guide how we support our students and schools every day.
-
Holistic Student Support
CPS is dedicated to addressing every aspect of a student's development, including academic, social, emotional, and well-being needs. This means that schools aim to create environments where students feel safe, supported, and inspired to reach their full potential.
-
Equity and Fairness
CPS is committed to ensuring that every student has access to the resources and support they need, especially those in historically underserved communities. This approach helps close opportunity gaps and ensures all students can succeed.
-
Transparent and Data-Driven Decisions
CPS believes in being open and transparent about how schools are performing. By using data to understand what's working and where improvements are needed, the District and schools can better support students and make informed changes.
-
Building Strong School Communities
CPS values collaboration between schools, families, and the community. By working together, schools aim to create inclusive and welcoming environments where every student, parent, and teacher feels valued and involved.
Continuous Improvement at Your School
As part of the implementation process for CIDT, we’ve made major updates to our school profiles to support the District's new approach. As you browse, you'll notice changes to data and information captured about each school. In addition to the information you’re used to seeing, profiles will now begin to include expanded data about how the District and schools support the whole child. Learn more about what's new in our school profiles, or search for your school below.
A System Designed for Our Students and Schools
The CIDT policy shifts focus away from punitive measurements of school quality to a holistic understanding of student learning and wellbeing. This means focusing not only on academic success but also fostering an environment that supports students’ growth and wellbeing. It replaces the SQRP and improves on many aspects of its predecessor by being built from the ground up using stakeholder feedback, advice and participation.
Supporting the Whole Child
Our new approach to accountability prioritizes the whole child, enhancing teaching and learning environments to support every aspect of a student's development. This includes focusing on the following areas:
- Daily Learning Experiences: The quality of a student’s day-to-day experience at school and the practices that positively impact students' learning and success over time.
- Adult Capacity and Continuous Learning: The creation of a positive and inclusive environment for teachers and staff including ongoing professional development that helps create a school culture where students feel supported, included, and able to achieve their best.
- Inclusive and Collaborative School and Community: A welcoming and supportive environment for students, families, and the community that emphasizes the importance of building strong partnerships to improve practice and support the whole child.
- Evidence of Student Learning and Wellbeing: Information about how schools and the district help students—through teaching methods and resources—as well as data about how well students perform.
Helping Schools Succeed
Instead of punishing schools for their challenges, our new approach focuses on how CPS is helping them improve. It is designed to be fair and ensure that every student gets a high-quality education by directing resources where they are needed most. This also means detailing all the necessary support and resources to help schools succeed, including:
- Funds: Money for school budgets
- Supplies and Products: Curriculum, books, ed-tech tools
- Services: Data systems, consulting, external professional development
- Personnel: Position allocations, staffing needs
Looking Ahead
CPS will continue to prioritize the well-being and development of every student. Our approach is built on continuous improvement and active engagement with the entire CPS community. We are working hard to fully implement our new approach to accountability by Fall 2025. This will be done in stages to give our schools and stakeholders time to understand changes and receive ongoing training and tools for support.
Starting this fall, we will begin to introduce new data measures along with information on schools' curriculum choices, balanced assessment plans, and out-of-school time programming. Our shared goal is to create an approach to our accountability system that aligns to our mission and supports every student's success, preparing them to be ethical, critical thinkers, and engaged community members.