As the national education research and policy landscape continues to shift, the UChicago Consortium remains committed to conducting high-quality education research to support stronger and more equitable outcomes for students, and inform policy and practice in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS).
Our September 2025 newsletter features updates on:
- Our latest Family Playbooks—in English and Spanish.
- They provide key information and data to help families and community members make informed decisions and take action in their schools, including understanding students’ academic progress, effective principal leadership, and a guide to understanding the 5Essentials Survey.
- Attendance research.
- Attendance is a powerful predictor of students’ later outcomes, and critical for students’ academic and social-emotional development.
- We have been meeting with many local organizations concerned about this issue, and participating in two national research networks working to provide post-pandemic research on chronic absenteeism. Look for a research report in October about the causes and consequences of absenteeism in grades 6-11.
- A recap of the May Research-Practice Forum, co-hosted by our Learning & Development Group and the CPS Department of Student Voice & Engagement.
- In community with one another, we considered how all schools and classrooms can be spaces where students’ daily experience is valued and regarded, and where every student feels seen, heard, and supported. Check out the full newsletter for details and photos from the May event, information on the work ahead, and how to stay connected.
- Upcoming events:
- September 22 at 2:30 pm: Precarious Prospects: College Completion and the Bridge to Employment
- September 23 at 2:00 pm: To&Through Project Milestones Tool 101 Workshop
- October 8–10: SREE (Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness) in Chicago, co-chaired by Shanette Porter.
Read our September 2025 newsletter for additional details.
