This case study highlights the implementation of Elevate, a continuous improvement platform, in partnership with the UChicago Network for College Success (NCS) and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to improve 9th grade success and create positive learning experiences for students.
Created by the Project for Education Research That Scales (PERTS), Elevate enables educators to assess, track, and improve classroom conditions by using high-quality measures and analytics. By collecting data on students' experiences, the program aims to create engaging and equitable learning environments.
NCS and CPS recognized the need to go beyond traditional markers of academic progress and focus on students' specific experiences in school. They aimed to create liberatory classrooms that acknowledge students' identities and promote engagement with learning. The Elevate program allowed them to systematically collect student feedback and obtain disaggregated results to ensure equitable experiences for all students. Additionally, teams used the platform's data and strategies to unpack and determine change ideas, working towards equitable experiences for all students.
Furthermore, the approach taken by NCS coaches involved creating a compassionate space for teachers, considering the high levels of burnout experienced during the pandemic. This approach proved effective, as the program expanded from four teachers in the previous year to dozens of teachers and over 1,400 students across 13 CPS schools.
The case study summarizes the strategies that supported the successful scaling of the Elevate program, highlighting the importance of incorporating student voice data and addressing teacher burnout while promoting continuous improvement in education.
Elevate in Action Case Study: The Network for College Success and Chicago Public Schools
