D205 Learning Standards & Instruction

For shared awareness, state legislators passed the Illinois Children's Mental Health Act in 2003 which required the Illinois State Board of Education to develop Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Standards. The district also maintains a Social and Emotional Learning policy, which it provides to the Illinois State Board of Education (6:65 Student Social and Emotional Development), as required by state law.

If you have questions regarding these requirements from the Illinois State Board of Education, please contact their division of Learning Standards and Instruction using the following information:

Email: ILTeachTalkLearn@isbe.net.

Phone: (217) 782-4322

Additional information regarding SEL can also be found on the Social-Emotional Learning in D205 section of the District website.

At this time no changes have occurred to the standards / instructional practices utilized in D205 Physical Education and Health courses for 2022-2023 in comparison to prior years.

In accordance with Board Policy 6:260, parents/guardians may seek to have their student exempt from a particular instructional material or program in limited circumstances. Such requests must be based either upon the statutory provisions which permit parental "opt-out" in the Illinois School Code, as set forth below, or a student's right to the free exercise of religion as provided by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

Parents/guardians seeking such exemptions should first contact their student's teacher. If unable to resolve the item with the teacher(s), and interested in seeking an exemption, parents/guardians must submit their request on the District's Curriculum Objection Form (available with the Principal), stating with specificity, the basis for seeking such an exemption. The school and District 205 administration will review such requests for exemption in accordance with its Curriculum Objection process and procedures and will grant or deny the request considering the District's educational mission, applicable law, and graduation requirements set forth by the District and the Illinois State Board of Education. 

The Illinois School Code establishes the following "opt-out" provisions for parents/guardians in relation to curricular content:

• Dissection of animals, 105 ILCS 112/1 et seq; 105 ILCS 5/27-14
• Comprehensive Personal Health and Safety and Sexual Health Education, 105 ILCS 5/27-9.1a (d)
• Instruction related to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), 105 ILCS 110/3
• Instruction on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and use of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), 105 ILCS 110/3
• Family Life Instruction, 105 ILCS 110/3
• Organ/tissue and blood donation, 105 ILCS 5/27-23.5 (schools with grades 9 and 10)
• Lockdown drills, 105 ILCS 128/20
• Instruction on recognizing and avoiding sexual abuse (105 ILCS 5/27-13.2) (K-8)

Exemptions which are not based on one of the statutory provisions above or an undue burden on student's rights to exercise their religious beliefs will not be granted.

Pursuant to School Board Policy 7:15, Student and Family Privacy Rights, a student's parent(s)/guardian(s) may inspect, upon their request, any instructional material used as part of their child's educational curriculum within a reasonable time of their request. The term "instructional material" means instructional content that is provided to a student, regardless of its format, printer or representational materials, audio-visual materials, and materials in electronic or digital formats (such as materials accessible through the Internet). The term does not include academic tests or academic assessments. 

Parents/guardians who have concerns about instructional materials or programming that are not related to the exemptions outlined above should first discuss such concerns with their student's teacher prior to then utilizing the Progression for Addressing Concerns if necessary. 

District 205 utilizes Panorama Ed, a nationally recognized organization, for support in surveying students about their experiences and approaches to learning. The data from two surveys, one in the fall and one in the spring, provides valuable insights into students' experiences and helps to improve and adapt instructional practices and procedures to better meet students' needs. 

Panorama Ed was selected because of their alignment to the CASEL framework for social emotional learning. This framework is evidence- based and helps cultivate skills that advance student learning and development. The framework is organized around five competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, responsible decision-making, and relationship skills. 

Collecting data twice a year allows D205 to assess growth and monitor the impact of practices. For the survey in the fall and spring, students in grades 3-12 complete a 15-20 minute survey during class. Where linked, questions can be found for students in grades 3-5 and grades 6-12. Teachers of students in grades 1-2 complete a survey about each student based on the teacher observations. Where linked, questions can be found for teachers to answer in grades 1-2. Student survey responses are not made public to ensure student privacy, and are only utilized by school staff to support students. Additionally, Panorama Ed's practices meet all student data-privacy requirements.

The District also provides the results of the survey to each student's parents or guardian, and provides advanced written notification of the survey dates to all parents and guardians, allowing any parents/guardians who prefer their student not participate in the survey, to complete an opt-out form.  

Each winter, students, teachers, and parents across Illinois have the opportunity to participate in the annual Illinois 5Essentials Survey. The survey is administered online by the University of Chicago on behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). Results of the survey are provided publicly online in the summer or fall when it is also then included in the ISBE School Report Card, as students participation rates are one measure that ISBE uses in its accountability system for public schools in Illinois. 

This survey allows students (in grades 4 through 12) to share thoughts on important elements of school effectiveness at each school. Where linked, questions can be found for the student survey in grades 4-12. Each year, D205 also provides advanced written notification of the survey dates to all parents and guardians, allowing any parents/guardians who prefer their student not participate in the survey, to complete an opt-out form.

Where linked, please find more information about the Illinois 5Essentials Survey, including reports from previous years. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact 5Essentials Client Services at 1-866-440-1874 or 5Essentials@uchicago.edu.

Parents and guardians with any questions for D205 pertaining to the SEL Survey or Illinois 5Essentials Survey can email info@elmhurst205.org.